NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
MORNING REPORT
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
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INCIDENTS
National Mall and Memorial Parks
Park Police Handle National Socialist Demonstration
On Saturday, April 19th, the United States Park Police handled a permitted demonstration by the National Socialist Movement. The group earlier secured a special use permit to exercise their First Amendment rights, with plans to assemble on the grounds of the Washington Monument, then march to the United States Capitol for a rally. Counter demonstrations were expected and a security plan was developed to minimize the possibility of violence between the permitted group and any counter groups. The Park Police coordinated extensively with the Metropolitan Police and the United States Capitol Police, since the event crossed jurisdictional lines. Prior to the arrival of the main group, a large group of counter demonstrators arrived on the grounds of the Washington Monument wearing masks and attracting considerable attention. The group spotted two members of the National Socialist Movement and began verbally and physically assaulting them. Park Police officers responded and escorted the pair out of the area after the counter demonstrators surrounded and assaulted members of the Park Police with pepper spray. One counter demonstrator struck an officer across the back with a pole while he was attempting to arrest one of the assaulting counter demonstrators. A total of six arrests were made, with charges filed against them for assaulting police officers and weapons violations. Members of the main group arrived later on an escorted bus and began their march. The Park Police Horse Mounted Unit provided considerable assistance in protecting the marchers while en route to the Capitol. [Sergeant Robert Lachance, Public Affairs Officer]
Yosemite NP
Rangers Respond To Fatal Air Crash Just Outside Park
On the evening of Friday, April 18th, the California Office of Emergency Services contacted park personnel and advised that the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center was receiving an aircraft ELT (emergency locator transmitter) signal that appeared to be coming from within the park. Yosemite SAR personnel immediately put a contract helicopter that was already in the park on standby, then began making preparations to commit it to a search effort. While doing so, the wreckage was sighted on the ground from a civilian airplane. Ranger/paramedics Keith Lober and Matt Stark were picked up from the Yosemite Valley LZ and flown to the accident site. They determined that the downed plane's two occupants had evidently been killed immediately upon impact. The plane's location was found to be just outside the park's jurisdiction, to the incident was turned over to the Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office. [Keith Lober, Emergency Services Manager]
OTHER NEWS
The following stories (among others) can be read on InsideNPS:
Ellis Island NM - The Ellis Island Family Heritage Awards, which this year honored author Mary Higgins Clark, educator Donna E. Shalala, entertainer Mel Brooks, and the Forbes family, were conferred last Thursday at a ceremony in the Great Room in the park's immigration museum.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6414" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6414
Partnership Office - The National Park Foundation and Macy's recently announced a new partnership to educate, raise awareness, and generate funds to support our parks.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6411" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6411
Organ Pipe Cactus NM - Ranger Kristopher Eggle, who was killed in the line of duty in 2002, will be honored at the first Pima County Regional Law Enforcement Memorial Service, which will be held on May 8th in Tucson, Arizona.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1896" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1896
Fire and Aviation Management - Mike Wallace, chief of the Division of Fire and Aviation Management, will be retiring from his position on April 30th.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6413" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6413
US Park Police - Officer Jeff Bartlett and his partner, Shadow, placed first out of the field of 65 entrants in the United States Police Canine Association Region 3's certification trials.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6413" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=Announcements&id=6413
Intermountain Region - Kevin Schneider has been named superintendent of White Sands National Monument in New Mexico. He will assume his new position in mid-May.
HYPERLINK "http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1893" http://home.nps.gov/applications/digest/headline.cfm?type=PeopleNews&id=1893
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Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found at the following web site:
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).
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