Columbia Parks and Rec has safety resources available on MKT trail
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A recent report of an attempted rape on the MKT Trail may have left some people who use the trail wondering about safety resources.
Michael Tyrone Council Jr., 30, is charged with two counts of first-degree attempted rape and second-degree property damage. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. He allegedly tried to sexually assault two different women near the parking lot of the trail near 800 Stadium Boulevard before being detained. Other residents using the trail intervened after allegedly seeing Council tackle a woman.
Columbia Parks and Recreation has two park rangers that patrol all of Columbia's parks and trails according to its director, Gabe Huffington.
"For the last number of years, we've had two park rangers," Huffington said. "One of them will work during the day and then the second ranger will come in and work more of what we call an evening shift."
Huffington said the rangers are employed by the Columbia Police Department, and he said officers also help protect the area as well.
"Many different times you'll see CPD officers that are patrolling parks, going through different parking lots, visiting different park Trailhead locations, specifically too when we ask them for help," Huffington said.
Huffington said officers and rangers are not the only ones helping monitor the area. There are two emergency phones residents can use, with a third in the works.
"We have a volunteer park patrol," Huffington said. "They will walk a lot of our trail systems, they'll visit different parks... and they'll alert us to any type of issues... We have emergency phones located on two different areas of the MKT trail. We're getting ready to install a third one and then we have it in two other parks as well."
George Smith is a frequent trail user, and he said he isn't sure how emergency lines would be beneficial, especially in this case.
"It seems unlikely that that just a few places, you know, with emergency phones could make a difference of this whole stretch of trail," Smith said.
Huffington also offers safety advice.
- If you have not visited a trail before, it's always a good idea to familiarize yourself with the trail by looking at maps located at the trails, or online. If it is your first time on the trail, it may be a good idea to bring another person along with you.
- Make sure you have a cell phone, whistle, or any other type of noisemaker to alert someone if you do need help.
- Have at least one headphone out of your ear to be able to hear what may be going on around you.
