DENVER — The Denver City Council is considering a request by Denver Parks and Recreation to spend an additional $1.6 million on security upgrades at city parks and recreation centers.
The request was included in the mayor's proposed 2023 budget.
It comes less than two months after a teenager was murdered at a recreation center.
Josiaz “JoJo” Aragon’s death shocked the Denver community.
"It’s just heartbreaking. It's the only word I can come up with, frankly, for what happened there with JoJo,” Denver City Councilman Kevin Flynn said.
Aragon was killed in early August in a shooting behind the Southwest Recreation Center, located at 9200 W. Saratoga Place.
Flynn says many people assumed surveillance video at the rec center would help police find whoever killed the 14-year-old.
"And one of the first things that residents in my neighborhood said was, ‘Why don't they get the video from the rec center?’” Flynn said. “And I had to tell them that there are no video cameras at the rec center."
On Saturday, nearly two months after Aragon’s murder, Denver police announced an arrest.
But neighbors remain concerned about security at the rec center.
Denver Parks and Recreation deputy manager Scott Gilmore says crime at parks and rec centers is a growing concern.
Gilmore says they now want to spend an additional $1.6 million on security upgrades, including $900,000 on cameras at rec centers and other facilities currently without them.
The cameras would be paid for using funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
Gilmore says they also want to hire additional park rangers, vehicles and bikes.
"Our goal is to make sure that people feel safe and comfortable in the parks,” Gilmore said.
Despite Aragon’s murder, there's no guarantee Southwest Recreation Center will receive any new cameras.
Gilmore says priority will be given to parks and rec centers experiencing the highest rates of crime.
The Denver Police crime map shows only four crimes were reported at Southwest Recreation Center this year, a much lower crime rate compared to other parks and recreation centers.
"Southwest Rec Center isn't known for violence around that rec center. [Aragon’s murder] was a very unfortunate incident that happened right behind the rec center, so we have added it to the list as a possible place where we could look at cameras,” Gilmore said.
Gilmore says they're also looking at buying mobile cameras that could be moved to different areas as needed.
Flynn says he's considering pushing his colleagues for more money for security upgrades in the hopes of preventing tragedies like the one that happened in his community.
“We'll see what they think. We have another two weeks or so to debate our amendments,” Flynn said.
According to the 2023 budget calendar, the city council will submit any changes it makes to the mayor’s proposed budget on Oct. 11.
A final vote on the budget is set for November.