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Subject: NPS Morning Report - Friday, January 14, 2000
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Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2000 08:12:35 -0500
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
To: All National Park Service Areas and Offices
From: Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office
Day/Date: Friday, January 14, 2000
ALMANAC
On this day in 1946, Harry S Truman became the only incumbent president to
ascend the Washington Monument.
INCIDENTS
00-007 - Gateway NRA (NY/NJ) - Demonstration
On January 6th, the park issued a special use permit to Carpenter's Local
20 for First Amendment activity at Fort Wadsworth. At issue is a
construction contract with the Army Reserve, which owns property within
park boundaries. The permit went into effect on January 11th and is in
effect for one week. The demonstrators gathered peacefully in the
designated area on park property outside the back gate of the fort,
bringing with them an 18-foot inflatable rat. However, organizers soon
noticed some commercial vehicles entering the park through the front gate
(the only other entrance to the park), thus avoiding the demonstration
area. They asked the Park Police to force all commercial vehicles to enter
the back gate, but that was not feasible because there are no daytime
controls at either gate. Organizers are now considering applying to New
York City police for a permit to demonstrate outside the front gate on
city property. Park officials are concerned about access and egress, as
Fort Wadsworth houses emergency response units from both the Park Police
and the Coast Guard and upwards of 1,000 federal employees and 2,000
residents. Organizers have expressed their intention to create several
media opportunities and to reapply for permits at the back gate for up to
one year. [Marty O'Toole, Fort Wadsworth, GATE, 1/13]
CULTURAL/NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
No submissions.
FIRE ACTIVITY
Lake Meredith NRA (TX) - Fire danger remains high in the Texas panhandle
due to above normal temperatures and continued drought. Park staff
provided assistance on a 2,000-acre wildland grass fire near the park's
boundary on January 1st, responded to a structural fire within 200 yards
of the park's boundary and a wildland fire within 500 yards of the park's
boundary on January 4th, and suppressed a 10-acre wildland fire in the
park on January 5th.
Yosemite NP (CA) - The park received some light rain on the 11th and was
planning to start burning the Studhorse #5 fire on Wednesday.
Big Cypress NP (FL) - Numerous prescribed fires are either planned or
underway.
Everglades NP (FL) - The park reports three wildland fire responses since
the start of the new year. Two were assists to the state, one was in the
park. It's been 25 to 32 days (depending on reporting station) since rain
fell on the park, and none is forecast through the coming weekend.
Carlsbad Caverns NP (FL) - Fire danger is very high. Temperatures are in
the mid-80s, the relative humidity is in single digits, and significant
winds were reported at mid-week.
[Mike Warren, NPS Fire Management Program Center, 1/13]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
No submissions.
MEMORANDA
"Comprehensive Study of National Park Service Law Enforcement Program,"
signed yesterday by acting director Jackie Lowey and sent to all regional
directors. The full text follows:
The National Park Service (NPS) Law Enforcement Training Center at the
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) was tasked with making
recommendations on how to proceed with a study on how the Law Enforcement
Program within the NPS is being managed. The study will be comprehensive
and balanced. The study will highlight positive aspects of NPS law
enforcement operations as well as deficiencies. The study will outline
necessary and desirable improvements, identify what needs to be done to
support the field protection ranger, place special emphasis on actions to
ensure that the NPS is accountable to elected officials and the public,
that it is positioned to achieve objectives more effectively, maximize
productivity of current law enforcement operations, and meet future law
enforcement requirements in an orderly and informed manner.
I am aware that there are other very important non-law enforcement aspects
of park ranger work. Although they will not be the focus of this review
it is my intention to engage in serious discussion on these issues over
the next several months.
After discussion on the focus of this review, the overwhelming advice and
counsel given me was that the International Association of Chiefs of
Police (IACP) would be the best choice to conduct the study.
Why the IACP?
The IACP is a non-profit corporation, chartered in the District of
Columbia (1943). The IACP is the world 's leading association of law
enforcement executives with 17,000 members in 85 countries. In addition
to Chiefs of Police and law enforcement personnel of other ranks, IACP
members include criminal justice researchers, university faculty, and
members of many other professions. The IACP was founded in 1893 to
promote the highest standards of performance and conduct within the police
profession.
The IACP provides law enforcement agencies with the most extensive range
of police services available. In addition to management services, the
IACP offers training courses and professional development seminars,
promotional testing, assessment centers, executive search and placement,
research and development, publications, information networking, and
conferences.
IACP conducts comprehensive studies of the management, organization,
staffing, and operations of police departments. Goals of their studies
are to determine the degree to which a department is properly accountable,
is operating cost effectively, is in compliance with professional police
standards, and is satisfying the crime control and service requirements of
the citizens it serves.
Since the IACP began its program of field consulting in 1935, it has
conducted hundreds of management surveys, technical assistance projects,
staff studies, planning projects, and has provided contract training and
testing services for police agencies and their parent governments
throughout the United States and many other nations.
Study Objectives
o Evaluate the degree to which NPS law enforcement goals, objectives,
and operations conform to the statutory requirements of the NPS and
Department of the Interior and the expectations of park visitors and
users.
o Evaluate how well the NPS is organized to conduct operations
o Project future NPS law enforcement workload and demands
Components of Study Team Review
o Staffing Levels
o Communications Systems/Equipment/Procedures
o Policy (NPS-9/DO#9/RM 9, DM 446)
o Accountability/Management of Law Enforcement Program
o Professional Development of Law Enforcement Managers
o Training including advanced training and a Servicewide Field
Training and Evaluation Program
o Internal Investigations
o Recruitment/Screening
o Disciplinary Process
o Fiscal Evaluation of Servicewide/Regional/Park Programs
o Causes of the Deaths of Rangers Performing Law Enforcement Duties
o Causes of Assaults of Rangers Performing Law Enforcement Duties
Study Team Composition
The IACP Program and Research Group Study Team along with two Supervisory
Special Agents from Land Management Agencies would make up the study team.
The Study Team would be under the direction of an NPS Study Team Leader.
The Superintendent, NPS Law Enforcement Training Center, would function as
the advisor and liaison between the NPS Study Team Leader and the IACP.
NPS Study Team Leader
The Study Team Leader will be a Mike Finley, Superintendent, Yellowstone
National Park. Mike has a solid protection background as well as
extensive park and central office experience.
Funding Recommendations
The estimated $100,000 review will be paid for by utilizing $25,000 from
fiscal year 2000 training funds currently allocated to FLETC and $75,000
from the Regions. I am asking the Regional Directors to immediately come
up with a formula to decide the amount to be contributed by each region.
Work on this study will begin immediately.
Cost of Study
Approximately $90,000 to $100,000 is required to complete the study.
Target Date of Completion
Within 120 days of approval of project.
United States Park Police Study
We are considering a parallel study to be conducted for the United States
Park Police. This parallel study would be organized in much the same
fashion as was used for developing the response to evaluate the needs of
law enforcement programs as mandated by Public Law 105-391. Currently
there is no funding available so the NPS study will proceed.
INTERCHANGE
No submissions.
PARKS AND PEOPLE
No submissions.
* * * * *
Distribution of the Morning Report is through a mailing list managed by
park, office and/or regional cc:Mail hub coordinators. Please address
requests pertaining to receipt of the Morning Report to your servicing hub
coordinator. The Morning Report is also available on the web at
http://www.nps.gov/morningreport
Prepared by the Division of Ranger Activities, WASO, with the cooperation
and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.
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