NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                               MORNING REPORT

To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Friday, January 8, 1998

INCIDENTS

98-782 - Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (MO) - Weapons Arrest

Ranger Cortez Holloway approached a group of four people just before 5 a.m.
on November 29th to inform them that the park was closed.  Holloway detected
the strong smell of marijuana as he got closer to the group.  One of the
foursome, C.H., 22, fled into nearby shrubbery; a second,
C.D., 22, resisted Holloway's orders and attempted to reach behind
his back.  A struggle ensued during which a Ruger 9mm pistol fell out of
C.D.'s rear pants waistband and down through his pants leg.  C.D.
immediately said that the pistol was not his, and that C.H. had handed it
to him just moments before.  Other rangers apprehended C.H. as he was
attempting to hide in a dumpster; during the search incident to arrest, they
recovered a 9mm magazine, a vial of methamphetamine, marijuana and drug
paraphernalia from his person.  A computer inquiry revealed that the firearm
was stolen and that C.H. had 15 outstanding felony warrants against him
from four Missouri jurisdictions, including warrants for robbery, burglary,
stealing, methamphetamine manufacture, and possession of controlled
substances and paraphernalia.  He was incarcerated and charged under 18 USC
922(j), possession of a stolen firearm.  C.D. was released the following
day due to his lack of criminal history and his willingness to cooperate as a
witness.  The two female members of the foursome corroborated C.D.'s
statement and were released at the scene.  All of the individuals are from
the St. Louis area.  [CRO, JEFF, 1/7]

98-783 - Fort Totten Park (DC) - Armed Robbery

Washington resident C.K. was walking through the north end of the
park around 9:40 p.m. on December 28th when he was approached by a man who
said he was armed and demanded money.  He took some personal belongings from
C.K..  C.K. then fled; although his assailant caught up with him and
grabbed his jacket, C.K. was able to slip out of it and scream for help. 
His assailant ran off.  This area of the park is known for armed robberies
after dark.  On December 29th, Park Police detectives investigating this case
stopped and arrested a man armed with a .38 caliber revolver.  It was
subsequently determined, however, that he had not been involved in the
robbery.  [Henry Berberich, RLES, NCSO, 1/8]

99-2 - Independence NHP (PA) - Suicide

The body of an off-duty Philadelphia police officer was found behind the
First Bank of the United States within the park on January 6th.  The officer
died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.  No other information is currently
available.  [Hollis Provins, CR, INDE, 1/7]

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION

Gettysburg NMP/Eisenhower NHS (PA) - Deer Lawsuit Ruling 

A federal district judge has ruled in favor of the park's deer management
program, permitting it to be reinstated at both sites.  A lawsuit opposing
the park's deer reduction program was filed by three animal rights
organizations and six local citizens in February of 1997; that suit put the
program on hold.  The court's ruling, released on December 31st, states that
"the Park Service acted consistently with the Organic Act and its
implementing guidelines and that it complied with the procedures of both the
National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation
Act," and adds that the "Park Service considered a full range of reasonable
alternatives and was within its discretion."  The Service conducted more than
ten years of research and completed an environmental impact statement which
examined alternatives for reducing white-tailed deer populations at the two
parks.  Studies concluded that the parks have many more deer than the natural
and historic landscapes can support.  Intensive deer browsing is preventing
tree seedlings from becoming established, and is preventing the perpetuation
of historic woodlots.  Historical crops are destroyed before harvest because
of deer browsing.  The condition of these landscapes is very important for
interpreting the historic sites to park visitors and maintaining a viable and
healthy ecosystem.  The 1995 EIS described and considered all feasible
options for meeting park objectives, including public hunting, relocation,
and the use of sterilization and contraception.  Hundreds of people
participated in the public review of the EIS and many commented on it in
writing.  The NPS decided to reduce the number of deer in the parks through
shooting.  Hunting is not permitted inside the two parks - only federal
employees do the shooting.  A deer density goal of 25 deer per square mile of
forest was established.  Deer reductions began in October, 1995.  Between
October, 1995, and March, 1997, 858 deer were removed from the parks.  All
venison was donated to area food banks.  Annual population surveys, conducted
in consultation with Pennsylvania State University, found deer densities as
high as 447 deer per square mile of forest in 1991.  After the two-year
reduction program, the densities were 31 deer per square mile of forest. 
They rose to 63 deer per square mile of forest in 1998 after the program was
stopped due to the lawsuit.  Population surveys and studies continue so
managers can keep the deer density at a level where management objectives for
long-term maintenance of forested landscapes and the agricultural program can
be reached.  [Public Affairs, GETT, 1/6] 

PARK DISPATCHES

No entries.

OPERATIONAL NOTES

No entries.

MEMORANDA

No entries.

INTERCHANGE

No entries.

                                *  *  *  *  *

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Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation and
support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.

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