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Staff proposes park ranger pilot and crime-prevention-by-design measures in master plan
Summary
Parks staff outlined safety and inclusion priorities for the proposed master plan, including pilot park ranger staffing with Merced Police Department collaboration and design changes to reduce crime opportunities in parks.
As part of the master plan presentation, Christopher Jensen reviewed a safety and inclusion pillar that recommends design changes and expanded staffing to improve park safety. Jensen cited crime-prevention-by-design principles—placing high-use amenities along street frontages for visibility—and proposed a park ranger model that would augment existing police resources during peak seasons.
Jensen praised Merced Police Department partnership on pilot patrols and said redeploying school resource officers to bike trails in the summer had visibly improved trail conditions. He said park rangers would likely be city staff working collaboratively with PD and community service partners rather than replacing sworn officers. "They've been fantastic partners of ours," Jensen said of the Merced Police Department.
No formal policy was adopted; the recommendation is part of a broader set of 35 action plans to be discussed in detail at a scheduled study session.
