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St. Louis County Council designates park rangers as first responders, says duties remain park-limited
Summary
The County Council adopted substitute bill 1 for bill 216 to designate St. Louis County Park Rangers as first responders. Council members clarified the change does not alter pay scale, expand jurisdiction beyond parks, or automatically add new training requirements; the measure passed 6–0 with one absence.
St. Louis County Council on final passage adopted substitute bill 1 for bill 216, an ordinance adding subsection 616.27 to Title 6 of the St. Louis County Revised Ordinances to designate county park rangers as first responders.
Council Member Archer moved for adoption of the substitute bill and during discussion said the ordinance would formally recognize park rangers’ role responding to incidents that occur within parks. Councilwoman Shalonda Webb asked for clarifications about pay, training and authority; Archer asked the clerk to read the substitute bill aloud before the vote.
Council Member Archer asked for clarification on the scope of the designation: “Just for clarification, this does not change their pay rate or redesignate their pay rate scale. This is just to designate them as a responder and it does not require them to do any additional training?”
County Counsel replied, “That's correct, councilman. It's a designation. Their duties and and responsibilities and jurisdiction is still the parks. Okay. But, so often for, incidents that happen within the parks, they are the true first responders as they are the ones on the scene for whatever the situation may be.” The council also noted that the Board of Police Commissioners had authorized the park rangers, at a security-guard level, to carry a firearm for incidents in parks.
A roll call recorded six ayes and one absence; the clerk announced that substitute bill 1 for bill 216 is finally passed. Council members recorded as voting in favor were Hancock, Bangert, Archer, Harder, Days and Webb; one member was absent.
The ordinance text read into the record amends Title 6 to add the new subsection 616.27 and designates St. Louis County Park Rangers as first responders. The motion and recorded roll call are entered in the council minutes.
Implementation details such as any additional training programs, revised job descriptions, or department directives were not specified on the record.
