INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Safety concerns at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park have led some to call for additional security measures as Indianapolis prepares to invest millions into park improvements.

Neighborhood leaders welcome the planned improvements for the park, but they’re pushing for more security measures like better lighting and an increased police presence.

People who live near the park say they want families to enjoy the facilities and the area’s history, but they’re concerned after multiple homicides and drug deals happened in the park.

“We don’t want people to be afraid. We want people to be aware of what’s going on, but we don’t want them necessarily to be afraid,” Stephen Rench, Broadway Park Neighborhood Association president, said.

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park is where Robert F. Kennedy came to campaign in 1968 when he was running for president, but instead gave a speech about Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination.

WISH-TV was the only station that was there to capture the speech.

“It was one of the things that saved Indianapolis from the destruction that happened in a lot of other cities due to rioting,” Rench said.

Interior lighting has been added to the park, but as Rench sees it, the larger issues of more cameras, street lighting, and a higher police presence have not been addressed.

“We want those streetlights to have poles that will support at least three cameras in the park that are monitored by the city B-Link,” Rench said.

$5 million from a city-government bond will fund improvements at the park such as a celebration and event plaza, new pavilion area along the walkways, and expanded parking and seating areas.

While the neighborhood alliance supports the upgrades, they plan to meet with Indy Parks and a representative from Mayor Hogsett’s office Wednesday evening. The alliance hopes to find a resolution to their crime concerns.

“We want more people to come and witness it, but we also want visitors and residents to be safe,” Rench said.

Neighborhood leaders say they will continue pushing for changes to ensure the park remains a safe space for everyone.