Park Safety - County of LA Department of Parks and Recreation

Our SPOT

Our SPOT is an after-school program for teens ages 12-18. Our SPOT is a fun, safe, and supportive place where teens can check in daily, Monday through Friday, all year long. Learn more and register at LA County Parks and Recreation.

Our SPOT aims to support the growth of emerging youth leaders through culturally and developmentally relevant programming. To assess the program’s impact on positive youth development, in 2025, OVP partnered with Harder+Company Community Research to conduct a comprehensive evaluation. Download the report to learn more about how Our SPOT provides a safe, meaningful space for teens to unwind, connect, and grow after school.

• Our Social Places and Opportunities for Teens Program (Our SPOT) Evaluation (2025)

Park Safe Passages

In 2021, the Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) collaborated with the Los Angeles County Probation Department’s Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act (JJCPA) to launch the Safe Passages Program. The program initially stationed Community Intervention Workers year-round at three LA County parks and aimed to provide youth, teens and families with safe passage to and from parks, fostering peacekeeping efforts in neighborhoods affected by gang activity. With a one-time funding support from the Department of Mental Health (DMH) Prevention and Early Intervention funding in 2022, the program expanded to an additional six parks.

DMH delivers suicide prevention, compassion fatigue, and mental health first aid training, while the OVP offers annual trauma-informed care training. OVP continues to provide technical guidance and support for Safe Passages and gang intervention protocols.

In 2022, OVP extended Safe Passages support services to parks through contracted Street Outreach and Community Violence Intervention (SOCVI) agencies. In 2024, the program expanded to 12 parks, and in 2026 the program expanded to 23 parks across LA County.

In neighborhoods with high crime rates and economic hardship, the Parks After Dark (PAD) program turns parks into vibrant community centers. Participating county parks stay open late during summer evening hours, when crime rates are the highest and youth have fewer social and recreational opportunities. PAD is led by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation in partnership with county and community stakeholders. DPH supports PAD through coordinating evaluation, strategic planning, aligning community health education and programming, and technical assistance to support park safety and safe passages. For more information, visit parks.lacounty.gov/PAD/.

Parks After Dark Activities

PAD is led by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation in partnership with county and community stakeholders. DPH supports PAD through coordinating evaluation, strategic planning, aligning community health education and programming, and technical assistance to support park safety and safe passages.