Map of parks (in purple) to be patrolled by Marshall Security under contract with Bloomington parks and recreation.
A B Square file photo from August 2019 showing two police officers talking to farmers market patrons.
Two unarmed officers from Marshall Security, a private firm, will be providing security for Bloomington’s farmers market starting with opening day on April 2.
That’s the result of action taken by Bloomington’s board of park commissioners at its regular Tuesday meeting. The board approved a $8,050 addendum to an existing contract with Marshall, which was approved by the board in late January.
The existing $278,821 contract covers patrols through the week in several parks in the central area of Bloomington, including: RCA Park, Seminary Park, B-Line Trail, Building Trades Park, Rev. Ernest D. Butler Park, Crestmont Park, Miller-Showers Park, and Waldron Hill Buskirk Park.
Approved by the board in late January, the contract runs through the end of 2022. The farmers market extends from April through November.
According to the memo to the board from community events manager Leslie Brinson, “The Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market has had uniformed [Bloomington Police Department] BPD Officers in the past and due to the limitations of BPD, the use of Marshall Security would fill this need at the Market.” Continue reading “Private, unarmed security for farmers market this year OK’d by Bloomington parks board” →
