(COLUMBIA, MO) -
Columbia Parks and Recreation welcomes Andrew Bell as a new park ranger. Bell began his duties this week, filling a position that had been vacant.
Bell joins Park Ranger Supervisor Rosanna Johnson to form the department's park ranger unit. They are headquartered at the Waters-Moss Memorial Wildlife Area.
Bell is a graduate of the University of the Missouri-Columbia, where he majored in Parks, Recreation and Tourism. He is a resident of Columbia and a recent graduate of the Law Enforcement Training Institute. Bell is P.O.S.T. (Peace Officer Standards and Training) certified and is commissioned by the Columbia Police Department. The rangers work in cooperation with the Columbia Police Department, which provides valuable assistance for the Park Ranger Program.
Park rangers patrol 74 City-owned parks and trails, as well as the City's indoor recreation facilities. In Fiscal Year 2014, park rangers responded to 706 calls to park locations, alleviating some of the work load for Columbia police officers. In addition to law enforcement duties, park rangers spend much of their time as park ambassadors, providing assistance to park users, such as giving directions, helping recover lost items, assisting with first aid, and providing park information. Bell also has experience in communications and public relations as National Public Information Coordinator for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in New York. His public relations experience will support the park ambassador role of his new position.
The Parks and Recreation Department hired its first park ranger in 2004 to increase park safety, ensure park rule compliance, and provide a more enjoyable experience for park users.
The Park Ranger Program is made possible by the citizen-approved Park Sales Tax. For more information, call Parks and Recreation at 874-7460.
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