Newport Launching A Park Ranger Program, Hiring To Fill Role

NEWPORT, RI — Newport is set to launch a new seasonal park ranger program this summer to provide visitors to the city’s network of public parks a helping hand and to be on the lookout for potential hazards and quality of life issues.

City officials said the park ranger initiative is the first municipal program of its kind in Rhode Island. It stems from a series of community meetings related to park use and safety that began last year, culminating in a park safety report drafted by the Newport Tree & Open Space Commission and presented to the city council.

While the rangers will be a visible presence across the city, they will not be law enforcement officers. Rather, as part of the Newport Department of Public Services, they’ll serve as ambassadors for the city with the goal of promoting positive uses in parks and building relationships with visitors.

They’ll also be keeping an eye out for potential problems such as unleashed dogs, noise violations, and illegal dumping, and will act as a bridge between the public and law enforcement should the need arise, city officials said.

The initiative is modeled after other park ranger programs in communities like Denver and Salt Lake City. Rangers will visit all parks, but will focus their efforts on the city’s most popular urban areas including Storer, King, Hunter, Miantonomi, and Vernon parks.

Once operational, rangers will monitor parks from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. throughout summer.

Newport is accepting applications, and a full job description is available on the city website. As a community-facing position, bi-lingual candidates and those with a passion for the outdoors are encouraged to apply.