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Police report: 857 park service calls in April; commissioners request citation breakdown
Summary
City Department of Public Safety reported 857 park-related calls for service in April across wards and cited hotspot parks; commissioners asked for a comparative breakdown of citations from April 2024 to April 2025 to assess enforcement patterns.
A Department of Public Safety lieutenant reported to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission on May 6 that city parks generated 857 calls for service during April 2025, and commissioners asked staff for a breakdown of citations and enforcement to understand rising counts in some wards.
The lieutenant — who spoke as the department’s representative — provided ward‑by‑ward data and named hotspot parks. Highlights included:
- Ward 1: 106 calls for service; top parks with enforcement activity included Gary Dexter Park (4 citation/arrests), Rainbow Family Park (4) and Bob Baskin Park (4). - Ward 2: 48 calls for service; Kellogg’s Air (3) and All American Park (2) cited. - Ward 3: 296 calls for service; Justice Levitt Park reported 53 citation/arrests; Freedom Park (Gary Reese) reported 18; Rafael Rivera Park reported 14. - Ward 4: 74 calls for service; Bob Baskin Park had narcotics arrests (3) and Bunker Park had 2 citations. - Ward 5: 259 calls for service; Keeanga Aisaki Park reported 17 citation/arrests, Ethel Pearson Park 16, Lorenzi Park 12. - Ward 6: 74 calls for service; Floyd Lamb had 2 citation/arrests; Pauley Gonzalez Park had 1.
The lieutenant said the figures cover park violations, lodging without consent, warrants and similar incidents and do not include perimeter checks or non‑park vehicle calls. He described targeted enforcement and “park sweeps” at identified hot spots and said trailer cameras were deployed to specific locations in April to address arson and sporting‑event issues.
Commissioner Zamora asked for a comparative report to show the types of citations issued in April 2024 versus April 2025 after noting some counts nearly doubled. The lieutenant said he could provide that comparison. Commissioner Vocus and others questioned whether the increase reflected more enforcement activity or genuinely higher incidents; the lieutenant said evidence‑based policing and focused enforcement on hotspots likely accounts for some rise in recorded statistics.
Chair Becker emphasized that officers treat homelessness as not a crime and that enforcement is focused on illegal activity rather than presence in parks. The lieutenant repeatedly clarified that typical park violations include after‑hours presence, weapons, alcohol and lodging without consent.
Ending: The item was informational; commissioners asked DPS for a follow‑up report comparing citation types year‑over‑year and requested more detailed data to ensure enforcement is not unduly criminalizing minor behavior.
