The Little Rock Police Department is beefing up its presence at parks this weekend in response to recent violence at two of them.
Department spokesman Sgt. Eric Barnes said park visitors should expect extra patrols over the weekend.
"Obviously in conjunction with recent things that we've seen as well as other complaints, traffic complaints in parks and things like that, you are going to see us more in the parks," Barnes said. "We're kind of doing it twofold: We're going to have our officers on bikes and men on patrol that will be seen."
On March 13, 10-year-old Ja'Aliya Hughes was killed at Boyle Park by wayward bullets not intentionally fired at her, police said. Two suspects were arrested in the crime, which also left a second person injured.
Police Chief Keith Humphrey, on the evening of the shooting, called the child's death tragic.
"Anytime a life is lost, it's extremely tragic, but the life of a child," Humphrey said. "You have a baby who was there with her family, and they expected to go have fun and go home. This one family who has lost a baby."
The department is investigating a similar incident that occurred about 6:30 p.m. Sunday in Murray Park. One man was injured by gunfire from an AK-47-style firearm, police spokesman Mark Edwards said.
After the shooting, Ward 6 City Director Doris Wright pushed for increased city park patrols, saying that she feared more violence.
Barnes said the department usually doesn't keep a regular officer presence at parks unless requested.
"Typically, we get complaints from either the Board of Directors or citizens, and that's kind of our driving force in the parks," Barnes said. "Obviously whenever we hear people are congregating in them, we'll check for property crime and that type of stuff."
Patrols will pass through the parks somewhat regularly depending on the traffic, Barnes said.
"Regular day-to-day patrol may pass through the parks," Barnes said. "It's really just basic enforcement and seeing a patrol car to try to deter anything is day-to-day operation for parks."
Barnes also stated that police increase patrols at the parks in warmer months.
The department has used horseback officers in some parks and will be using bicycle officers.
"I know for sure last year our horses went out to Twin Rivers [Park] because obviously we can't get a patrol car down there," Barnes said. "Our officers that are able to ride bikes, we put those and also our horses. Downtown in places like the River Market, we have that little, small car that we can move around in the parks as well. Those are some of the ways we try to patrol foot traffic and just be more visible in the parks."
According to Edwards, the shooting at Murray Park occurred after a group of people were "caravanning."
Caravanning -- banned in Little Rock since April -- is defined as people loitering in cars in groups of 10 or more. The practice has been characterized by city officials as participating in unsafe vehicle operation and has been linked to violence.
Barnes said this doesn't mean people cannot meet up at the parks as long as they are safe.
"We're OK with that, if people are doing that safely," Barnes said. "It's when people start breaking traffic laws, being disorderly, causing nuisances, when it comes to squealing their tires or driving recklessly. Those are things that we have to react to and try to enforce laws that are applicable for those type of incidents. "
Pulaski County sheriff's office spokesman Lt. Robert Garrett said aside from some problems at The Rave parking lot, just outside the county's jurisdiction, deputies have not had many run-ins with caravanning.
When asked about how many calls the agency had received to the county's parks, Garrett said: "Not [many] at all, except for Fourth of July in College Station."
North Little Rock Lt. Amy Cooper said the law enforcement agency across the river takes a similar approach to patrolling parks by passing occasionally unless requested and passing by more often during busy times of year.
"At times we do get extra patrol requests for the parks, which officers are notified of as far as the extra patrol goes, and they conduct those extra patrols as much as possible to look for any violations or complaints," Cooper said.
Cooper said North Little Rock has had a few minor instances similar to the caravanning in Little Rock.
"It seems like we did have a couple of instances in Burns Park," Cooper said. "They weren't very frequent. We have had some issues in parking lots in the McCain Mall area that we attempt to address when we get the opportunity to."