http://www.c-spanvideo.org/videoLibrary/assets/swf/CSPANPlayer.swf?clipid=4430287
Moran- “…AS A RESULT OF THOSE CUTS, THERE’S GOING TO BE A FURLOUGH FURLOUGHING OF PARK POLICE OFFICERS OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS. THIS IS GOING TO BE A TOUGH TIME TO BE FURLOUGHING PARK POLICE. SO I’D LIKE TO KNOW HOW YOU’RE DEALING WITH IT AND STILL ENSURE THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF OUR PARK VISITORS.”
Jarvis – “YES, SIR. SO WITH THE SEQUESTRATION, SINCE IT WAS APPLIED LINE BY LINE IN THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICES BUDGET, EACH OF OUR OPERATING ACCOUNTS TOOK A 5% CUT.
THE U.S. PARK POLICE IS APPROXIMATELY $100 MILLION OPERATION ANNUALLY. IT IS A PROGRAM THAT IS ESSENTIALLY ALL SALARY AND OPERATIONS, HELICOPTER FLEET VEHICLES AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE. WE HAD TO TAKE A $5 MILLION HIT HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR, INDICATING OF COURSE THE PARK POLICE HAVE BEEN OPERATING, WE HAD A MAJOR ROLE IN THE INAUGURATION, NUMBER OF EVENTS. FOR THOSE WHO AREN’T FAMILIAR, THEY ARE THE SORT OF ELITE URBAN LAW ENFORCEMENT OPERATION. THEY OPERATE HERE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND IN SAN FRANCISCO AND NEW YORK. THEY PROTECT THE STATUE OF LIBERTY, GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE AND THEN OF COURSE HERE IN THE WASHINGTON, THE MONUMENTS AND MEMORIALS, GW PARKWAY. WE’RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH PARK POLICE AND THE CURRENT EXPECTATION IS WE’LL HAVE TO FURLOUGH EVERY EMPLOYEE A FULL PAY PERIOD AND WE’RE LOOKING TO SEE HOW WE CAN BALANCE OUR RESPONSIBILITIES FOR SECURITY AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACROSS THE U.S. PARK POLICE RESPONSIBILITIES. AND WE’RE LOOKING AT EVERY MAJOR EVENT THAT WE HAVE SCHEDULED FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. THERE’S THE FOURTH OF JULY AND ROLLING THUNDER AND YOU KNOW, THE CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL, ALL OF THOSE REQUIRE EXTRAORDINARY RESPONSIBILITIES ON OUR PART. WE’RE ANALYZING THAT AT THIS POINT. WE HAVE NOT FOUND A SOLUTION THAT WILL NOT REQUIRE FURLOUGHS.”
Moran -“EVERY ONE OF MORE THAN 700 PARK POLICE WILL BE FURLOUGHED FOR AN ENTIRE PAY PERIOD?”
Jarvis – “THAT’S CORRECT.”
Moran – ”
OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.”
Moran -“YOU MENTIONED THE PARK POLICE HELICOPTER. WE HAVE THREE OF THEM, SOME ARE AS OLD AS 30 YEARS OLD. WHILE THEY’VE CERTAINLY EXCEEDED THEIR RECOMMENDED FLIGHT HOUR LEVELS, IS THERE ANY TIME LINE FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF AT LEAST THE 30-YEAR-OLD HELICOPTER?”
Jarvis- “WE THINK THAT THE CURRENT FLEET IS STILL FULLY OPERATIONAL AND STILL — “I MEAN, THERE ARE HAVING THREE ONE AS A BACKUP, TWO ARE PRIME, THAT WE HAVE TO SCHEDULE IT AT SOME POINT”
Moran- “CAN’T AFFORD IT, I UNDERSTAND. YOU’VE GOT A ONE-TIME PAYMENT OF $30 MILLION FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE TRAIL WITHIN THE EVERGLADES. I DO SUPPORT THAT. BUT IT’S GOING TO COST HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND THERE ARE NO COMMITMENTS”