RAPID CITY, SD (KOTA) – The pilot program for the Park Ranger Program began in early August. Four rangers will be assigned to oversee and protect Rapid City’s 1,700 acres of parks and ensure the safety of the public. The team consists of a supervisor and three rangers.
Given the number of people who use the parks every day: children, young adults and seniors. Park rangers want to make sure the parks are protected and safe for everyone. In recent years, the parks have experienced problems with vandalism, drug use and youth problems.
Rapid City Mayor Jason Salamun plans to continue the program through 2025 and will evaluate its effectiveness in a year to decide whether to expand or keep it. He hopes the program will have a positive impact on the community, with safety as his top priority.
“The most important thing is safety. We want to make sure people are safe and the parks are protected. We’ve had vandalism, drug abuse, problems with youth. We’ve had all kinds of things in the parks because there’s so much park space that we really want to make sure the parks are accessible to everyone,” Salamun said.
Salamun encourages the public to greet and get to know the rangers in the parks. The rangers are available to help with any questions or concerns.
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