U. S. Park Police Fraternal Order of Police

History of the USPP FOP

Posted on July 7, 2013 by 1791fop

An “About the USPPFOP” has been added to the site, giving you a brief history of the labor committee’s beginning.

2013 is the 110th anniversary of police officers banding together to improve the working conditions and professionalism of police officers in the District of Columbia.

Category: Archives, Uncategorized

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report, today that is highly critical of the United States Park Police’s handling of its firearms inventories. The F.O.P. fully supports the OIG’s review of firearms policies and welcomes any critical assessment that will ensure our members have all of the tools necessary to effectively serve and protect the public.

However, we take issue with the conclusions drawn by the OIG and the National Park Service Director’s assertions made regarding the firearms program within the U.S. Park Police. Specifically,

• Director Jarvis states, “I have no tolerance for this management failure, the safety and security of our visitors and employees remain our highest priority.” The F.O.P. applauds the Director in reiterating our mission; however, the implication is that somehow, public safety was in jeopardy due to the antiquated system of weapon tracking. This is absolutely not the case and to imply so is to imply the officers of the U.S. Park Police have somehow failed the public we serve. In addition, NONE of these weapons were evidence or confiscated during arrests. They are all government owned firearms-solely for government use.

• The report fails to mention that firearms requiring disposal cannot be destroyed due to the lack of any contractor currently available to dispose of (melt down) these firearms and render them useless. Nor are any recommendations given on how to remedy this.

• This report makes assertions that go back well over 10 years, yet the current Chief has only been back in her position since 2011, after her lengthy court battle to return to her position. There is no mention of any other former officials being held accountable for past failures, some of whom are still employed by the Department of Interior or other Federal agencies.

• The report fails to mention that the Firearms Custodian has had little to no access to the computer system used to track these government owned firearms other than viewing capability. The ability to add, delete or modify the inventory has not been given to the U.S. Park Police, directly.

• The report discusses antiquated weapons with “limited or no operational need”. 4 of these weapons are used by the Honor Guard for ceremonial purposes and the remainder cannot be disposed of due to lack of a contractor for that purpose.

The OIG’s report has revealed that many problems within the U.S. Park Police are systematic and have existed for many years, though it now looks to hold accountable the officers who currently work for the agency with no mention of the length of these problems. The dedicated officers who diligently serve the public safeguard their personally issued weapons and any others owned by the agency. Any statement to the contrary is baseless and without merit and should immediately be amended to state that this agency has done the best job it can, with the limited resources, tools and funding given to it by the National Park Service. We look forward to any review of the current programs within the U.S. Park Police so long as they are complete, concise and include identifying where system failures first began.

Ian Glick
Chairman

Print version of this response

Category: Archives, Uncategorized

PEER statement on Assault of Police Officers

Posted on June 18, 2013 by 1791fop

PEER Official Press Release

For Immediate Release: Jun 17, 2013
Contact: Kirsten Stade (202) 265-7337

SPIKE IN ATTACKS ON RANGERS AND FEDERAL LAND MANAGERS
2012 Saw Major Increase in Violence Directed at Refuge Mangers & U.S. Park Police

Posted on Jun 17, 2013

Washington, DC — Federal employees in national parks, wildlife refuge and even marine sanctuaries suffered more attacks and threats in 2012 than in the previous year, according to agency figures obtained by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). Reported incidents rose more than 40% in wildlife refuges and in areas patrolled by the U.S. Park Police and by more than 12% in national parks.

The year began with the shooting death of Mount Rainier National Park law enforcement ranger Margaret Anderson on January 1, 2012 in Washington State. She was only was the ninth ranger killed in the line of duty since the National Park Service was founded in 1916. A park ranger was last killed in 2002, at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in Arizona, while chasing drug traffickers.

Drugs and alcohol appeared to play a role in a large number of incidents which included –

In September, a Bureau of Land Management worker was shot at while driving a Bureau vehicle;
A fleeing subject attempted to run over a U.S. Park Police officer with his car; and
A visitor center for a wildlife refuge received a note with profane racist remarks and a threat to burn the center down.
“Unfortunately, violence and abuse directed against public servants is becoming more common,” stated PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch, noting that factors cited by employees include conflicts over resource protection policies, growing use of public lands for meth labs and marijuana plantations as well as deeper penetration of backcountry by off-road vehicles. The figures do not show any clear pattern reflecting liberalized loaded firearm rules in national parks and refuges which went into effect in 2010. “The saying ‘it’s not easy being green’ is becoming truer with each passing year.”

The biggest annual jump in 2012 was seen by the U.S. Park Police (42.9%) which represents the highest number (100) of violent incidents in its history. National wildlife refuges operated by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services saw a similar increase but with much smaller totals while marine sanctuaries (25%) run by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration and national parks (12.9%) also experienced hikes. At the same time, the Bureau of Land Management registered a small drop (4.3%) in cases.

“The one certainty is that these agencies will have less support to cope with increasing demands in the year ahead,” added Ruch, noting the U.S. Park Police narrowly avoided furloughs of officers due to cutbacks which are likely to be deeper in the next budget. “PEER has been extracting this data as a tool to persuade agency managers that assault against their own staff is a matter they should be studying and seeking to address.”

PEER has maintained a database of incidents against federal resource employees since the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. Most of the agencies did not track this type of information when PEER first started submitting Freedom of Information Act requests but now all maintain some data, although it is often not consistent or complete. For example, the Park Service does not maintain records of attacks on non-law enforcement personnel while the U.S. Forest Service now lumps into its violence reports incidents which do not involve threats or attacks. The U.S. Justice Department stopped tracking assaults on federal employees back in 2002, after it persuaded Congress to repeal a reporting requirement for such incidents.