NPS Morning Report - Tuesday, May 21, 2002


                           NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
                              MORNING REPORT


To:         All National Park Service Areas and Offices

From:       Division of Ranger Activities, Washington Office

Day/Date:   Tuesday, May 21, 2002

INCIDENTS

02-178 - National Capital Parks (DC/MD) - Weapons and Drug Arrests

During the three-week period from April 18th to May 8th, the men and women
of Park Police District Five, Anacostia Station, arrested a total of ten
people for felony possession of concealed semi-automatic pistols. Seven
pistols were recovered in seven separate incidents - three from Anacostia
Park, three from the Suitland Parkway and one from the area near Oxon Run
Parkway. Two of the more notable weapons offenses (both in Anacostia Park)
also included possession of drugs with intent to distribute. Following a
foot chase, officer Don Gruelich arrested a man who had 229 grams of crack
cocaine, 260 grams of marijuana and a loaded 9 mm Lorcin pistol in his
possession. Officer Timothy Hodge arrested a suspect after smelling
marijuana coming from a vehicle with dark tinted windows; this arrest
produced 12 zip-lock bags of crack cocaine and a loaded 9 mm Ruger. On May
8th, officer Steve Brown and his trainee, officer Church, attempted to stop
a speeding vehicle on the Suitland Parkway. That vehicle came to rest after
striking two others, and a foot chase ensued in which Church caught up to
the man, then was assaulted. Church's finger was broken in the struggle and
his assailant temporarily escaped. Brown meanwhile caught the other
occupant of the vehicle and handcuffed him. While Brown was calling in on
the radio, the man pulled a pistol from his rear waistband and threw it
under a car. Brown recovered the 9mm Taurus pistol. The "be on the lookout"
information broadcast by these officers resulted in the successful
apprehension of the other man.  [East District Commander, USPP, 5/20]

02-179 - New River Gorge NR (WV) - Possible Suicide

On the evening of May 18th, three visitors hiking in the Glade Creek area
of the park discovered a body approximately 25 yards off the Glade Creek
trail in an area directly under the 720-foot-high Interstate 64 bridge.
The hikers notified the West Virginia State Police of the discovery.
Rangers and the park's special agent responded along with troopers and
Raleigh County Sheriff's Department detectives. The body was found in a
steep and rocky section of the Glade Creek Gorge. It was determined that
the area was too hazardous to enter that night, so representatives from
each agency met and hiked into the gorge the following morning to recover
the body and conduct an investigation. The corpse, which consisted mainly
of skeletal remains with some clothing, was taken to the state medical
examiner in South Charleston for an autopsy. Two identification cards were
found in the victim's pants which correlated with the identification of a
person reported missing and suicidal on March 10th. A positive
identification had not been made at the time of the report; efforts were
being made to contact the missing person's family members, who have moved
away from the area. The park is leading the investigation. [Chris Schrader,
SA, NERI, 5/20]

FIRE MANAGEMENT

No report today.

PARKS AND PEOPLE

Pinnacles NM (CA) - The park has an opening for a GS-0028-11 environmental
protection specialist. The announcement opened on May 15th and closes on
June 5th. The person in the position works directly for the superintendent
and serves as the park's principal environmental coordinator, providing
overall program direction and advising the superintendent on all internal
and external environmental compliance activities. Government housing is not
available. For further information, contact Lori Frusetta at 831-389-4485
ext. 227. [Lori Frusetta, PINN]

Lake Roosevelt NRA (WA) - The park is seeking a GS-11 contracting officer
who might be interested in a reassignment. The CO acts as both contracting
officer and agreement specialist for the park, with a Level IIB, $100,000
warrant. He/she is responsible for the award, administration and closeout
of standard contracts for supplies, services and construction and for all
partnership agreements. Advises two GS-6 administrative technicians with
Level IB, $10,000 warrants. For further information, contact Marlene Igo at
509-633-9441 ext. 119. [Lori Frusetta, LARO]

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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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