Rangers Take Over Security of Troubled Las Cruces Park

A park in Las Cruces may soon see a resurgence in visitors thanks to a new problem that puts park "rangers" onsite to guard against crime(s).

Young Park in Las Cruces has seen some pretty rough times lately as crime rates rose and visitors dwindled. What used to be a park full of happy families enjoying an afternoon turned into a "ghost" park, frequented by criminals and plagued by crime including a shooting last May that killed 3.

Those days are over now though as the Las Cruces Police Department has recruited, trained and placed new park rangers at the park to keep an eye on things. KVIA reports that, so far, residents seem happy with the new operation.

Are Las Cruces Park Rangers Police Officers?

They are civilians trained by the Las Cruces police Department and given the power to issue citations but they do not have the authority to make arrests according to LCPD Chief Jeremy Story.

... (their authority) falls under the city’s parks ordinance, allowing them to issue citations although they cannot make arrests. Story added he is recommending amendments to the ordinance that would allow rangers to address additional matters such as accessible parking enforcement. - abqjournal

Do Park Rangers Carry Weapons?

The rangers’ are equipped with radios, tasers, batons, pepper spray and handcuffs to be used for self-defense only. They also wear body cameras.

READ MORE: Las Cruces - One Of NM's Most Dangerous Cities??

The program launched last year but got off to a slow start when, out of the 400 candidates who initially signed up for the program, none of them finished.