St. Joseph launches new park safety initiative to reduce crime  

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- The City of St. Joseph is rolling out a new parks and recreation safety initiative aimed at making local parks safer by reducing crime. 

The program focuses on simple, preventative steps that help address safety concerns before problems arise.  

Using a strategy called Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, the city plans to improve sightlines, clearly define access points and keep parks well-maintained.  

A city survey conducted last spring highlighted why these changes are crucial. While only 9% of respondents said they felt unsafe in parks during the day, that number jumped to 64% after dark.  

Park staff and police will team up for park walks, increase patrols during peak hours and improve lighting and litter cleanup to help parks feel safer for everyone.  

KQ2 will update the story.