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Huntington Station Plans To Hire Armed Park Rangers In Wake Of Recent Shootings

HUNTINGTON STATION, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Armed park rangers are set to be hired in Huntington Station following a number of shootings in recent weeks.

The town plans to hire three or four part-time rangers, likely retired officers, to patrol the parks and surrounding streets, WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported.

"This is an option, not a solution to the problem . . . it's another dimension of having a presence," Town Supervisor Frank Petrone told Newsday. "When you have a presence it makes certain people uncomfortable because they know they have eyes and ears on them."

The Suffolk County police department is also increasing patrols in the community.

Last week, police arrested two stepbrothers in connection with a shooting that occurred in the Long Island Rail Road station parking lot on April 23.

Also on April 23, someone fired shots at two men standing in a driveway on East Sixth Street, and police were also alerted of another shooting on April 26 after the ShotSpotter system detected gunfire.

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