City Commission to Vote on Supporting Safety Towers in Parks

The Recreation and Parks Commission will vote on supporting a recommendation to the City Council for the purchase and installation of safety towers in Pasadena parks.

“The city of Pasadena has 130,000 citizens. We have 26 Parks throughout the city. There are currently no permanent Safety Towers in our parks,” according to a City staff report in Tuesday’s agenda.

According to the agenda, an ad hoc committee of the commission has discussed a timed rollout for the installation of the towers in Memorial, Central, Robinson, Victory, Villa Parke Jefferson, the Lower Arroyo Parking Lot and La Pintoresca parks.

Absent from the list is Washington Park — which has garnered attention over the past several weeks due to two shootings, leading to one fatality. 

Aaron Miguel Connel is due to be arraigned on Dec. 14 for the two shootings.

This past week a community was held to discuss the shootings and provide possible solutions.

It is not known when the list of parks was compiled for consideration.

“Considering the current uptick in dangerous situations in our parks we need to invest in safety for our citizens visitors and staff members through the system,” the agenda reads. 

According to the agenda, emergency safety towers are crucial in park security and counteract crimes by targeting areas vulnerable to criminal activity.  

The towers could provide assistance to the homeless and record activities around the clock. The systems have the capability to connect users with park 911 services and share video footage with the city through its Video Management System (VMS), which monitors activities.

“These Safety towers aim to provide immediate aid and documentation of incidents. The proposal outfits these Towers have Intercom-style speakerphones with buttons for emergencies and general help allowing two-way communication.”

The proposal suggests the towers could be powered, at least in part, by solar power. 

In essence, emergency Safety Towers emerge as versatile tools, fortifying park security through their adaptability, integration capabilities, and comprehensive assistance, serving as integral components to the city’s overall safety measures.