TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — New numbers are in following a 10 month pilot program that put security guards along parts of the Chuck Huckelberry Loop. Despite months of effort, county officials say the impact of the pilot program wasn’t what they hoped.
The goal was to curb illegal activity with the program and connect people experiencing homelessness with resources.
The Loop includes more than 138 miles of pathways and bike lanes for our community and it connects Marana, Oro Valley, Tucson and South Tucson.
The program started in late August 2024 and recently ended in late June.
For the last 10 months, guards contacted over 10,000 people along the loop, that's according to a memo from County Administrator Jan Lesher.
“I think the loop is one of the great resources of Tucson, of the whole Pima County. It’s really the best place, I think, in America, maybe even in the world to ride a road bike and that’s a gift that we want to preserve," said weekly Loop user, Rabbi Samuel Cohen.
72% of the 10,000 people were experiencing homelessness.
“I've never seen them on the Loop, you know, sometimes just off the Loop, you see people and there are encampments at various places along the Loop, unfortunately, which is tragic, that those people don't have housing," said Rabbi Cohen.
The memo shows 22 of the 58 areas had a downward trend in illegal activity, while 19 of them showed an upward trend.
Public safety officers were called 48 times throughout the program, but bikers like Michael McGinnis say crime has never been an issue for him.
“I’ve generally felt pretty safe on here," McGinnis shared. "I really enjoy it.”
Several bikers I spoke to along the Loop tell me they think guards could make certain hotspots safer.
“I think it's probably a wise choice. We've had various different programs over the years," shared Rabbi Cohen. "They used to have patrol officers more regularly on bikes.”
The memo states stakeholder organizations like the Parks and Recreation Department, Regional Flood Control District, Office of Housing Opportunities and Homeless Solutions, the Tucson Police Department and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department received daily reports that were used to inform planning for future operations.
Lesher adds in the memo, "While the Loop Patrol Program provided valuable data and helped engage our public safety partners, it did not result in meaningful change at the designated sites, and the financial cost is not justified at this time."
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Jacqueline Aguilar is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born and raised in Yuma, AZ., she is no stranger to the unforgiving Arizona heat. Now this U of A wildcat is excited to be back in Tucson and is looking forward to involving herself in the community. Share your story ideas with Jacqueline by emailing jacqueline.aguilar@kgun9.com or connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
