BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The City of Bakersfield and the Recreation and Parks Department officially launched the new city Park Ranger Program on Wed, Jan 18.
The 17 park rangers, including Park Ranger Supervisor Michael Dobbs, were joined by city officials at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Park, where they introduced themselves to the community. The park rangers have been on the job since September, patroling more than 60 city parks after the program was approved by the city council last March.
Their responsibilities include preventing vandalism, which cost the city about $15,000 a month last year, and keeping the parks safe for all visitors. City officials say having the park rangers out there will free up police officers to answer other calls.
The $2.4 million annual funding for the program is made possible by the Public Safety and Vital Services Measure that voters passed in 2018.
