Brothers and Sisters,
2015 was both an unusual year and a very average year for us. We had a budget increase but a paltry one.
We got to prepare to watch as the National Park Service squanders MILLIONS of dollars on a birthday party while we drive cars that should be condemned,
a radio system that belongs in a museum and a lack of man power on the street. We lost a few members to that seemingly unforeseeable thing
called “retirement” and we lost quite a few more to that thing called ‘better paying jobs in better funded agencies”. These are all both common and
unusual occurrences for the United States Park Police.
As 2016 is upon us, let us look forward to a year of ‘more of the same’.
The National Park Service will spend 140 million dollars to celebrate their birthday, meanwhile, we will drive over roads that are standard maintenance
for Iraq.
Director Jarvis wrote a book, skirted the ethics office in doing so, told investigators “I think I knew going into this there was a certain amount of risk. I’ve never
been afraid of a risk. . . . I’ve gotten my ass in trouble many, many, many times in the Park Service…”.
He received a reprimand.
Yet, if any of us come to work late, fail to write a report on time or speak to an official in a harsh manner, we face suspension.
The Force will continue to work out of buildings that are too small, have frequent raw sewage backups, are cleaned in a manner consistent with a homeless
shelter, and have little to no tangible security measures to protect us from a lone gunman. Meanwhile, the NPS will ‘sell access’ to the Statue of
Liberty, Alcatraz and East Potomac Park, as well as the National Mall, to commercial interests that generate profit for large interests outside the NPS,
while the tax payer foots the bill.
While this is truly the greatest job in law enforcement, our caretakers at the NPS would rather you make no arrests, do nothing to truly protect the public
and smile all along while you wait out your time until retirement. Just don’t write a book about it until you retire or until the ethics office clears it.; you
might be suspended if you do. Unless you’re the National Park Service Director.
BE SAFE!
Ian Glick, Chairman