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Vacaville park ranger outlines vandalism, off‑leash dogs and parking problems at Lagoon Valley
Summary
Park Ranger James Tanner told the Parks & Recreation Commission that Lagoon Valley and other city parks face recurring issues—graffiti, vandalism, dogs off leash, parking violations and malfunctioning pay machines—and described an education-first approach to enforcement and local agency coordination.
Park Ranger James Tanner told the Vacaville City Parks & Recreation Commission on March 4 that the city’s ranger program spends much of its time promoting safe park use, responding to vandalism and addressing parking and off‑leash dog violations.
"Graffiti and vandalism are quite common," Tanner said, listing those problems alongside increased fishing activity and malfunctioning pay machines at Lagoon Valley, which he described as a "sizable 470 acre park." Tanner said rangers promote compliance through education and redirection but are authorized to issue citations for some violations, primarily parking and after‑hours presence.
Recreation Supervisor Christina Santoo introduced Tanner and said the program also supports special events and coordinates closely with Vacaville Police, the Vacaville Fire Department, California Fish and Wildlife and Humane Animal Services. "We’ve been working pretty closely with dispatch," Tanner added, describing recent efforts to speed and clarify communications between rangers and public safety partners.
Commissioners asked about staffing, enforcement powers and how rangers handle conflicts. Tanner said his first step with a dog off‑leash is polite education and redirection to off‑leash areas; only if that fails would he pursue a citable action. On larger or potentially hazardous incidents, he said he calls the Vacaville Police Department for assistance.
Tanner also described ranger training: rangers are certified in CPR, AED use and "stop the bleed" techniques and carry AEDs and first‑aid kits for minor emergencies. He noted the program covers neighborhood and community parks in addition to Lagoon Valley, and highlighted recent volunteer and partner work — including UC Davis Raptor Center releases and collaboration during a kids fishing event.
The commission expressed appreciation for the program and discussed whether additional ranger staffing might improve coverage, with at least one commissioner suggesting the city explore expanding patrol resources.
Next steps: the commission did not take formal action on staffing at this meeting; Tanner’s description of enforcement authority and interagency coordination was presented for commission information and follow‑up.
