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Officials offer park solutions
City Council will listen to ideas generated by the public on making Brand Park safer.
By Chris Wiebe
GLENDALE — Narrowing the hours of operation and installing decorative gates at entrances to Brand Park are among the suggestions city officials will take to the council later this month, as they move to enhance park safety.
The potential measures come on the heels of a series of public meetings, designed to collect input from residents near Brand Park about ways to keep the park safe. Security at Brand was propelled into the public eye on June 26, when a drive-by shooting prompted residents to appeal to the city for safety and security improvements.
No one was injured in the shooting, but city officials responded with some swift changes — including removal of basketball courts, closure of the western exit and the posting of a security guard at the main entrance — which are increasingly popular among residents, said George Chapjian, director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services.
“What we heard at the Brand meeting was that the security person at the site is working out really well,” he said. “They feel the presence is important and we agree with them.”
And more potential changes, gleaned from public input, will be posed to the council for discussion, including having motion detectors, more lighting and surveillance cameras, Chapjian said.
“Neighbors felt that with more presence there might be a need for cameras, but we’re still going to be looking at that anyway,” he said. “Just because of the increased usage we are becoming more and more urbanized, and we want to make sure to keep our parks safe.”
Officials are also weighing whether a police presence or a park ranger presence is more effective for park security, he said.
In light of the most recent changes, neighbors say that conditions in Brand Park have improved significantly since June 26.
“There’s marked improvement in the park; that’s a given,” neighboring resident Robert Mulder said. “You see people with kids again; you see older people walking; everybody seems to be happy.”
Park security has also benefited from the presence of a front gate guard between about 2 and 10 p.m., he added.
“That seems to be a pretty good deterrent,” Mulder said. “But I think [the guard] should be more aggressive in calling stuff in when he does see things to keep police coming in on a regular basis. Because once the thugs know they can come in, they keep coming back.”
Still, some residents are envisioning further protections, such as imposing leash laws, putting up perimeter gates and establishing earlier closing hours, he said.
“Kids don’t need to be in a park at 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. at night,” he said. “That’s just trouble waiting to happen.”
The issue could come before the council as early as March 25, Chapjian said.
CHRIS WIEBE covers public safety and the courts. He may be reached at (818) 637-3232 or by e-mail at chris.wiebe@ latimes.com.
The potential measures come on the heels of a series of public meetings, designed to collect input from residents near Brand Park about ways to keep the park safe. Security at Brand was propelled into the public eye on June 26, when a drive-by shooting prompted residents to appeal to the city for safety and security improvements.
No one was injured in the shooting, but city officials responded with some swift changes — including removal of basketball courts, closure of the western exit and the posting of a security guard at the main entrance — which are increasingly popular among residents, said George Chapjian, director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services.
“What we heard at the Brand meeting was that the security person at the site is working out really well,” he said. “They feel the presence is important and we agree with them.”
And more potential changes, gleaned from public input, will be posed to the council for discussion, including having motion detectors, more lighting and surveillance cameras, Chapjian said.
“Neighbors felt that with more presence there might be a need for cameras, but we’re still going to be looking at that anyway,” he said. “Just because of the increased usage we are becoming more and more urbanized, and we want to make sure to keep our parks safe.”
Officials are also weighing whether a police presence or a park ranger presence is more effective for park security, he said.
In light of the most recent changes, neighbors say that conditions in Brand Park have improved significantly since June 26.
“There’s marked improvement in the park; that’s a given,” neighboring resident Robert Mulder said. “You see people with kids again; you see older people walking; everybody seems to be happy.”
Park security has also benefited from the presence of a front gate guard between about 2 and 10 p.m., he added.
“That seems to be a pretty good deterrent,” Mulder said. “But I think [the guard] should be more aggressive in calling stuff in when he does see things to keep police coming in on a regular basis. Because once the thugs know they can come in, they keep coming back.”
Still, some residents are envisioning further protections, such as imposing leash laws, putting up perimeter gates and establishing earlier closing hours, he said.
“Kids don’t need to be in a park at 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. at night,” he said. “That’s just trouble waiting to happen.”
The issue could come before the council as early as March 25, Chapjian said.
CHRIS WIEBE covers public safety and the courts. He may be reached at (818) 637-3232 or by e-mail at chris.wiebe@ latimes.com.
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