Johnson County Park & Recreation District: Park Administration: Park Safety and Law Enforcement Links

The mission of the Johnson County Park and Recreation District Park Police Department is to enhance the quality of life for the citizens of Johnson County by providing effective, community-centered public safety, resource protection, visitor services, cultural and environmental education and outdoor recreation opportunities.

Our vision is to continuously seek excellence in law enforcement and interpretation to protect people and resources.

The Johnson County Park and Recreation District improves the quality of life in Johnson County by providing high-quality parks, services, and recreation programs. While public safety is always the top priority, the Park Police provide services that extend beyond law enforcement in the parks.

Within our mission statement are several related key points:

Enhance the Quality of Life...reflects the belief that the people of Johnson County are entitled to the same quality of law enforcement services in their parks as at their homes.

The District hires and trains according to the same standards as the County Sheriff and city police departments.

Service quality is enhanced by law enforcement officers who choose to work in parks as a career.

Effective Community-Centered Public Safety...involves not only patrolling the parks and investigating crimes, but also

Planning for law enforcement services that embraces the goals of the District and the needs of the public.

A Park Watch program that includes timely crime prevention programs for park patrons and neighbors.

Safety reports of all District properties to identify and repair hazards to employees and the public.

Developing and maintaining emergency operations plans.

Conducting site-specific crime prevention programs for visitors and employees.

Resource Protection...requires enforcing park codes, state fish and wildlife laws, administration of District fishing and boating permits as part of an integrated program that includes:

Understanding threats to natural resources and reporting resource damage that indicates and underlying or emerging problem.

Using educational backgrounds, experience and training in both law enforcement and natural resources in planning development of park lands and facilities to help assure an appropriate balance between usage and resource conservation.

Monitoring and reporting on conditions that affect park resources or public use, such as creek checks that may result in changes to fishing regulations or stockings of species.

Visitor Services... from explaining where and why the fish are biting to giving directions within the parks and responding to questions about park codes.

Responding with specific information to visitor inquiries about District facilities, events, recreation programs and class offerings, and whom to contact to participate.

Solving problems for park visitors, which may mean resolving a shelter reservation conflict or using knowledge of the area and past experience to reunite lost parents with children.

Facilitating entry into buildings and facilities for groups and individuals by prearrangement or on call.

Cultural and Environmental Education and Outdoor Recreation Opportunities...are fully integrated with the law enforcement program by:

Increasing appreciation of natural and cultural resources in Johnson County by providing opportunities for people to learn or participate in a variety of outdoor activities.

Researching and developing new educational programs offered to school groups and the general public.

Planning, organizing and leading trips for the public such as birding trips to the Konza Prairie or to see sandhill cranes in Nebraska.

Creating displays and exhibits for the Ernie Miller Nature Center, presenting outdoor amphitheater programs during summer evenings or brief talks to groups such as scouts at campgrounds or groups at park shelters. We are proud of over fifty years of excellent law enforcement and park visitor services provided to Johnson County citizens and District patrons. We are dedicated to preserving that tradition in the future.

Park Police Officer on Duty
Emergency 911
Non-Emergency (913) 782-0720

Witness an Incident:
Dispatcher (913) 782-0720

Chief Dan Field
Park Police Chief

Captain Terry Anderson
Operations Commander

Park Police Headquarters
Shawnee Mission Park
7900 Renner Road
Shawnee Mission, KS 66219-9723
(913) 438-7275