California City Hires Private Security Guards to Patrol Parks

According to officials, the need for more patrols at local parks was putting too much stress on the Fresno Police Department. The city chose to hire private security to decrease the demand on Fresno PD.

• By Jessica Davis
• Mar 08, 2019

The City of Fresno has hired a private security firm to patrol its public parks to keep them safe overnight.

Two of the most popular parks, Woodward and Roeding, have drawn illegal activity and homeless encampments, according to Councilmember Garry Bredefeld.

"We don't want any of that, so now on a 24-hour basis during the day, the police will be in. And overnight we have a private security firm that we spent $65k to ensure [that] 10 at night to 6 in the morning, seven days a week, they will be operating, making sure the park is safe," Bredefeld said.

According to officials, the need for more patrols at local parks was putting too much stress on the Fresno Police Department. The city chose to hire private security to decrease the demand on Fresno PD.

Officers from Falcon Private Security will patrol the parks overnight and secure the gates. Officials hope the extra security presence will help reduce crime while freeing up police officers to do other work.

"The police wanted this—they know they can be elsewhere and now we have people to make sure the park is safe. It's clean, people aren't setting up encampments and there's not drug activity going on overnight. It's a win-win for everybody," Bredefeld said.

Falcon Security said they have at least six trained officers dedicated to patrolling the parks.

City officials said the parks average about 10 incidents a month overnight at the parks, but expect calls to increase once the weather warms up.