Title
Parks Safety Update
Description
This report provides the Public Safety and Justice subcommittee with information on efforts to maintain safe and accessible parks throughout the Phoenix parks system.
THIS ITEM IS FOR INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION.
Report
Summary
The mission of the Parks and Recreation Department is to build healthy communities through parks, programs and partnerships, and make Phoenix a better place to live, visit and play. With one of the largest parks systems in the nation, the City provides residents and visitors with more than 41,000 acres of desert parks and mountain preserves with more than 200 miles of trails; 188 parks; and much more. Parks provide open space and opportunities for recreation. The department continues to use a variety of methods to address and reduce negative behaviors and security concerns in parks.
The Parks and Recreation Department last provided a parks safety update to the Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee on March 6, 2024. This report provides information on continuous efforts and initiatives to help provide safe and accessible parks to the public including information on the Code of Conduct, and an update on Park Rangers, trespass authority, security services, collaboration with city departments and other ongoing efforts to enhance park safety.
Park Rangers and Code of Conduct
The objectives of the Park Ranger Program include maintaining safe and welcoming parks for all park users. The work Park Rangers perform is divided into two related yet distinct assignments: Park Rangers assigned to work in mountain parks and preserves, and Park Rangers assigned to urban parks. There are 104 full-time Park Rangers and seven part-time Park Ranger positions throughout the parks system.
Park Rangers assist daily in the proactive education and enforcement of the Code of Conduct. The goal of the Parks and Recreation Code of Conduct, approved by the Parks and Recreation Board in 2021, is to promote behavior that allows everyone to enjoy clean, safe, accessible, and inviting parks, facilities, and programs by providing clear expectations of acceptable behavior in flatland parks, desert and mountain parks and preserves, and other park facilities (collectively referred to as parks). The Code of Conduct, which includes trespass authority, was written in partnership with the community and several City departments, including the Law Department, the Prosecutor’s Office, and the Police Department.
With the support of the Phoenix City Council, the Urban Park Ranger team has grown from only 12 Park Rangers in 2019, to a team of 44 today. Urban Park Rangers are dedicated to patrolling the 188 flatland urban parks located throughout the City. A team of third-shift Park Rangers were hired in July 2023 and began patrolling parks on September 11, 2023. With this addition, Park Rangers now patrol parks twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week. To further enhance park safety downtown, the Department partnered with Arizona State University (ASU) and Downtown Phoenix Inc., to hire two Park Rangers who are assigned to Civic Space Park.
Park Rangers have authority to issue criminal citations for violations of the Phoenix City Code and trespass notices for violations of the Code of Conduct. Unlawful conduct that violates the Arizona Revised Statues (ARS) or the Phoenix City Code (PCC) is prohibited in the Code of Conduct, therefore Park Rangers can trespass someone who violates ARS or PCC. Possession of drugs or drug paraphernalia is the most common example of an ARS violation that would result in a Park Ranger issuing a trespass notice. Other common violations addressed by Park Rangers include loitering in the park after hours, illegal vending, shopping carts on park property, dogs off-leash, smoking, use of park amenities outside their intended purpose, and littering.
Park Rangers record the details of all warning and trespasses into a SharePoint database. The information includes the name, if known, a photograph, and physical description of the violator. This information is available to Phoenix Police Officers through their Police Point site.
Urban Park Rangers, on average:
- Make 72 park visits each day
- Visit 178 different parks each month
- Make 35 enforcement contacts each night during park closure hours
Several factors can influence the number of parks visited on a typical day including the complexity of issues at a park on a given night, the number of Park Rangers on duty, vacancies, and traffic conditions between park visits. Park Rangers routinely collaborate with other City departments including the Office of Homeless Solutions and the Phoenix Police Department. These coordinated efforts have led to improvements within park locations experiencing negative activities.
The Department routinely reviews and updates internal operating procedures. This allows for further refinement of Code of Conduct enforcement through trespass authority. The Code of Conduct continues to serve as an effective tool to help keep our parks safe, clean and accessible.
24/7 Code of Conduct Answering Service
In September 2024, the Parks and Recreation Department implemented a one-year pilot program offering a 24/7 Code of Conduct Answering Service, where a third-party operator receives calls from residents regarding park activity 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Information is entered into a database and Park Rangers use this information to address issues at the parks. Through April 30, 2025, the service relayed a total of 836 calls. The pilot will enable staff to evaluate the effectiveness of the service and offers an opportunity to make necessary adjustments prior to a longer-term contract based on insights gained during the trial period.
Police Department Trespass Authority on Park Property
The Police Department has authority to trespass on park property and has charged individuals with criminal trespassing. The Parks and Recreation Department shares its trespass list with the Police Department, which communicates information about individuals who have been trespassed from City parks by Park Rangers. This information is accessible to all Police Officers. Currently, when a Police Officer receives a call for service at a park, they check the trespass database to see if an individual has a warning or has been trespassed from the premises. The database contains information on if the person is trespassed from all parks, or just certain parks, and for how long. Police Officers can then make an arrest for violations of a trespass previously issued by Park Rangers.
To continue communication and safety efforts, Police Officers will notify Park Rangers when an arrest occurs on Park property. At that time, the Ranger can request that a trespass charge is added to the other violations, and/or that person would be added to the trespass list for future reference.
Security Services
In an effort to further address negative behaviors in parks, at the direction of the Phoenix City Council, the Parks and Recreation Department implemented overnight roving security services from 8 p.m. to 10 a.m. in February 2023 at 12 parks. Parks were selected based on the number of Park Ranger visits, the number of Code of Conduct violations and trespass notices issued throughout the City, along with City Council priorities. The current security personnel wear body cameras and include date and time stamped photos of contacts with park users in all their reports and utilize cloud-based software for data reporting via mobile apps.
The current list of parks patrolled by security personnel includes:
- Cave Creek - Sweetwater Park
- Cesar Chavez Park
- Cholla Trail
- Cielito Park
- Cortez Park
- Los Olivos Park
- Perry Park
- Pierce Park
- Maryvale Park
- Paradise Valley Park
- Solano Park
- Washington Park
Between May 2024 and April 30, 2025, security personnel made contact with over 16,800 people at the12 park locations. Security personnel most commonly educate individuals on the code of conduct, ask individuals to leave the park after park hours, report excessive trash and unattended belongings, vandalism, and maintenance concerns to park staff. Generally, security personnel are able to address issues without assistance, however when necessary they seek assistance from Urban Park Rangers, Phoenix Police and Phoenix Fire. Between May 2024 and April 2025, security personnel contacted Phoenix Police 139 times, Phoenix Fire 27 times and Park Rangers 151 times. The security personnel provide daily reports on observed activities in each park visited. Implementation of security services in addition to the work of Park Rangers has proven to be beneficial in helping to enhance park safety.
The Parks and Recreation Department has also installed and rotated the use of temporary mobile security cameras at select parks experiencing ongoing challenges with negative activity. The implementation of these cameras serves as an additional measure to enhance park safety. Each solar-powered mobile unit features four tilt-zoom cameras with 360-degree coverage and backup power capabilities. The cameras offer 24-hour recording with a 15-day storage capacity, after-hours live monitoring by SentraCam's Network Operations Center, a 24/7 customer support line, remote access via smartphone or desktop, and daily audit reports detailing detected activity. Since implementation, the Department has assisted the Phoenix Police Department with footage retrieval on two occasions.
Office of Homeless Solutions
The Office of Homeless Solutions (OHS) Liaisons partner with Parks and Recreation Department staff, primarily Park Rangers and maintenance crews, to address homeless activity in City parks. OHS Liaisons outreach and engage with individuals experiencing homelessness, conduct personal property assessments, store personal property as needed, identify bio-hazardous material and secure the location for Parks and Recreation Department staff to safely dispose of encampment materials, trash and/or blight. OHS Liaisons document engagements in PHX C.A.R.E.S and HUD's Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). While visiting parks on a daily basis, OHS Liaisons are monitoring activity levels within the parks and identifying high volume locations.
Ongoing Efforts to Enhance Park Safety
The Department remains committed to providing safe parks to the public and will continue to utilize a variety of methods to enhance park safety. In addition to the implementation of overnight Urban Park Rangers and security services, Parks and Recreation staff continue to focus on enhancing park activation efforts through mobile recreation programs, special events, and partnerships with outside organizations. Additionally, in November 2023, over $300,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding was awarded to 47 neighborhood organizations for park activation events. During 2024 and early 2025, these neighborhood organizations activated 39 parks with over 200 meaningful programs and events as part of the ARPA Neighborhood Park Activation Grant Program. Examples include a series of free, family-friendly events featuring entertainment, food and community resources hosted by the Deer Valley Neighborhood Block Watch at Deer Valley Park, a carnival-style fair hosted by the Estrella Super Moms at El Oso Park and a community celebrated hosted by the 44th Community Alliance at Pierce Park.
In October 2024, Phoenix City Council amended Chapter 23 of the Phoenix City Code making it unlawful for any person to camp in a park or preserve, or other public ground that is owned, possessed, or controlled by the city. It shall be unlawful for any person to camp on or within 500 feet of any parcel where a school, childcare facility, shelter or City park is located. As a result, the Parks and Recreation Department is in the process of updating and installing camping ordinance signage that reflects this update.
As part of the Parks Master Plan which is currently underway, 29 parks will be assessed for crime prevention strategies through Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) evaluations. CPTED focuses on strategies and recommendations to improve park environments to prevent crime and increase safety in parks. Examples of strategies range from activating parks, modifying landscape areas, improved lighting, and designed marked pathways.
The Parks and Recreation Department in collaboration with the Law Department is working to address other activities taking place in Parks that can create challenges around safety and accessibility. Activities include public feeding, distribution of goods, and providing medical services on park property. The City can control access and activities on property and the goal is to develop regulatory framework to control and protect the public’s health, safety, and welfare.
The Parks and Recreation Department remains steadfast in its commitment to enhance park safety. By prioritizing proactive measures, fostering community engagement, and adopting innovative strategies, staff continually strive to ensure that the City of Phoenix parks system remains welcoming, safe, and provides enjoyable spaces for all.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager John Chan and the Parks and Recreation Department.