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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MORNING REPORT Monday, August 13, 2007 =============================================================================================================== INCIDENTS Dry Tortugas NP Taser Used During Cuban Smuggling Incident Ranger Steve Roper was on patrol near Loggerhead Key on Wednesday, August 1st, when he saw a blue “go-fast” boat, commonly used to smuggle migrants into the country, leaving the north end of the key at a high rate of speed. He quickly confirmed that nine illegal immigrants had been dropped off on the island. Rangers searched the area for the go-fast, but were unable to locate it. When Roper contacted the illegal migrants, one of them became belligerent and combative. Roper used his taser on him, then took him into custody. Other rangers arrived on the island and helped secure and control the migrants, who were then flown to Key West and transferred to the Border Patrol. The migrant in custody was turned over to the Coast Guard. Coast Guard personnel also located the go-fast and apprehended the operator. The Border Patrol is conducting a follow-up investigation. Dry Tortugas NP is located only 90 miles from Cuba and is therefore a common entry point for Cuban migrants and for smuggling. The Cuban Readjustment Act of 1966 permits Cuban migrants who make it to U.S. soil (“dry foot”) to remain in the United States. So far, 509 migrants have landed in the park in 2007. This incident marks the twelfth go-fast type drop-off in the park this year. [Bonnie Foist, Chief Ranger, Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks] OTHER NEWS The following stories (among others) can be read on either the InsideNPS web site (if you are within the National Park Service) or at the InsideNPS public ‘news digest' site (if you are outside of the NPS). The web sites appear below: US Park Police - Steve Alscher, 63, a native Washingtonian who was a US Park Police officer and a senior instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center died July 11th at his home in St. Simons Island, Georgia. Devils Tower NM - Former chief ranger Scot McElveen retired on August 3rd after a 25-year NPS career in field, first-line and management positions in twelve units of the National Park System. To see the above articles, go to InsideNPS ( HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/" http://inside.nps.gov/) or NPS Digest ( HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/). For NPS incident reporting standards, go to HYPERLINK "http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363" http://inside.nps.gov/index.cfm?handler=viewnpsnewsarticle&type=Announcements&id=3363 * * * * * Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services, Washington Office, with the support of the Office of the Chief Information Officer and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Edited by Bill Halainen ( HYPERLINK "mailto:Bill_Halainen@nps.gov" Bill_Halainen@nps.gov, 570-686-3828). --- ### --- |