COUNCIL VOTES TO BOOST SECURITY AT CITY PARKS.

Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer

Saying many Los Angeles parks have become havens for gangs, drug abusers and other criminals, the City Council voted Tuesday to step up law enforcement in 71 ``problem parks'' in Los Angeles - including 21 in the San Fernando Valley.

Under its so-called ``Safe Parks'' program, the council agreed to budget $1 million beginning July 1 to hire 20 more rangers to patrol city parks, a 50 percent boost in the 43-member force.

If finalized as part of the mayor's budget due out later this week, the program also would provide $168,000 for fencing and lighting and $84,000 to organize neighborhoods into park watch groups and advisory councils.

``We have parks throughout the city that are not safe, that are not safe for the neighbors around them, not safe for the patrons who use them,'' said Councilwoman Laura Chick.

While the city employed 88 park rangers in 1989 to provide security at the city's 385 parks, that number has dwindled to 43 as a result of budget cuts.

Meanwhile, crime has been a serious problem, said Chick, chairwoman of the council's Public Safety Committee.

From January to November of last year, 1,081 crimes were reported in city parks, of which 60 percent consisted of robberies, aggravated assaults and petty thefts.

``There is one thing that is absolutely certain, that we have an inadequate number of park rangers citywide,'' Chick said.

Other council members said the shortage of rangers has resulted in many parks being taken over by gangs and criminals.

``Our parks are not places where young people . . . feel comfortable and safe as they have once done,'' said Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg.

Councilman Richard Alarcon cited the example of David Gonzales Park in Pacoima, where he said gang members loiter around a restroom and have been known to sell drugs in full view of children at a nearby day care center.

``That is the kind of problem we are experiencing in our community and we have to do something about it,'' Alarcon said, adding that the gang loitering problem could be solved by installing a $10,000 fence to limit access to the park.

In addition to the Pacoima location, the other Valley sites designated as ``problem'' parks and targeted for special enforcement include Branford, Delano, Fernangeles, Hubert Humphrey, Lanark, North Hollywood, Reseda, Ritchie Valens, Sepulveda, Sun Valley, Sylmar, Tarzana, Valley Plaza, Van Nuys-Sherman Oaks, Victory-Vineland, Winnetka and Chatsworth Park South.

Also on the list of ``problem'' park facilities to be targeted are the Balboa Sports Center, the Hansen Dam Sports Center and the Van Nuys Recreation Center.

The list of ``problem parks'' was compiled with input from park rangers, Los Angeles Police Department officers and officers for the Metropolitan Transit Authority and Los Angeles Unified School District, according to Parks Director Jackie Tatum.

While agreeing unanimously to budget the program, the council deadlocked over a request by park rangers to allow them to carry guns.