In 2009, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department assumed responsibility for providing patrol services to the 177 County Parks throughout Los Angeles County. A newly created Parks Bureau became the catalyst for building valuable partnerships to improve services and safety at all Los Angeles County Parks. Based on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children statistics, 25 percent of all stranger abductions occur in a park or wooded area; and based on these statistics, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department implemented a new training program called RadKIDS (Resist Aggression Defensibly).
On May 1, 2012, Parks Bureau personnel began teaching the RadKIDS Program at five County Parks. Sheriff’s sworn personnel and Parks and Recreation staff provide hands-on, activity based, physical skills training to the general public, specifically to parents and their children. The program has been well received by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Parks Bureau personnel, and residents of the County of Los Angeles. Due to the popularity of the RadKIDS program, surrounding cities and county park and recreation agencies have requested information to develop similar programs.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department – Parks Bureau personnel have completed 21 RadKIDS Classes training over 276 children and their parents. The RadKIDS Program empowers children to recognize instinctual options to avoid, and if necessary respond to potential danger. This ten-hour family centered safety education program emphasizes to kids, essential decision-making skills as well as physical resistance options to escape violence. All three components of this program are taught at the Los Angeles County Parks by members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and members of the Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation. The patrons are grateful for the free child safety programs, child identifications kits, and pamphlets that are offered and provided through the RadKIDS program. Since the start of the RadKIDS program, park attendance has increased and patrons are feeling safer in the parks.
For these reasons, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department – Parks Bureau was selected by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training as the recipient of the 2012 POST Excellence in Training Award for Organizational Achievement. The Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) was established by the Legislature in 1959 to set minimum selection and training standards for California law enforcement.
The Commander of Parks Bureau, Captain Stephen Smith said, “Ensuring the public’s safety at all County Parks is our priority and utmost concern. This program was a major undertaking financially and logistically, but I felt the safety of children made it essential that we provide this training.” It is such a strong program because it is a three strand cord that involves the public, the Parks and Recreation Department employees and the Sheriff’s Department all working together to keep our kids safe.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Departments Parks Bureau is dedicated to providing a safe and drug free environment at all Los Angeles County Parks.
Providing Public Safety for Parks
www.Parks.lasd.org
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