Jonesboro is home to 25 parks that total more than 900 acres, not to mention a thriving downtown entertainment district, green spaces and five community centers, all of which are regularly utilized by the city’s growing population. To protect and serve those community members, the city created its Jonesboro Park Ranger Program, a full-time initiative that aims to combine public safety, law enforcement, community engagement and environmental stewardship.

The inaugural team of Jonesboro Park Rangers included Joshua Andrews, Myles Copenhaver, Brandon Curry and Christian Munoz, who began their service on July 7, 2025. One year later, Andrews, Curry and Munoz continue to fill three of the four positions with recent hire Hunter Jenkins, who formerly worked for the Parks Department at Joe Mack Campbell Park, being the newest addition to the team.

“The reason the park ranger program was created was because city officials saw a need for extra security at parks,” said Senior Code Officer and Park Ranger Eric Schmett, the direct supervisor of the Jonesboro Park Rangers.

Previously, Schmett said the Parks Department was hiring off-duty police officers to work in the parks when needed for events or for times when there were a high number of people in the parks.

“This was expensive and took assets away from higher priority areas,” said Schmett. “The park rangers are able to provide high-quality security at a fraction of the cost. During their creation, the term ambassadors kept coming up. We didn’t just want them to be a uniform presence in the parks, we wanted them to provide friendly interactions and customer service to park patrons. This includes a strong knowledge of the parks and the park programs.”

Schmett helped Director of Code Enforcement Scott Roper create the park ranger program and continues to supervise daily operations. He was born and raised in Evansville, Ind., and moved to Jonesboro in 2013. Schmett started working for the city in 2014 as an animal control officer, transferred to Code Enforcement in 2017, was promoted to a specialist position in 2022 and again to a senior code officer in 2024.

Jonesboro Police Chief Rick Elliott says the park rangers are civilians that are able to assist the public with knowledge and protection.

“They’re an ambassador to the park system, that first layer of defense,” said Elliott. “For us, it’s not as expensive to get a ranger trained up and out there rather than a police officer. The time it takes to train a park ranger is a fraction, and they can be up and running in a shorter amount of time. 

“If we have anything major going on, such as bad weather, a major accident and things like that, they step up and help. It’s all hand in hand, overseeing the parks and facilities primarily. It makes the public feel good knowing we have even more people there at the facilities while games are going on.”

Mayor Harold Copenhaver said the addition of the Park Ranger Program is a reflection of the city’s growth.

“As Jonesboro continues to grow, so have our parks, community events and public spaces,” said Copenhaver. “We recognized there was an opportunity to have a dedicated team focused on those areas, someone who could be present, approachable and proactive. Our Park Rangers work together with code enforcement, parks and recreation, E911, the police department and the fire department. By handling non-emergency concerns and serving as an extra set of eyes and ears, they allow our first responders to stay focused on critical emergencies while helping keep our parks welcoming and safe.

“Our park rangers do far more than patrol our parks; they help shape the experience people have when they visit Jonesboro. Whether they’re welcoming families to a community event, helping a visitor find their way, identifying maintenance issues before they become larger problems or assisting during some of our biggest festivals, they’re making our parks safer, more inviting and more enjoyable every day. Their presence helps create the kind of community people want to visit, live in and come back to again and again.”

Schmett said positive interaction with the community was a priority when launching the program.

“When we originally hired for the park ranger positions, we knew that we wanted them to be ambassadors and that they would be frequently interacting with the public,” said Schmett. “When we were interviewing people, we looked for communication skills, good moral character and problem-solving skills. The rangers we selected excelled in that manner. They have shown this time and time again in the field and continue to make us proud.”

Andrews, who was born and raised in Jonesboro, has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Arkansas State University and is interested in ecosystem restoration and education. He and his wife, Shelby, recently had their first child.

“Before becoming a park ranger, I studied biology at Arkansas State University; while there, I volunteered as a field technician with some of the labs on campus,” said Andrews. “I assisted Ty Sharrow of the Bowes Lab with a project that concerned American kestrels, a small falcon found in Arkansas, and their use as a natural alternative to chemical pesticides in the agricultural sector. During my time at A-State, I also assisted Jen Terry of the Neuman-Lee Lab with their work on turtles and their work in understanding immune responses to environmental pressures. My time volunteering pushed me beyond my comfort zone, both in precarious situations in the field and educating large groups of people on the importance of protecting wildlife ...

“As Jonesboro grows, it is essential for green spaces to be preserved for future generations. Always be mindful of how we affect others and the world around us. If we appreciate our surroundings and one another, we can build a city that everyone can be proud of. Jonesboro is stronger together.”

Andrews felt that the new program aligned with his love for the city and preserving its green spaces for generations to come.

“I have always felt at home when surrounded by nature, and being a park ranger provides me with the unique opportunity to share my love with the people of Jonesboro,” he said. “Jonesboro and Arkansas are home to diverse wildlife, which can be easily overlooked in day-to-day life in the city. I enjoy the opportunity provided by my job to help people slow down and appreciate the life around them and to stress the importance of protecting what cannot protect itself.”

Jonesboro’s Park Rangers are certified crowd managers and work at all large gatherings downtown or in the parks. They enforce park rules and city ordinances, assist in the response to medical calls, animal complaints and minor criminal violations. They are not police officers and do not have arrest powers.

“The primary responsibilities of the park rangers are to provide security to all parks, pools, community centers and the entertainment district downtown,” said Schmett. “They are the most visible city assets within parks and act as ambassadors for the park system. They engage with community members in the parks and at events in parks, schools, career fairs and anywhere else they are asked to be.”

Downtown Jonesboro Alliance Executive Director Sarah Doss says the park rangers have been of great help in Downtown Jonesboro in more ways than one.

“One of our main priorities for every downtown event is security,” she said. “We hire off-duty police officers to make sure our events stay as safe as possible. Now that we have park rangers, they can help lessen that load on our JPD officers. Having their extra hands for things such as security, crowd management, etc., has made such an impact.” 

Schmett says that from July to December of 2025 the park rangers responded to 74 complaints. From January 2026 to present day the park rangers have responded to 129 complaints. These complaints include animal complaints, medical calls, park rule violations and minor criminal violations.

“These numbers just go to show that as the public has become more aware of the park ranger program, they are utilizing them for their intended purpose,” said Schmett. “The community at large has received the program with open arms. The schools have invited us into their domain. Park patrons have thanked us for making them feel safe. We have encountered a few people who met us with skepticism, but our professionalism, communication and problem solving skills have left a positive impact on most of them.”

Andrews says the community can support the city’s park rangers by not being afraid to ask them questions, being mindful of the rules of the parks, respecting others and by cleaning up any litter left behind in the parks.

Its founders and employees are not the only ones recognizing the rangers’ success; earlier this year, the City of Jonesboro received a Trendsetter Award in Tourism, Development and Creative Culture presented by Arkansas Business and Arkansas Municipal League for its Park Ranger Program.

“Since its inception, the program has continued to grow and change,” said Schmett. “We had a rough idea of what the park rangers would be doing, but I don’t think anyone knew just how many events they would be working, from tournaments at Southside Softball Complex to events downtown to Renaissance fairs at Craighead Forest Park.

“The rangers have been tasked with a lot and have excelled at everything that has been handed to them. We have expanded our outreach to the greater community by presenting at the Citizen’s Police Academy, attending career fairs, visiting schools and even reading to students. We have plans in the future to expand the program even further by hosting events like scavenger hunts and hikes with a ranger. We also intend to increase the program’s social media visibility.”

As Jonesboro continues to grow, its park rangers’ program will continue to evolve, as well.

“The creation of this program was a trial run in many ways. It had never been done before locally,” said Schmett. “We feel that it has been successful. However, the program still needs to grow to provide more coverage in the park system. Four rangers on split shifts can only provide so much coverage and only at certain times.

“With parks continuing to expand to provide a better quality of life for the citizens of Jonesboro, so will this program. Our motto is, ‘Preserve, Protect, Educate.’ We want to preserve the parks and their resources, protect the people in the parks and educate the citizens about the parks and the programs they offer. We thank the citizens of Jonesboro for entrusting us with that and hope to continue to do so in the future.”

Copenhaver says the program and its rangers have been supported by the public.

“What makes this program truly unique is that it’s about so much more than safety,” said Copenhaver. “Our park rangers have become ambassadors for Jonesboro’s parks, representing hospitality, community engagement and our commitment to creating exceptional public spaces. Time and time again, residents and visitors alike have gone out of their way to share how kind, approachable and helpful our rangers have been. Their positive interactions leave a lasting impression and reflect the very best of our community.

“As Jonesboro continues to invest in parks and recreation, the Park Ranger Program will continue to grow alongside those investments. It’s another example of how we’re planning for the future, while enhancing the quality of life for everyone who lives, works and visits our city.”