Boise police increase Greenbelt patrols following recent violent crimes
Boise police are increasing patrols along the Greenbelt following two violent crimes last week, including the fatal stabbing of 25-year-old Jordan Harbst and the alleged assault and kidnapping of a woman walking alone, Boise Police Lt. Corey Smith said during a news conference Monday.
Officers will have a more visible presence along the Greenbelt and in nearby parks over the coming days as the department responds to heightened public concern, Smith said.
“We recognize that there are a lot of people concerned about the recent incidents,” he said. “We’re going to do everything we can to make sure they feel comfortable using the Greenbelt, using the associated parks.”
The department is assigning additional officers to supplement the bicycle officers who already patrol the pathway seven days a week. Smith also said that five school resource officers have been assigned to assist with patrols and night-shift officers will spend time on the pathway whenever they are available.
When the Idaho Statesman asked Smith to quantify the increased patrol, Smith said he was unable to give specifics. The amount will vary depending on shifts, call loads and supervisor direction, he said.
Boise Parks and Recreation Director Sara Arkle said the city has invested nearly $2 million in Greenbelt safety improvements over the past four years, including the installation of light posts near the Willow Lane Athletic Complex in 2025. The lights, which cover about a mile of the pathway, operate from dusk to dawn.
The sections of the Greenbelt near North 11th Street, where Harbst was found dead on July 6, and near South Ferguson Street, where police say a woman was assaulted Saturday, do not have continuous lighting posts.
“We’ll continue to work with the community to identify those areas where lighting is needed and try to find the funding and support to do that,” Arkle said.
The additional patrols have no planned end date, though Smith described the effort as temporary while the department responds to community concerns. Officers will patrol on foot, by bicycle and in vehicles as staffing and call volume allow.
Smith said police are not recommending community members avoid any particular stretch of the Greenbelt, emphasizing that Boise remains “a very safe place to live” despite the recent attacks. Instead, he encouraged Greenbelt users to stay aware of their surroundings, keep a charged cellphone with them, share their location with someone they trust and report suspicious activity to police.
