Independence |  |
The following Incident Reports were extracted from the NPS Morning Reports/Coalition Reports from 1989-2025. They are not a complete record of all incidents which occurred in this park during this timeframe. INCIDENTS | |
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March 19, 1987 Location: Harmony Lane and 3rd Street Park rangers responded to the report of a fire on park land between the First Bank and Bishop White Garden. When they arrived, they found a person in flames. The victim - an unidentified woman who'd covered herself with a furniture pad, doused it with fluid and ignited it - had burns over 90% of her body. She was transported by ambulance to Pennsylvania Hospital, then to St. Agnes burn center where she died early on the 19th. The city is investigating. The death has been ruled a probable suicide.
A woman burned herself to death in the park. Update: The investigation is on-going. The woman is still unidentified, and the death has been tentatively ruled as a suicide.
Location: Liberty Bell Pavilion Shortly after midnight, the park's dispatch center received an alarm indicating that glass had been broken at the pavilion. Rangers arriving at the scene discovered that rocks had been thrown through a one-inch-thick pavilion window, but also found that the Liberty Bell had not been harmed. A witness was found who was able to give a general description of the vandal. Rangers and Philadelphia police are currently trying to find the man, who is thought to be a street person who also attacked and broke the glass on a number of nearby phone booths. The site has been secured, and personnel will be present until the glass is replaced. Estimated cost to replace the window is between $24,000 and $32,000. There may be problems in finding duplicate replacement glass, and it is anticipated that it should take between two and nine months for full repairs to be made. An adjacent panel also received minor damage and will probably have to be replaced eventually. At present, the window has been patched with plywood. Follow-up: On December 18th, T.W., a 39-year-old local man who lives on the streets around the park, turned himself in to rangers and confessed to the destruction of the window. He was charged with a violation of DS Code and released on his own recognizance. A contributor has been found who will be donating glass to repair the broken window.
Late on the morning of May 15th, eight members of a group known as the Pledge of Resistance entered a closed area in the Assembly Room in Independence Hall, handcuffed themselves together and unfurled a banner - protesting United States policies in El Salvador. Responding rangers offered them the opportunity to leave and obtain a permit, but they declined the offer. The eight were then arrested and charged with trespassing and interfering with an agency function. They were to appear before a magistrate yesterday. (Chris Andress, RAD/MARO).
On the evening of July 12th, P.B., no age given, fell and struck his head while walking on the East Terrace of the Liberty Bell Pavilion. Rangers and Philadelphia Police Department officers responded. P.B. was transported to Jefferson Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Medical reports indicate that the death resulted from head trauma and that P.B.'s blood had a high alcohol content. (Levi Rivers, INDE, via CompuServe message from Garry Traynham, RAD/MARO).
Park painters were removing paint with a torch when a fire broke out in the attic of Chief Ranger Robert Byrne's historic park residence on Locust Street yesterday. The Philadelphia Fire Department responded and extinguished the fire. The building suffered from charring, smoke and water damage, and structural damage to attic beams. The chief ranger and his family were on vacation at the time of the fire. (Bobby Spears, Acting CR, INDE, via CompuServe message from Ginny Paci, RAD/MARO, 8/15).
Mid-Atlantic Region has called in an all-risk management team and two 12-person special events teams to deal with a series of anti-war demonstrations which have been occurring in and near the park since last Saturday and are reportedly scheduled to culminate with significant protests over the coming three-day weekend. The demonstrations over the past few days have focused on the park and city hall, which are about a dozen blocks apart. There have been between 500 and 1,000 people in the most recent protests. Threats have been made to take over buildings in the park; Independence Hall, Franklin Court, Congress Hall, and the Liberty Bell Pavilion are all thought to be possible targets. The teams will be meeting this afternoon and will probably be deployed this evening. Plans are to keep them on duty in the park for at least ten days. [Telephone report from Chris Andress, RAD/MARO, 1/17]
91-17 - Independence (Pennsylvania) - Followup on SET/ARM Team Deployment Mid-Atlantic Region deployed an all-risk management (ARM) team and two special events (SET) teams to the park on the 18th to handle demonstrations and possible threats to buildings. They were also charged with coordinating responses to possible threats in other MAR parks. Two 12hour shifts were established with 17 members per shift. Although one SET and all members of the ARM team except the planning section chief were demobilized on Wednesday, the other SET remains in place and will work through the weekend. It will be replaced by law enforcement personnel from other parks at that time. Close ties have been established and are being maintained with the Philadelphia police department. Intelligence is being shared, and joint responses to different scenarios have been planned. Intelligence collected by a park undercover operation was relayed to the police, who advised that the information that rangers had gathered was completely new to them. As of yesterday, only minor incidents had occurred in the park. The ARM and SET teams are on standby and will be reactivated if necessary. [CompuServe message from Ginny Paci, RAD/MARO, 1/24]
Independence (Pennsylvania) - MAR rangers are being assigned to the park to provide additional, around-the-clock security at the Liberty Bell Pavilion and other sites in Independence. The rangers are being sent to the park for 14 to 21 day details and are working eight to 12 hour shifts. [United Press, 2/5]
Independence (Pennsylvania) - A demonstration in support of American troops in the Persian Gulf was to have been held at the Judge Lewis Quadrangle near the Liberty Bell on the 16th. About 350 participants were expected.
Independence (Pennsylvania) - On February 21st, about 250 people from two groups Act for Peace and Students for Peace held a rally across Market Street from the Liberty Bell Pavilion. There were no incidents. The park has issued 17 permits for war-related demonstrations since January 12th. The demonstrations have been both for and against the war, and have ranged in size from individual vigils to gatherings of up to 1,500 people.
Prime Minister Marian Calfa of Czechoslovakia will make an unofficial visit to the park today while in Philadelphia to give a speech at the University of Pennsylvania's International Visitor Center. Calfa indicated a desire to see the park, particularly the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, while in the city. The two-and-a-half hour tour will include the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Congress Hall, the portrait museum in the Second Bank of the United States, Carpenters Hall, Franklin Court, and the "Promise of Permanency" exhibit in the park's visitor center. [Telefax from Robert Byrne, CR, INDE, 4/8]
Pat Buchanan, the Republican candidate for president, visited the park on April 20th to give a campaign speech to invited guests at the First Bank of the United States. A permit for the event had been previously issued to Buchanan's staff. Approximately 100 ticketed guests attended the half-hour speech, which was followed by a press conference. Interest in the event was high, and the media turnout was substantial. Rangers coordinated security coverage with the Secret Service and Philadelphia police. [Telefax from Robert Byrne, CR, INDE, 4/20]
On April 27th, Jerry Brown, Democratic candidate for President, visited the park for a rally and a campaign speech on the Judge Lewis Quadrangle. A permit had been issued for the event. About 1,000 supporters attended the rally and speech. Media interest was high, and camera crews from five local television stations were present. Governor Brown has specifically turned down Secret Service protection and did not request protection from Philadelphia police. In accordance with his wishes, the park handled the rally like any other special event and did not provide any specific dignitary protection. No problems occurred during the event. [Telefax from Bob Byrne, CR, INDE, 4/28]
On April 30th, the Pennsylvania branch of N.O.R.M.L. (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) and C.A.N. (Cannabis Action Network) held a gathering under permit to conduct a "symposium on the validity of the current administration's 'War on Drugs'" and distribute literature regarding the legalization of marijuana. The group had used the park several times in the past. Seven or eight years ago, the group's permit was revoked after they tried to distribute free marijuana to passersby and 13 arrests were made. Last year, ranger confiscated a three-and-a-half-foot marijuana plant from the group, but no arrests were made. Despite specific warnings that the park planned on strictly enforcing all applicable drug laws, members of the group were found smoking marijuana on park property during the event. Rangers Jeff Carlisle and John Hopf approached those who were smoking the drug and advised them that they were being arrested for possession and use of a controlled substance. Member of the group began converging on the rangers and encircling them; the rangers called for backup, and three uniformed, one plain clothes and two off-duty rangers responded and assisted in the arrest. The crowd was vocal, but did not directly interfere with the four arrests that were made. They were cuffed and taken to the district office for processing; three were cited for possession of controlled substances, then all were released. No further incidents occurred, and a decision was made not to revoke the group's permit. A member of the group had a video camera and taped the incident. That tape was expected to appear on the local evening news. [Telefax from Bob Byrne, CR, INDE, 4/30] [Telephone and telefax reports from Phil Ward, RAD/WRO; Bob Reid, RAD/MARO; Bob Ditolla, RAD/NARO; Bill Sturgeon, RAD/SERO; Bob Byrne, CR, INDE]
Several areas and operational units of the National Park Service were directly or peripherally affected by the riots, demonstrations and other incidents that have occurred since the verdict was handed down in the King assault case: * Independence (Pennsylvania) - The scheduled, annual African American parade and festival was held in the park on Saturday. The event had been planned long before the outbreak of the violence in Los Angeles. Because of the potential for problems, however, the park asked for a regional SET team. A ten-ranger team was sent in, and a total of 18 enforcement rangers worked the parade and festival in conjunction with city police. Between 7,000 and 8,000 people attended and the event reportedly went off very well. Only three minor drug-related incidents occurred. The SET team was released and sent home on Sunday. [Telephone and telefax reports from Phil Ward, RAD/WRO; Bob Reid, RAD/MARO; Bob Ditolla, RAD/NARO; Bill Sturgeon, RAD/SERO; Bob Byrne, CR, INDE]
A total of about 10,000 people attended a special event in the Judge Lewis Quadrangle commemorating the 44th anniversary of the independence of Israel on Sunday, May 17th. The celebration, which is sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council of greater Philadelphia, is an annual event and consists of a parade and festival. For nine of the last ten years, the festival has been held in the park. Except for a few lost children (all found) and some problems with unauthorized vendors, the event went off without incident. [Telefax from Bob Byrne, CR, INDE, 5/17]
Howard Stern of the Howard Stern Show, a top morning radio program in Philadelphia and many other Eastern cities, conducted a rally and live broadcast from the Judge Lewis Quadrangle on June 19th to celebrate the divorce of John Debella, a local radio personality and Stern's chief competitor for the Philadelphia market. Stern had invited listeners to his show to write songs about Debella's impending divorce, then sing selected ones live from his show on the quadrangle, which is located just across the street from the radio station where Debella works. Stern is one of the self-professed leaders of "raunch" radio, and his show lived up to that billing - scantily clad dancers, obscene gestures and related activities were plentiful. The park did not want to grant a permit for the event, but felt that there were no grounds for denying it. The permit was issued to Infinity Broadcasting Corporation and to WYSP, a local radio station. An alcohol ban was enforced, and several coolers of alcoholic beverages were confiscated. Many others with alcohol disposed of same before entering the area. Two arrests were made for trespassing after several individuals climbed to the roofs of the arcades surrounding the quadrangle and refused to come down. Both were cited and released. A total of about 2,000 people attended the event; most of them were between 20 and 30 years old. Philadelphia police officers assisted rangers with crowd control. [Bob Byrne, CR, INDE, 6/19]
On July 3rd, a permit was requested by and granted to Women's Health Action Mobilization (WHAM) for a demonstration in the park the following day. Previous intelligence supplies by the Philadelphia police indicated that there would be a demonstration at the Liberty Bell Pavilion and that a takeover attempt would be made. Since the demonstration was planned several days in advance and the park had prior knowledge of the activity scheduled to take place, an eight-person special event team from MAR was called in to assist park staff. A coalition of public protestors, including AIDS awareness advocates and abortion rights demonstrators, engaged in a protest in and around the glass pavilion which houses the bell on the afternoon of the 4th. A group of 17 protestors entered the pavilion with a line of visitors, and dropped to the floor at a prearranged signal, shouting various slogans advocating their cause. The demonstrators attempted to chain and handcuff themselves together and to a railing behind the Liberty Bell, but the chains and handcuffs were confiscated from all but one demonstrator before they could carry out their plans. One demonstrator successfully chained herself to the railing behind the bell. Visitors in the pavilion at the time were cleared from the building and it was closed and locked. After two unheeded orders to leave the building, each of the 17 protestors was cuffed, photographed and taken to the Federal Building in two vans. About 200 protestors outside the pavilion sat on the ground in front of the second van and blocked its progress for about ten minutes, then stood and allowed it to exit the park. The 17 were cited for disorderly conduct on federal charges, given mandatory appearances and released. None of the demonstrators was in any way hostile, violent or verbally abusive to any staff or visitors. None of the demonstrators damaged or in any way threatened to damage any park property. The Bell Pavilion remained closed for about an hour and a half and reopened around 2:30 p.m. There was a great deal of press coverage of the event by local television stations and newspapers. One other disorderly conduct arrest was made during the day when a lone demonstrator (cause unknown) took her clothes off and began to dance in a lewd manner behind Independence Hall. She had neither requested nor been granted a permit. [Bob Byrne, CR, INDE, 7/5]
On August 8th, the park received and granted a request for a permit for presidential candidate Bill Clinton to speak at Independence Square on August 10th. Park staff, Secret Service agents, Philadelphia police and the governor's staff all participated in planning for the event. Governor Clinton arrived at 1:45 p.m. on the 10th and spoke to about 5,500 people. After speaking, he spent about 30 minutes talking to the media and shaking hands with people in the crowd. The event ended at 3:00 p.m. There were no major incidents. One individual was issued a citation for operating a public address system without a permit. [Bobby Spears, Acting CR, INDE, 8/11]
Vice President Gore conducted two meetings in the park on June 25th. During the first, which began at 8 a.m., Gore spoke to about 150 government employees, including several NPS representatives. He then moved to Congress Hall, where he presided over four panel sessions on "reinventing government." The vice president remained in Philadelphia overnight, and went jogging in the park on Saturday morning. Park law enforcement and interpretive rangers and maintenance and curatorial staff played a major role in the success of the event. Two regional special event teams were also called in to help provide protection. The only significant incident was an unfounded bomb threat at the Liberty Bell Pavilion. Patrick Bowman was incident commander. [CRO, INDE, 6/29]
One of Mid-Atlantic Region's all risk management (ARM) teams was called in by the park to assist with the planning and coordination of holiday events, including visits by President Clinton, South African President F.W. deKlerk, and African National Congress President Dr. Nelson Mandela. Park Police officers and personnel from other MAR parks were also brought in to augment park staff. The ARM team and park staff worked with many city and federal agencies, including the Secret Service, State Department, U.S. attorney's office, and Philadelphia police and fire departments, on coordination of the weekend's activities. Events began with a July 3rd press conference and tour of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell for Dr. Mandela. On the morning of July 4th, Superintendent Martha Aikens gave President deKlerk a tour of Independence Hall. At 2 p.m., President Clinton participated in a "tapping" of the Liberty Bell along with two young descendants of signers of the Declaration of Independence, then walked through the crowd to Independence Hall. At about the same time, approximately 500 people protesting the awarding of the Liberty Medal to President deKlerk began a demonstration on the Judge Lewis Quadrangle about a block from the hall. A permit had been issued in advance for the demonstration, and the gathering was peaceful. At 3:30, about 15,000 spectators were present for the Philadelphia Liberty Medal ceremony in which President deKlerk and Dr. Mandela received their medals from President Clinton. The 95 degree heat became a factor during the ceremony and many visitors had to be removed to EMS staging areas to be cooled down. Following the ceremony, a 90-minute- long parade made its way past Independence Hall; this was in turn followed by a concert and fireworks elsewhere in the city. Logistics for the weekend were complicated by the number of events and the status of the visiting dignitaries. Over 5,000 feet of barricades were moved into three different configurations during the day on July 4th to accommodate the different events. [Lee Dickinson, IO, ARM Team, 7/6]
Luther White, a painter in the maintenance division who'd been an employee at Independence since 1976, died suddenly while at home on October 22nd. Services were to be held yesterday. No further details are available. [CRO, INDE, 10/27]
On December 3rd, park curators discovered that a circa 1750 glaze earthenware plate and a cornware teapot from the same era were missing from their display case at Franklin Court. The thief apparently removed the six screws which secured the top of the display and removed the items. There are no suspects and the investigation continues. [Chris Andress, RCR, RAD/MARO, 12/9]
The park had three significant special events during the four day period from March 10th to March 13th: * President Mary Robinson of Ireland visited the Liberty Bell with superintendent Martha Aikens and Philadelphia mayor Edward Rendell on March 10th. * Kin Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden were given a walking tour of the park by the superintendent on March 12th. They visited the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall before walking to Carpenters' Hall to attend a luncheon sponsored by the mayor. Park law enforcement rangers worked closely with the Secret Service on security arrangements. There were no incidents. * The annual St. Patrick's Day parade took place on March 13th. The reviewing stand for the parade was across from Independence Hall. An estimated 6,000 people viewed the parade from within the park. Also in attendance were approximately 75 firefighters and their supporters; they were demonstrating against the recent contract with city administration. The demonstration was orderly and did not interfere with the parade itself. There was a high incidence of alcohol consumption, particularly underage drinking. Several arrests were made. [Lee Dickinson, Special Event Coordinator, INDE, 3/18]
Members of the group MOVE held a rally in the park on May 14th. The event, which was conducted under an approved special use permit, was held directly in front of the Liberty Bell Pavilion and marked the ninth anniversary of the 1985 Philadelphia police bombing of the MOVE compound in West Philadelphia, during which ten members of the group died and two city blocks were destroyed in the related fire. About ten MOVE members attended the rally, supported by approximately 30 representatives from other groups, such as ACT-UP, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), the Communist Action Party, and the Committee for Solidarity for El Salvador. The group set up a sound system and passed out literature to passers-by. Except for several minor problems, such as frequent profanity in speeches, the taping of banners to the pavilion, and crowing on the sidewalk during a day of heavy visitation, the event was peaceful, and no law enforcement actions were required. [Hollis Provins, CR, INDE, 5/18]
Secretary Babbitt visited the park on May 23rd to deliver a speech to kick off National Parks Week. The ceremonies were held behind Independence Hall and were covered by local and national media. Also participating were Assistant Secretary George Frampton, Director Roger Kennedy, Regional Director B.J. Griffin, Superintendent Martha Aikens, Mayor Ed Rendell, and Congressmen Thomas Foglietta and Robert Borski. [Hollis Provins, CR, INDE, 5/24]
The Jewish Community Relations Council of Philadelphia hosted the annual Israeli Independence Day parade and bazaar in the city on May 22nd. The Judge Lewis Quadrangle portion of the park was employed for the bazaar. The event drew about 20,000 persons to the park. There were no unusual problems or incidents. Plainclothes rangers on loan from Valley Forge issued two citations for possession of marijuana. [Michael Dumene, INDE, 5/24]
Over the course of the past winter, E.L., 29, was arrested four times following contacts with protection rangers for disruptions on park property. On December 15th, rangers arrested E.L. after he became physically abusive in the park's visitor center, pushed the on-duty protection supervisor in the chest, and made death threats against him. Rangers again arrested E.L. on January 12th, when he became verbally abusive to two rangers who were following him at a distance, on February 9th, when he attempted to punch a ranger in the face, and on March 9th, when he entered a closed area and attacked the same ranger he'd tried to hit during his previous arrest. E.L. was charged with three counts of disorderly conduct, two counts of interfering with agency functions, one count of vandalism, and one count of assault on a federal officer. On June 1st, E.L. was tried and found guilty on all three disorderly counts, one interference count, and one count of simple assault. He was sentenced to seven months' commitment to the state mental hospital in Norristown, Pennsylvania, and was barred from the park for two years. [Michael Dumene, INDE, 6/6]
On June 30th, the city of Philadelphia began its Fourth of July celebration with an evening parade through the park. The "Summers Mummers" parade is the warm weather version of a twelve-hour parade which occurs in the city every New Years Day. About 4,000 people watched the parade from within the park. There were no significant law enforcement or first aid incidents. [Lee Dickinson, INDE, 7/10]
Due to construction on the traditional route, Philadelphia's New Year's Day Mummers' Parade was rerouted through the park. The park supported the relocation effort by permitting bleachers, portable toilets, a judging area and other amenities to be erected on park property. Parade-goers sometimes lined park sidewalks six to eight deep to watch the parade. Staging areas for parade units were also located within the park. Numerous warnings were issued for alcohol and controlled substance violations, but there were no major problems. No arrests were made. [PAO, INDE, 1/4]
Around 7 p.m. on January 11th, a Volvo sedan was driven down the pedestrian walkway of the Liberty Bell Pavilion block, then left the sidewalk, knocked down a streetlight onto an eastbound vehicle, crossed seven lanes of traffic, struck two more vehicles, jumped the curb on the next block, struck a tree and granite wall, and caught fire. The driver fled south through the park, where witnesses lost sight of him. The Volvo was totally consumed; the other three vehicles had major body damage. No injuries occurred, and there was only minor damage to park property. A joint investigation by rangers and Philadelphia police is underway. [Michael Dumene, Supervisory Park Ranger, INDE, 1/19]
On January 16th, Vice President Gore joined the Philadelphia Martin Luther King Association for Nonviolence at a park ceremony to kick-off an international bell ringing in commemoration of Dr. King. The ceremony was held in the Liberty Bell Pavilion and included a ceremonial "ringing" of the Liberty Bell. The vice president was in the park for about an hour and was greeted by approximately 200 members of the public, representatives from the media, and invited guests. Rangers worked closely with the Secret Service to provide increased security and crowd control. [PAO, INDE, 1/17]
On January 23rd, rangers arrested L.W., a local homeless person, for theft of government property. L.W. had removed three brass grates, each weighing in excess of 150 pounds, from the base of the fountain located on the south end of the Judge Lewis quadrangle and loaded them into a shopping cart. Bike patrol ranger Jim Stephens, assisted by ranger Aaron Minor, arrested wise as he was pushing the cart across 6th Street, heading for a local metal recycling establishment. L.W. plead guilty to theft of government property the next day, and was placed on probation. It was also learned that L.W. was on probation from the city of Philadelphia for myriad previous offenses. His probation officer was notified and advised of L.W.'s federal offense. The estimated value of the three brass grates was placed at $7,200. [CRO, INDE, 2/2]
On the evening of February 27th, a park visitor was held up at gunpoint by two men near the tea garden area of Second Bank of the United States. No further information is currently available. [Willie Patrick Bowman, INDE, 3/4]
A fire broke out on the second floor roof of City Tavern on the afternoon of April 3rd. The city fire department responded and had the fire under control within minutes. There was no damage to the building's interior; damage to the exterior has been estimated at about $1,100. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. [CRO, INDE, 4/4]
Late on the evening of April 11th, an unarmed ranger staying at a Motel 8 in Lumberton, North Carolina, while on his way from the park to FLETC was struck on the head with a small caliber pistol, robbed at gunpoint, and kidnapped. The assailant forced the ranger to drive him several miles in his truck, at which point he got out of the vehicle and fled on foot. A total of $150 in cash was stolen; an NPS badge may also have been taken. The ranger apparently sustained no serious injuries. [CRO, INDE, 4/13]
The park was the site of the tenth annual AfricAmerican Festival last weekend. The event began with a parade of about 3,500 people past Independence Hall, and included live entertainment, food and the sale of Afrocentric items. Attendance for both days has been estimated at 12,000 people. No major law enforcement or EMS incidents occurred. [Ann Marie DiSerafino, INDE, 5/10]
Visitation to the park was high over the Fourth of July weekend; about 9,000 people a day visited the Liberty Bell pavilion, and about 3,800 per day visited Independence Hall. On July 3rd, a rally was held outside the Liberty Bell pavilion in support of an African-American journalist sentenced to death for a first degree murder. The rally lasted about ten hours; maximum attendance was about 300 people. July 4th began with presentation of the Liberty Medal and associated $100,000 prize to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Mrs. Sadako Ogata, at a ceremony in Independence Hall which was attended by about 2,000 people. In the afternoon, about 2,000 visitors attended an event which included a fife and drum concert and the "ringing" of the Liberty Bell by two young descendants of William Ellery, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. There were no major law enforcement or first aid emergencies during the four-day weekend. [PAO, INDE]
From 8 p.m. on August 9th until about 4 a.m. the next morning, about 3,000 Jerry Garcia fans filled the block surrounding the Liberty Bell for a candlelight vigil. The peaceful vigil began outside a stadium across town, but moved to the park on the suggestion of a rock station located across the street from the Liberty Bell. People gathered there, lit candles and sang songs. The event went smoothly, although alcohol was present in abundance. There were no altercations and compliance to verbal warnings was given ungrudgingly. The participants picked up the majority of their trash, filling the area's trash cans to overflowing. No arrests or confrontations occurred. (Michael Dumene, Shift Supervisor, INDE)
On Saturday, August 12th, a demonstration was held in the Judge Lewis Quadrangle in opposition to the death penalty and in support of a demand for a new trial for Mumia Abu-Jamal. Jamal was convicted of killing a Philadelphia police officer in 1981. There were about 3,500 demonstrators. Security was provided by rangers and Philadelphia police officers. The incident started and ended within the approved time limits; there were no incidents. [Calvin T. Farmer, Ops Chief, IMT, INDE]
At 1 a.m. on August 19th, a couple standing at a bus stop in the park was accosted by three males who forcibly removed the man's wallet after punching him and knocking him to the ground. An on-duty city police officer saw them flee the area into the park and gave chase, broadcasting the situation over the radio. The information was picked up by park dispatch and relayed to rangers. Ranger George Krafft found two of the suspects hiding in the bushes and was able to flush them out without incident; the Philadelphia officer caught the third person. The victims were able to positively identify all three and the stolen wallet. [Michael Dumene, Shift Supervisor, INDE]
On September 7th, the park received information indicating that the Kensington Joint Action Committee, a homeless advocacy group, was planning on relocating their protects to the park. Two hours later, a group of from 20 to 30 people, mostly homeless women and children, set up camp between the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, claiming a First Amendment right to do so. Rangers worked with the regional solicitor's office, several assistant U.S. attorneys and the group's attorney to bring the occupation to a peaceful resolution. Media interest was very high. On September 8th, with a rope barricade in place to control the media, rangers issued a citation to the group's leader. The group had agreed in writing to leave the park and not return; they therefore left and relocated elsewhere within the city. [CRO, INDE]
At 5 a.m. on January 26th, park staff discovered that Carpenters Hall, a park inholding where the first meeting of the Continental Congress was held, had been burglarized. Although a complete assessment of the building's inventory was still underway at the time of the report, it appeared that nothing of significant value was taken. The burglary is under investigation. [CRO, INDE]
On the evening of January 26th, an interpretive ranger was waiting to cross the street in front of Independence Hall when a vehicle turned the corner at a high rate of speed, narrowly missing two elderly women who were crossing the street. As it passed the ranger, the passenger in the car leaned out of the window and struck her on her left hip with a long metal object. The employee, who was not in uniform at the time, was not seriously injured. The investigation is continuing. [CRO, INDE]
The park received a report of a fire at City Tavern around 5:30 p.m. on May 2nd. Rangers found a small blaze on the roof of the main building. The city fire department responded and suppressed the fire. During this incident, a report was received of an armed robbery at a hotel adjacent to the visitor center. The suspect was reported to be fleeing through the City Tavern area. After clearing from this assist call, a report was received of a stabbing victim at the tavern, but this proved unfounded. As they cleared from this incident, rangers received a report of windows being broken in Christ Church, and found that a person had been locked inside after closing and was attempting to get someone's attention. The cause of the fire is under investigation. [CRO, INDE]
On Wednesday, June 19th, the Olympic torch began its journey from Philadelphia in front of Independence Hall. Despite rain and a 5 a.m. starting time, between 200 and 300 people gathered to see the torch off. There were no incidents. [Ann Marie DiSerafino, INDE]
On July 4th, the city of Philadelphia held its annual ceremony at Independence Hall and presented the Liberty Medal and its $100,000 prize to former Israeli prime minister Shimon Peres. King Hussein of Jordan was the co-recipient, but was unable to attend. About 5,000 people attended the ceremony, which was televised live. The Sons of the Revolution conducted an afternoon ceremony which included a 45-minute band concert, speeches and the "ringing" of the Liberty Bell. Many permits were issued for First Amendment activities, including two rallies, and another ten for the distribution of printed materials. The unseasonably cool weather limited heat-related first aid calls. There were no law enforcement problems. [Lee Dickinson, Special Events Coordinator, INDE]
Old City Hall, where the Supreme Court met from 1791 to 1799, was reopened in a ceremony in the park on November 5th. The mayor of the city and members of the House of Representatives attended. Old City Hall was closed for 15 months as part of a $17.1 million utilities improvement program. The project will eventually result in the upgrading of the utility systems of the five historic buildings located on Independence Square. [Phil Sheridan, INDE]
Mechanical engineer Anthony Digneo died of heart failure at the age of 48 on Tuesday, February 11th. Tony had worked in the park for the past two years, and was responsible for coordinating information on the park's utilities improvement project among park, regional and Denver Service Center personnel. He worked for the Philadelphia Naval Base for 28 years before joining the Service. A funeral mass will be held on Saturday at 10 a.m. at St. Peter Celestine Catholic Church, 402 Kings Highway, Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Letters of condolence may be sent to Mrs. Santina Digneo. Donations may be made to the American Heart Association, 600 White Horse Pike, Audubon, NJ, 08106. [INDE, 2/13]
Independence Hall and the four other historic buildings in the same block were closed to the public on April 9th due to slightly elevated levels of airborne asbestos. The source of the contamination is unclear, but is probably associated with a three year project to upgrade the utilities in the historic buildings. The buildings closed have basements that are interconnected. While two historic buildings - Old City Hall and the east wing of Independence Hall - have since reopened following further testing, Independence Hall will remain closed for at least a week while the building is cleaned. Congress Hall and the west wing of Independence Hall were already closed due to the renovation project. The President's Summit on America's Future, which is to be held in the park later this month, will not be affected, since all events are to occur outdoors. [PAO, INDE, 4/10]
Independence Hall was the site of both the opening and closing ceremonies for the Presidents' Summit On America's Future, an event in which 4,500 invited delegates attended working sessions discussing volunteer solutions for America's youth. Among those attending were more than 30 state governors, delegates from the 150 largest cities in the United States, delegates from each of the 50 states, members of Congress, cabinet secretaries, and concerned citizens. The two hour opening ceremony on Monday, April 28th, was attended by President and Mrs. Clinton, Vice President and Mrs. Gore, former President and Mrs. Bush, former President Ford and Mrs. Reagan, with President Carter speaking via satellite from Georgia. Speakers at the closing ceremony on April 29th included Mrs. Clinton, former President Bush and retired general Colin Powell. Oprah Winfrey served as master of ceremonies for Monday's event. The summit organizers credentialed almost 2,200 media representatives. Independence NHP law enforcement rangers were aided by 28 rangers and law enforcement professionals from 16 other parks and two system support offices. The entire event, including set-up, has taken 11 days, with tear down still continuing. The event also attracted considerable attention from groups wishing to demonstrate and distribute literature. Seven permits were issued for First Amendment activities, including a 3,500 person rally by the National People's Congress and a gathering by a religious group from Providence, Rhode Island, that brought along a 30-foot-high statue. [PAO, INDE, 5/1]
While waiting at the site entrance on Dock Street at 6:30 a.m. on the morning of October 17th, two subcontractors employed by the park to work on its chilled water plant project were assaulted by three men. Neither was injured, but their vehicles were extensively damaged by baseball bats and iron pipes. The subcontractors were unable to provide good descriptions of their assailants, and no witnesses have been identified. The contractors said that they hadn't received any threats recently and that they didn't know anyone who'd want to harm them. The project has received local attention, however, due to the contractor's use of non-union employees and subcontractors. The incident is still under investigation. [Calvin Farmer, Shift Supervisor, INDE, 10/20]
President Jiang Zemin of the People's Republic of China visited the park on Thursday, October 30th, and toured the assembly room and court room in Independence Hall. The visit attracted extensive coverage by local, national and international news media. There were two permitted demonstrations with several hundred demonstrators. Independence law enforcement rangers worked with city police, Secret Service agents and State Department officials on security arrangements for the visit. [Phil Sheridan, INDE, 11/3]
An armed robbery occurred in the multi-level parking garage located within the park around 3 a.m. on January 10th. The park owns this garage, but it is managed by the Philadelphia Parking Authority under a 30-year lease. According to garage employees, two men confronted them with guns. One of them struck one of the employees in the face with his gun. They then forced the employees onto the office floor, demanded money and keys to the safe, stole an undetermined amount of money from the safe, and fled from the area. The employee who was struck did not require medical attention. Park criminal investigator Levi Rivers and city detectives are conducting a joint investigation. [Willie Bowman, ACR, INDE, 1/13]
Secretary Babbitt joined local dignitaries at the park for a memorial ceremony for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on January 19th. Secretary Babbitt gently tapped the Liberty Bell twelve times as the kickoff for a nationwide bell ringing tribute. Babbitt was also the featured speaker at the King Day luncheon following the ceremony, billed by the organizers as the largest event of its kind in the nation. [Phil Sheridan, INDE, 1/20]
The park celebrated the 50th anniversary of its authorization as a park with a ceremony in Independence Square on June 28th. Congressman Robert Borski, mayor Edward Rendell, and regional director Marie Rust were among the speakers. The special guest was Hardie Scott, who introduced the park's authorizing legislation when he was in Congress in late 1947. The ceremony included the opening of a new exhibit in the west wing of Independence Hall which focuses on the transformation of the park from a heavily developed urban area and on plans for future reconstruction of Independence Mall. The day concluded with a concert. All events received extensive coverage by local media. [Phil Sheridan, INDE, 7/1]
Although many of the reports that appear today occurred over the Fourth of July weekend, the following were specifically related to the holiday: o Independence NHP (PA) - The park hosted several special events associated with Independence Day. Surgeon general David Satcher headed a ceremony commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Public Health Service, which was established in Philadelphia, on July 3rd. On the morning of the 4th, the 10th annual Liberty Medal ceremony was held in front of Independence Hall. Former senator George Mitchell received the medal for his efforts to bring peace to Northern Ireland. The event attracted extensive media coverage, including CNN and the Today Show. The "Let Freedom Ring" ceremony, in which descendants of the signers of the Declaration of Independence gently tap the Liberty Bell 13 times, cuing the ringing of bells nationwide, was held in the early afternoon. A permitted First Amendment protest was held shortly thereafter in which about 250 demonstrators voiced their support for Mumia Abu Jamal, convicted 17 years ago for slaying a Philadelphia police officer. Although the number of demonstrators exceeded the expected number on the permit, coordination between rangers and Philadelphia police helped assure that the event occurred without incident and without impacts on park interpretive programs. Notes on other significant Fourth of July activities would be appreciated. [Henry Berberich, RLES, NCRO, 7/6; Scott Pfeninger, CR, STLI, 7/6; Mike Pflaum, CR, MORU, 7/6; Phil Sheridan, PIO, INDE, 7/7; Michael Shaver, SAHI, 7/4]
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]
Tipper Gore, wife of the vice president, gently tapped the Liberty Bell at noon on Monday, January 19th, as part of the national bell-ringing ceremony commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The event received extensive coverage by news media and was simulcast to the annual King Day luncheon in Philadelphia. Also attending the ceremony was the music group Boyz II Men, whose members were later honored at the luncheon. A group that is protesting the on-going impeachment proceedings exercised its First Amendment rights in a designated area. Rangers cooperated with Secret Service agents and other law enforcement agencies. There were no incidents. [Phil Sheridan, PAO, INDE, 1/19]
City Tavern, a reproduction of an 18th century tavern, was damaged by fire on the afternoon of February 11th. The driver of a passing car dropped a cigarette, which started a fire in the interior of his vehicle. He immediately pulled over in front of the tavern to call for help. The fire rapidly engulfed his vehicle, then spread to a fabric awning over the sidewalk in front of the tavern, then to the roof of the building. Rangers cleared and secured the building while city firefighters extinguished the blaze. Damage estimates are being prepared. [Andrew Artz, Acting Shift Supervisor, INDE, 2/12]
Two more parks have reported Fourth of July events or incidents: o Independence NHP (PA) - Several special events and protests occurred during the Independence Day weekend. On July 2nd, about 50 members of the Kensington Welfare Rights Association set up furniture, including a sofa, end tables and lamps, on the lawn in front of Independence Hall. When directed to move to a designated First Amendment area, they refused. Seven were arrested. On July 3rd, several hundred supporters of Mumia Abu Jamal, convicted of killing a police officer in 1981, gathered at the park with an approved permit. During the event, dozens of demonstrators tried to take control of the Liberty Bell Pavilion, with several demonstrators inside and many more blocking access and chaining doors to the building. Rangers arrested 95 demonstrators with the assistance of the U.S. Marshal Service and the Philadelphia Police Department, whose officers provided transport. One minor injury to a ranger was reported. Representatives from the U.S. Attorney's Office were on hand to advise on civil and criminal issues arising from the protest. The Liberty Bell Pavilion was reopened to visitors after three hours. On July 4th, the city of Philadelphia presented the eleventh annual Liberty Medal to President Kim Dae Jung of South Korea in a ceremony in front of Independence Hall. Rangers cooperated with the Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies to ensure protection for the participants and audience. Two groups, including the Mumia supporters, engaged in protests, but no arrests were made. In the afternoon, the annual "Let Freedom Ring" event was held, in which children who are descendants of signers of the Declaration of Independence symbolically "tap" the Liberty Bell as a signal for bells across the nation to ring in celebration of Independence Day. There were several minor EMS incidents during the day due to extremely hot weather, with the heat index in excess of 100 degrees. [Phil Sheridan, PAO, INDE, 7/8; Lawrence Carr, WHIS, 7/6]
A strong-arm robbery occurred in the park just past midnight on September 29th. Rangers found that the victim had received blunt trauma from a pipe to the back of his head. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was treated and released. Other people at the bus stop where the incident occurred were able to scare away the assailant and provide a description. Rangers saw someone matching the description stuffing methamphetamines under a watchbox near Carpenter's Hall and arrested him. He still had the pipe in his possession. He is facing multiple charges. [CRO, INDE, 9/29]
On the evening of September 29th, rangers arrested a man for being under the influence. He was uncooperative and combative prior to and during handcuffing. After the arrest, he claimed to be HIV positive and began spitting at the rangers, who then employed pepper spray to control him. His medical condition was later confirmed, as was his extensive criminal history, including deviant sexual behavior with a child. The rangers were able to safely decontaminate themselves. The man was also held on a warrant and is facing multiple charges. [CRO, INDE, 10/1]
Rangers came upon a couple who claimed to have been robbed at gun point in Independence Square on the evening of September 30th. The rangers located the two juvenile suspects two blocks away. During the arrests, one of them attempted to pull a weapon from behind his back, but it became entangled in his shirt. The weapon turned out to be a replica Colt .45 air pistol. The money and credit cards stolen from the couple were recovered. Since juveniles were involved, the assistant U.S. attorney has asked the city of Philadelphia to prosecute. [CRO, INDE, 10/1]
Park dispatch received a phone call just before 1 a.m. on March 7th from a concession employee at City Tavern who reported a fire on the roof above the building's second floor. While waiting for Philadelphia fire department units to arrive, rangers assisted two concession employees in their attempts to extinguish the fire from a third floor window, using a fire extinguisher and buckets of water. Firefighters extinguished the blaze. This is the third fire in as many months at City Tavern. The investigation continues. [G. Tinkham, Acting LES, INDE, 3/7]
Last August, the House of Grace Catholic Workers staged a protest outside the Liberty Bell Pavilion, demanding an end to sanctions against Iraq. Five female protestors refused to leave after the permit expired and entered an area that is off-limits to demonstrators. This resulted in four citation for failure to obey a lawful order and one arrest. The final court hearing was held on March 17th. Three of the five paid their fines; the remaining pair refused to do so and were sentenced to seven days imprisonment and a year's probation. They were also ordered to pay $500 fines and serve 250 hours of community service at a homeless shelter. [G. Tinkham, Acting LES, INDE, 3/20]
A bank within a block of the park was robbed shortly after noon on April 5th. A man matching the suspect's description was spotted on park land about an hour later. Supervisory park ranger Jim Stephens and acting law enforcement specialist Gregg Tinkham contacted and arrested R.K. without incident. During the search incident to the arrest, they found $2,240 in cash in R.K.'s pocket. He was turned over to the FBI and they have assumed investigative jurisdiction. [James P. Stephens, SPR, INDE, 4/11]
On July 3, 1999, 95 supporters of Mumia Abu Jumal were arrested at the Liberty Bell Pavilion for acts of civil disobedience. The court cases came to a successful conclusion recently after over nine months of effort by park staff and the U.S. Attorney's Office. Eighty-one of the demonstrators pled guilty and paid $250 fines; seven went to trial, were found guilty, and were fined $275 each and placed on probation with travel restrictions for a year; bench warrants are out for the remainder for failing to appear in court. [Gregg Tinkham, Acting LES, INDE, 5/24]
On Friday, June 6th, Texas governor George W. Bush appeared at Carpenters' Hall, site of the First Continental Congress, to make a policy speech to a small audience and news media. Governor Tom Ridge (PA) joined Bush. Although located within the park, Carpenters' Hall is still owned and operated by the Carpenters Company of Philadelphia, which built it 226 years ago. Law enforcement rangers worked with the Secret Service to ensure site security. No incidents were reported. [Phil Sheridan, PAO, INDE, 6/12]
On June 15th, the park held a ceremony marking the opening of "Great Essentials," a major new exhibit in the west wing of Independence Hall featuring the Philip Syng inkstand, believed to have been used for the ceremonial signing of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and the park's copies of the those two documents and the Articles of Confederation. The exhibit was funded by a grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts, much of which funded state of the art protective cases for the inkstand and documents and development of explanatory panels. [Phil Sheridan, PIO, INDE, 6/19]
President Clinton visited the park on Friday, June 30th, to sign the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act. After the signing the bill in the traditional manner during a webcast from the west wing of Independence Hall, the President electronically "signed" the bill before an audience in historic Congress Hall to demonstrate the new electronic signature technology that Americans will be able to use to sign legally binding contracts on-line. [Phil Sheridan, PAO, INDE, 7/3]
On Independence Day, the park hosted the annual Liberty Medal ceremony. This year, the medal was presented to Francis Crick and James Watson, the researchers who described the molecular structure of DNA in 1953. At 2 p.m. that afternoon, seven children descended from signers of the Declaration of Independence gently tapped the Liberty Bell 13 times, starting the nationwide sounding of bells. Several groups exercised their First Amendment rights in the park, but no incidents were reported. [Phil Sheridan, PAO, INDE, 7/6]
The Republican National Convention concluded in Philadelphia on August 3rd. The convention brought over 2,000 delegates, 15,000 news media and numerous dignitaries to the city for the seven days from July 29th to August 4th. A total of 275 NPS personnel were employed to protect park resources and ensure visitor safety, including SET members from Northeast and Southeast Regions, 185 Park Police officers, a 14-person medical emergency team, and park administrative and maintenance staff. The operation was run under ICS (chief ranger Hollis Provins, IC). No significant incidents occurred in the park, although officers from the Philadelphia Police Department arrested 390 demonstrators during the period, including over 250 arrests from street protests that occurred just a few blocks from the park on the evening of August 1st. Numerous groups exercised their First Amendment rights in the park, but no problems occurred. During the convention, the park was visited by many officials, including state governors and members of Congress and a group of over 100 ambassadors who were attending the convention. The incident planning team worked with an array of federal, state and city enforcement agencies to share information and coordinate protection services over the course of the week. (Phil Sheridan, PAO, INDE, 8/8)
President Bill Clinton joined other elected officials, VIP's and 1,500 invited guests for the groundbreaking ceremony for the park's National Constitution Center on Constitution Day, September 17th. The $105 million center will be built on Independence Mall, along with the new Liberty Bell Complex, Gateway Visitor Center, and Independence Park Institute. Park law enforcement rangers cooperated with the Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies. There were no reported incidents. [Phil Sheridan, INDE, 9/18]
Five visitors were robbed at gunpoint while listening to a recorded interpretive program at the Liberty Bell Pavilion just after 8 p.m. on November 7th. There were five robbers, one of whom brandished a handgun. The visitors were told to give up their wallets and cash and to walk in the direction of Independence Hall across the street and not look back. The robbers then fled on foot. A search of the area was conducted by rangers and Philadelphia police officers but no sign of them was found. The items stolen included about $500 in cash, credit cards and other items. Rangers and city police are investigating. [CRO, INDE, 11/13]
A three-year-old, high-power transformer ignited in the basement of the east wing of the Independence Hall complex on the evening of January 8th. The building's fire suppression system extinguished the flames. One law enforcement ranger was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. Damage was confined by the electrical vault to the transformer and wiring. Visitor services were somewhat restricted while a temporary transformer was installed. The power outage affected the entire complex and lasted about 15 hours. Media interest was very high. [CRO, INDE, 1/10]
On Monday, January 15th, the annual ceremony honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was held in the Liberty Bell Pavilion. Special guest Martin Luther King, III symbolically "tapped" the Liberty Bell at noon in honor of the slain civil rights leader. Several other dignitaries attended. The event received extensive local media coverage. No incidents were reported. [Phil Sheridan, PAO, INDE, 1/17]
On January 5th, rangers and members of the Philadelphia support office law enforcement group began surveillance on one of the Eastern National stores in the park. A man identified as E.R. had been seen removing a total of $182 in merchandise without paying on two occasions. E.R. also had an outstanding federal arrest warrant from 1999 against him for misappropriation of merchandise from the Eastern National store in the park's visitor center. E.R. was seen again in the park on January 19th and was arrested. Two hypodermic needles and five sealed health and vitamin bottles believed to have been recently stolen were found on his person during the search incident to his arrest. A clerk working at a nearby General Nutrition Center store said that E.R. had been in the store, that he hadn't purchased anything, and that the bottles were from the store. E.R. has eleven documented retail thefts in his criminal history, and was recently released from prison after serving a six-month sentence. Two prior convictions for retail theft automatically made this a felony within the city of Philadelphia. E.R. was transferred to city police for prosecution. [Michael Williams, LES, INDE, 1/25]
Rangers were alerted to a fire on the roof of the concessioner-operated City Tavern at 10:45 p.m. on the evening of March 27th. The city fire department responded and extinguished the fire, which had burned a five-by-ten-foot area of shingles on one of the building's outcrops. Since the building is a reconstruction and was built to current fire codes in 1976, it has a cement ceiling under the shingles. There was accordingly no structural damage to the building. Preliminary investigation into the cause of the fire by the NPS and fire department has been inconclusive, but it appears that it may have been started by smoking material discarded from an upper window by concession employees. [Hollis Provins, CR, INDE, 3/30]
At the conclusion of a talk given by interpretive rangers in the Liberty Bell pavilion on the morning of April 6th, a man pulled out a concealed, four-pound sledgehammer and struck the bell four or five times. The man, identified as 27-year-old M.G., was subdued and taken into custody by rangers. He was brought before the federal magistrate on two felony charges that afternoon. M.G. evidently acted alone and had no agenda or cause. He is being held pending a psychiatric evaluation. The bell received only minor damage, with four strike marks visible on its surface. A conservator from the Philadelphia Museum of Art made temporary repairs to the bell, pending further studies of the damage and more permanent repairs. The pavilion was closed to visitors for about three hours. The event attracted - and continues to draw - intense media interest at both the local and national levels. [Phil Sheridan, PAO, INDE, 4/10]
Secretary Gale Norton visited the park on April 19th to tour the area and promote the administration's FY 2002 budget request to deal with the NPS maintenance backlog. Secretary Norton visited the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and the portrait gallery in the Second Bank of the United States, and held a press conference in Independence Square. [Phil Sheridan, PAO, INDE, 4/19]
During the early morning hours of May 6th, bar patrons celebrating Cinco de Mayo spilled over into the Welcome Park area of Independence NHP. A ranger contacted a man who was standing in the middle of the street yelling obscenities at a passing car. At the same time, the manager of a parking garage located on park property contacted the ranger, pointing to a vehicle that just left the garage without paying exit fees. The ranger attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver ignored his request and accelerated. The ranger was struck in the right hand by the vehicle while trying to get out of its way. When he then returned to the man still in the street, the man grabbed and tore his shirt. Rangers arrested the man, who was identified as one of the passengers from the fleeing vehicle. The ranger suffered bone contusions to the right hand as a result of being struck by the vehicle. Philadelphia PD, in conjunction with the National Park Service, is seeking charges against both the vehicle driver and passenger for aggravated assault against a police officer. [Mike Williams, LES, INDE, 5/9]
Two park visitors were walking on Harmony Street behind park headquarters around 9 p.m. on May 27th when they were held up at gunpoint by three men. The robbers then fled from the area. The victims, who were not hurt, contacted a Federal Protective Service patrol unit that was traveling through the area and reported the incident. FPS was able to transmit a BOLO ("be on the lookout" message) in time to facilitate Philadelphia Police Department's capture of one of the suspects, a juvenile. The robbers stole $37. The incident is still under investigation. (Calvin Farmer, SPR, INDE, 6/1)
After bar closing hours on Saturday, June 23rd, two women were stabbed during an argument that followed a traffic dispute. An unidentified man standing in the traffic lanes of Walnut Street near its intersection with Third Street (adjacent to park property) spat on the female driver of a van as it passed him on the street. The van stopped and the three female occupants confronted the man. Friends of the spitter joined the argument. The dispute moved onto park property, where two of the three women from the van were knocked to the ground and attacked. One of the women received puncture wounds to her back and the other received puncture wounds to her chest and a laceration to her arm. The victims were admitted to a local hospital, where they underwent surgery for their wounds, the most severe of which was a pneumothorax. The assailant has not been identified, and the investigation continues. [Hollis Provins, CRO, INDE, 6/25]
The Fourth of July was a very busy day at Independence. ABC's "Good Morning America" show was broadcast live from the park from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and featured on-camera appearances by interpretive rangers discussing the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. At 10 a.m., UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan received the Liberty Medal at the annual ceremony sponsored by the city of Philadelphia on a stage in front of Independence Hall. At 2 p.m., children descended from signers of the Declaration of Independence symbolically "tapped" the Liberty Bell to initiate the nationwide ringing of bells as part of the "Let Freedom Ring" celebration. At 4 p.m., President George W. Bush arrived at the park to make an Independence Day address to a live audience and national media. Several groups exercised their First Amendment rights during the events under permits issued by the park. From 8 p.m. on July 4th until 4 a.m. on July 5th, movie stars under the direction of producer Norman Lear filmed a reading of the Declaration of Independence inside Independence Hall. The actors included Mel Gibson, Morgan Freeman, Whoopi Goldberg, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Kathy Bates, Benicio Del Toro, Graham Greene, Ming-Na, Edward Norton, Winona Ryder and Kevin Spacey. The film will become part of a documentary that will travel around the nation along with Lear's copy of the Dunlap broadside, one of 25 known copies of the first printing of the Declaration of Independence. Independence and Valley Forge LE rangers worked in cooperation with the Secret Service, State Department security and local law enforcement authorities during the events. (Phil Sheridan, PAO, INDE, 7/5)
National Park Service personnel systemwide are responding in many ways to the terrorist attacks yesterday on Washington and New York. Here's a summary, as of 11 a.m. today: o Northeast Region - All parks in Northeast Region closed yesterday due to terrorist activity. Parks evacuated their visitors, implemented their continuity of operations plans, stepped-up their security - particularly at the Statue of Liberty, Federal Hall, Boston National Historical Park and Independence - and began sharing resources as needed. Protection rangers from some parks traveled to others that don't have protection staffs; two boats from Fire Island with a boat captain and protection rangers on each assisted the Park Police and helped move people and employees via New York harbor. Two protection rangers were dispatched to Sandy Hook to help with crowds that began to form along the shoreline to view the altered New York City skyline. Two other rangers went to Boston NHP to assist with security there. Rangers and Park Police officers are working 12-hour shifts in the New York City area. Miller Field in Gateway is being used as a staging area to access Staten Island. Ellis Island has been serving as a triage station. United Flight 93, which crashed in southwestern Pennsylvania, came down between two parks. The southwest Pennsylvania group superintendent reported that she felt the ground shake when the plane impacted over ten miles away. Federal Hall in NYC was used as a refuge by approximately 150 people escaping the collapse of the World Trade Towers. Park Police officers and a doctor helped them, and the park was closed after being evacuated. The regional all-risk Type 2 team (Brown) has been activated and will assist the parks, make contingency plans, and provide public information support. The team has set up shop at the regional office in Philadelphia. Regional SET teams continue to be on alert. All parks will be working to open up today except for the Statue of Liberty, Federal Hall, Manhattan sites, and Gateway sites, including Sandy Hook. Boston NHP will also remain closed. New York parks are assessing their employees' situations, as there will inevitably be connections with some of the many people who lost their lives. Parks will make CISD and EAP services available as needed. Independence will open the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall today, but will limit numbers of visitors and access to other areas of the park. [Bob Martin, RCR, NER, 9/12; Einar Olsen, RCR, NCR, 9/12; Sgt. R. MacLean, USPP, NCR, 9/12; Dennis McGinnis, Type 1 team, SHEN, 9/12; Dennis Burnett, RAD/WASO, 9/12]
Additional reports have been received regarding the National Park Service response to Tuesday's terrorist attacks. Those reports appear below. Secretary Norton yesterday issued this press release regarding the reopening of National Park Service areas in Washington and elsewhere in the United States: "Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton today announced that the monuments and memorials in Washington, D.C., have been reopened to the public. "'We are all saddened and horrified by the magnitude of the tragedy our nation has experienced. Our focus remains on the safety of our visitors and our employees. We must remain vigilant as we provide the American people access to our nation's monuments, memorials and parks for the solace and inspiration they provide,' Secretary Norton said. 'The Washington, D.C., National Park sites are a special inspiration to the freedoms all Americans hold so precious.' "The Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial, and the Korean War Veterans Memorial and Vietnam Veterans Memorials reopened to the public at approximately 11:30 a.m. The sites had been closed yesterday after the tragedy at the Pentagon to ensure the safety of the American public, park staff, and the monuments and memorials. The Washington Monument, which has been closed for several months due to ongoing restoration work, remains closed. "National Park sites throughout the nation reopened today and have resumed normal business activities. Secretary Norton and National Park Service Director Fran Mainella have asked superintendents at each of the 384 sites to use their discretion in determining whether to limit or augment personnel and operations in sites where such measures are deemed appropriate. "At National Park sites in Manhattan and the New York City area, operations are more limited, and most of the sites in Manhattan are closed today. At Federal Hall on Wall Street, a water tower on the roof collapsed last evening. Gateway National Recreation Area is open except for areas where the New York Police Department is staging operations. "Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, two of the nation's greatest symbols of freedom, have reopened today as well. "'We encourage everyone to draw inspiration from our greatest national treasures, and let them serve as reminders that this nation will endure and prosper,' Secretary Norton concluded. Please also see Secretary Norton's memorandum to all employees under "Memoranda" below. Other reports from around the agency follow: o Washington Office (DC) - The National Park Service's national all-risk Type 1 team will begin operations in Washington sometime this morning. The director is about to sign a delegation of authority to the team; the text of that delegation will appear in this afternoon's edition or tomorrow. o USPP/New York Field Office (NY) - All available personnel were called in for duty following the crash of the two planes into the World Trade Center. Four USPP vessels were sent to secure the waters around the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and to assist in medevacs of injured people from the area. Officers were sent to Federal Hall to assist with the securing and protection of that building; others were assigned to Ellis Island to assist with the set-up of a triage center. About 275 people were treated there; of these, about 60 were transported and admitted to local hospitals. The Statue of Liberty was evacuated. Officers were also assigned to the gates of Floyd Bennett Field, Fort Tilden, and Fort Wadsworth and to close those areas to the public. Rangers from Fire Island NS assisted USPP with two vessels and personnel. [Lt. John Lauro, USPP, NYFO, 9/12; Gregory Smith, CR, MORR, 9/12; Norah Martinez, CR, CANA, 9/12; MORU, 9/12; Dennis Burnett, RAD/WASO, 9/13; Betty Knight, ARO, 9/12]
The national NPS Type 1 team (Skip Brooks, IC) is currently organizing in WASO and should be fully operational by tomorrow afternoon. Their delegation of authority and goals will appear in the Morning Report tomorrow. The NER Type 2 team (Rick Brown, IC) is operating in Philadelphia, and has prepared a summary of the status of the region's parks as of late this morning (below). All employees in the New York area have been accounted for and are okay. A CISD team is en route to the Statue of Liberty to provide support for NPS employees throughout the New York metropolitan area. o Independence NHP (PA) - Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell have reopened. All other visitor areas remain closed. [Rick Brown, IC, Type 2 Team, NER, 9/13]
Further updates have been received on the status of NPS areas and/or staff responses to Tuesday's terrorist attacks: o Independence NHP (PA) - The park has received two bomb threats over the past three days. Last night, a vehicle jumped a curb and headed toward the Liberty Bell, but the cause proved to be a simple motor vehicle accident. Other closures and operations are essentially as noted yesterday. [Russ Wilson, GATE/SHU, 9/12; Clayton Jordan, IC, Type 3 IMT, SHEN, 9/13; Karl Merchant, Plans, Type 2 IMT, NERO, 9/13]
Today's update on the NPS response to the terrorist attacks follows. The only sites listed are those where there are new developments to report. The status of other parks remains as previously reported: o Independence NHP (PA) - The park has resumed normal operations with a few exceptions: Chestnut Street has been closed to vehicle traffic, and the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall are now escorted tours only. Attached are two digital photos provided by Lt. John Marigliano from the Park Police's New York contingent. [Debee Schwarz, Type 1 IMT, WASO, 9/16; Paul Pfeninger, Type 2 IMT, NERO, 9/16]
o Independence NHP (PA) - The park is open, including Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Special activities scheduled for today will proceed. The Liberty Bell and Independence Hall are now escorted tours only.
At the conclusion of an interpretive program on the morning of April 6, 2001, 27-year-old M.G. pulled out a concealed four-pound sledgehammer and repeatedly struck the Liberty Bell. He was quickly subdued and taken into custody and was held for psychiatric evaluation. The bell received only minor damage, with four strike marks visible on its surface. On Tuesday, M.G. was sentenced to nine months in jail and five years' probation and ordered to repay the $7,093 it cost to repair the bell. The self-described "wanderer" told the judge that he didn't mean to inflict any harm: "It was not my intention to damage the bell. It was strictly to ring the bell." M.G. will serve his time in Boise, Idaho, near the home of his mother, where he had been confined and electronically monitored since the incident. For more information, see the Associated Press story at http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020423/ap_on_re_us/liberty_bell_hammer_2. [AP, via Yahoo! News)
A van traveling at a high rate of speed ran through two barricade lines in front of Independence Hall at 2:15 a.m. on May 1st, causing extensive damage to two law enforcement vehicles, one of them belonging to Cape Hatteras NS. Each of the vehicles was moved 180 degrees by the impact. A ranger on detail to the park was standing in the path of the van and ordered the driver to stop, but moved to safety as the driver sped up and headed toward him. No NPS employees were injured. Before a "be on the lookout" message could be transmitted., a police officer saw the van heading down a city street, traveling on three wheels while the front passenger side wheel sprayed sparks. The driver was arrested for DUI and will be prosecuted through joint efforts by the NPS and Philadelphia PD. [Calvin Farmer, Acting LES, INDE, 5/6]
A number of significant events occurred in the parks on the Fourth of July and the days before and after: • Independence NHP (PA) - On July 3rd, a copy of the Magna Carta dating from 1297 was put on display at the park's visitor center. The document, which is on loan from the Perot Foundation and normally displayed in the National Archives, will be on display at the park through March, 2003. On that same date, a group called "Avenging Our Ancestors" held a permitted demonstration at the Liberty Bell Pavilion to demand a memorial to slavery at the site of the Liberty Bell Center, currently under construction. On the morning of July 4th, Secretary of State Colin Powell received the Liberty Medal from the city of Philadelphia before an audience of about 2,000 people. Rangers cooperated with State Department security people to secure the area; Philadelphia police also provided assistance. The heat index was over 100, and rangers responded to three cases of minor heat-related ailments. No significant incidents were reported during the ceremony. In the afternoon, a group of protestors supporting convicted cop killer Mumia Abu Jamal gathered in a city street adjacent to the park, spilling over onto park property and sidewalks. City police and rangers monitored the group until they departed without incident. Additional reports are anticipated and will appear in future editions. [Phil Sheridan, PIO, INDE, 7/5; Larry Frederick, PIO, MORU, 7/5; Ralph Moore, Superintendent, PEVI, 7/5]
Ranger Matthew Davis was notified of an unconscious woman lying on the sidewalk on Fourth Street north of Chestnut Street just before midnight on August 20th. Davis found the woman, judged to be in her 30s, lying on her back, her eyes open and fixed. There were no obvious signs of trauma or abuse. Rangers Jacquelyn Bryant, Michael Valora and Doug Murphy joined Davis and began CPR. Philadelphia FD personnel took over resuscitation attempts, but without luck. A preliminary investigation indicated that she'd been dead an hour or two, but she wasn't at that location at 11:35 p.m. when rangers had last patrolled the area. The case has been turned over to city detectives. [Ian Crane, DR, INDE]
EPA Administrator Christie Whitman participated in a news conference on Friday, September 13, at the Independence Visitor Center to announce that the new Liberty Bell Center, currently under construction, will use 100 percent renewable energy for power. A number of VIP's attended. During the ceremony, one of the wind turbines located in western Pennsylvania was symbolically dedicated as the "Liberty Bell" turbine. The park currently draws over 10 percent of its power for park facilities from renewable energy sources. [Submitted by Phil Sheridan, Public Affairs Officer, Independence NHP]
On Sunday, September 22, Prince Andrew of Great Britain visited the park for a ceremony welcoming him to Philadelphia. After visiting Independence Hall, Prince Andrew received a "Liberty Bowl" from Philadelphia Mayor John Street, inspected members of the First City Troop of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, and addressed a crowd of several hundred visitors. Andrew is the first member of the British royal family to visit the park since the visit of his parents, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, for the bicentennial of the Declaration of Independence in 1976. Park law enforcement rangers cooperated with the Philadelphia Police Department's Dignitary Protection Unit. No incidents were reported. [Submitted by Phil Sheridan, PIO, INDE]
Thirty to forty demonstrators gathered outside of the National Constitution Center construction area at 7:30 a.m. on the morning of November 4 to protest alleged minority hiring improprieties. The demonstrators blocked traffic heading south on Sixth Street, thereby delaying thousands of commuters heading toward work. The demonstration lasted until 2 p.m., at which point traffic again began to flow. Philadelphia police rerouted traffic to other areas. No arrests were made, no injuries were reported, and there was no damage to park property [Submitted by Ian Crane, District Ranger]
On Saturday, November 23, a group of 800 demonstrators protesting the possibility of war with Iraq marched from city hall to the 500 block of Market Street in front of the Liberty Bell, where they remained for a brief rally before marching back to city hall. Rangers coordinated their response with Philadelphia police. There were no incidents or arrests. [Submitted by Phil Sheridan, PIO]
A small group of protestors gathered in the 600 block of Market Street just north of the new Liberty Bell Center around 7:30 a.m. on November 25. They gathered to protest what they perceived as discriminatory hiring practices regarding minority workers and minority-owned subcontractors. The group blocked traffic on Market Street in all directions between Fifth and Seventh Streets from 8 a.m. until noon. This same group has stopped traffic during the morning rush hour commute in at least three other areas of the city, and has also been actively demonstrating around the construction site for the National Constitution Center. Prior to the protest, several members of this group attempted to shut down the work site by entering the construction area. They were immediately removed by rangers. City police and rangers were on-scene during the entire demonstration. No incidents or arrests were reported. [Submitted by Ian Crane, District Ranger]
Famed actor Ossie Davis symbolically "tapped" the Liberty Bell in
honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., during the annual Martin Luther
King Day ceremony in the park on January 20. Also participating in the
event were governor-elect Ed Rendell, senators Arlen Specter and Rick
Santorum, California congresswoman Diane Watson (chair of the National
Council of Black Women's educational committee), and mayor John Street.
Park protection rangers coordinated security with local and state
police. No incidents were reported.
When a ranger approached a man for public urination on park
headquarters around 2:40 a.m. on January 17, the man hurried to a friend
waiting in a nearby BMW. While reviewing the man's ID, the ranger
noticed an open container of alcohol in the car and saw the driver
furtively place something between his seat and the door. When the ranger
opened the driver's door, a bag containing marijuana fell to the ground.
Both men then jumped out of the BMW and fled in different directions.
The ranger chased and caught the driver and took him into custody. A
search of the BMW led to the recovery of a loaded Glock .40 caliber
pistol, which was found lying between the driver's door and seat. A
second plastic bag of marijuana matching the first was found on the
street near the car. The driver had an extensive criminal history in
Delaware, including numerous firearm, drug and associated violations. A
third bag, matching the first two, was found the next morning in a
window well of the First Bank of the United States near the point where
the driver was taken into custody. Since the subsequent violations
occurred off park property, the case was turned over to Philadelphia PD.
The city of Philadelphia was the site of one of the many anti-war
demonstrations that took place around the world on Saturday, February
15. An estimated 10,000 protestors started the march near the city's art
museum. They marched around city hall and ended up in front of the
Liberty Bell. About 4,000 protestors gathered there, blocking Market
Street for approximately two hours. Philadelphia PD's civil affairs unit
and park LE rangers monitored the crowd. A small contingent of pro-war
supporters were also on hand. There were no incidents.
The panic alarm at the park's gift shop was activated on February 24
after a customer informed the store clerk that she'd just witnessed a
theft. The manager followed the suspect out of the store while
simultaneously calling rangers on her cell phone. The suspect was found
hiding in a jewelry store two blocks from the visitor center complex,
with the stolen merchandise and drug paraphernalia in his possession. He
was arrested and charged under state code with retail theft due to his
extensive criminal history, which ran to about 13 pages. He's believed
to be the same person responsible for several previous thefts from the
same shop, as he matches descriptions given in those incidents. The
investigation continues
On the afternoon of March 14th, rangers checked out a report of local
police activity at the intersection of Market and Fifth Streets. They
found SEPTA transit police on scene and learned that there was a
suspicious duffel bag on a train platform in the subway station adjacent
to the Liberty Bell block. Philadelphia PD officers closed the
intersection and a two-block area to pedestrian and vehicle access.
Rangers assisted with the closures. Access to the Liberty Bell block was
also suspended during the extended street closure. Police eventually
determined that the contents of the duffel bag were not threatening and
the area was reopened.
The National Park Service, working in concert with federal, state and local governments, has mobilized incident management and SET teams and personnel to increase security throughout the agency. Skip Brooks' national Type 1 incident management team is operating under a delegation of authority from the Directorate. Among other tasks, the delegation specifies that the team:
Meanwhile, regions and parks across the system are taking necessary measures to protect resources and assure public and staff safety. A substantial number of rangers and agents have been committed so far on tasks pertaining to these objectives:
Detailed reports on incidents occurring at two of these parks have also been submitted through the normal incident reporting system:
[Submitted by Bob Love, Plans Chief, Type 1 IMT; Brenda Ritchie, Eastern Interagency Coordination Center, Shenandoah NP; Tom Lobkowicz, Special Agent, Gatewary NRA; Katherine Kort, LES, Independence NHP]
On March 30th, approximately 50 organized groups totaling around
3,000 anti-war protestors gathered near the Delaware River and marched
through part of downtown, ending in front of the Liberty Bell and
Federal Courthouse. Many demonstrators were talking about rushing the
Liberty Bell. The Liberty Bell was closed and a contingent of NPS
protection rangers held a position between the Market Street barricade
and the Liberty Bell Pavilion. With the assistance of Philadelphia
Police Department, including bike and mounted patrol officers, the
protestors were dissipated and no incidents occurred.
On March 28th, a plainclothes ranger walking through the Tea Gardens
behind the Second Bank smelled the odor of marijuana and contacted three
juvenile males and an adult male in the immediate vicinity. The ranger
also observed fresh, wet "taggings" on the benches that they were
sitting on and nearby trash cans. A consent search of the juveniles'
backpacks revealed several markers and a black notebook covered in
graffiti which matched what was written on the benches and trash cans.
These notebooks are known by taggers as their "guestbooks," in which
members of other tagger "crews" draw their tags (signatures). The
juveniles were also inhaling nitrous oxide and had three cases of
nitrous oxide in their possession. They were taken into custody and
released to their parents. All three are residents of the adjoining
community of Haverford. They appeared in court the following week, pled
guilty, and were ordered to pay a fine and complete community service. A
detective from Haverford Township subsequently heard about the incident
and contacted the park. He told rangers that he'd been investigating the
same trio of juveniles for similar vandalism and graffiti offenses for a
number of years. He was provided with a copy of the incident report,
which proved instrumental in his obtaining a search warrant for the
residences of the adult and one of the juveniles. Rangers assisted with
the execution of the warrants. A backpack with drug paraphernalia and
more graffiti tools were found at the adult's residence; numerous
articles associated with vandalism and graffiti were found in the
juvenile's home. State charges are pending.
Interpretive rangers stationed inside the Independence Visitor Center
came upon what appeared to be an abandoned canvas bag around 11:30 a.m.
on April 25th. Attempts to locate the owner of the bag were fruitless,
so the 500 visitors and staff inside the building were evacuated. The
bag was tested with a park-owned explosive detection device with
negative results. Once screened, the bag was searched and found to
contain a substantial amount of food. The owner of the bag returned to
retrieve it from the building just after the evacuation was completed.
She said that she was afraid that her bag had caused an incident. She
was issued a violation notice and released.
On the afternoon of April 25th, a ranger near Congress Hall saw a
young man "sticker bomb" a road sign - a process that involves
slapping a sticker on an object as you walk by, hoping no one observes
the act. The ranger stopped him and brought him into the security area
for follow-up and search. Searchers confiscated a fake driver's license
and many unused stickers, all pertaining to "Kaiju," an underground
wrestling organization involving "monsters." A list was also found that
named 30 locations in the downtown Philadelphia area. Interviewing led
to an admission that the individual had sticker bombed 15 of the
locations with approximately 100 stickers. City officers arrested him on
criminal mischief charges; he will be charged for each separate sticker
found, pending conclusion of their investigation. If more than three are
found, the charges become felonies. The NPS will cite him for false
identification and vandalism. The web-site www.kaiju.com promotes sticker bombing
and other acts of vandalism to advertiase their business. Follow-up
investigation on the web site indicated sticker bombing in other NPS
areas.
During the early morning hours of May 3rd, patrolling rangers saw a
man walk by another man eating a pizza, knock it out of his hand, then
continue walking into a nearby bar. About a half hour later, they saw
him come out of the bar and put his hands on the same man's shoulders
for no apparent reason. When the man escaped his grasp, the second man
began following him. A fight ensued that carried over onto park
property. Two rangers who attempted to stop the fight were in turn
assaulted. Both men were taken into custody. Charges of assault on
federal officers were filed with the U.S. attorney.
An abandoned backpack was found on a stairway inside the park's
visitor center on the afternoon of May 3rd. The owner had previously
been seen in the VC, acting strangely and attempting to gain access to
secure areas. He could not be found, so the building was evacuated. The
city bomb squad responded and remotely x-rayed the pack. After
determining that it didn't contain any explosives, they opened and
searched it. Numerous vials of prescribed anti-depressants and HIV
medications were found inside. Rangers searched the complex for a man
matching his description who displayed "stalking behaviors." After the
visitor center was reopened, he was seen entering one of the movie
theaters. Because of his medical state, extra caution was used when
contacting and dealing with him. Attempts to communicate with him proved
fruitless, ad he was incoherent and became uncooperative. As rangers
attempted to take him into custody, he resisted and became combative.
The man and a ranger sustained open wounds as restraints were being
applied. He was eventually subdued and placed on a 72-hour psychological
hold and evaluation. Charges will be filed after he clears from a
psychological hearing.
A number of special events will be taking place in the parks during the week of the Independence Day holiday, including some of the Service's "icon" parks. In order to manage these events and establish priorities for resources, Director Mainella has delegated authority to the national incident management team (Skip Brooks, IC) to act as an area command in the management of these events and any other serious incidents that may occur during this time period (June 27th to July 7th). The area command will manage the coordination, mobilization and assignment of critical resources for scheduled events and for unplanned Type 1 or Type 2 incidents, excluding fire. Type 2 teams are in place at Mount Rushmore NM (Central Team, Sherrie Collins, IC), Independence NHP (East Team, Rick Brown, IC), and Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (Pacific West Team, Felicia Probert, IC). Elements of a Type 2 team (another East Team, Bob Panko, IC) have demobilized from Dayton Aviation Heritage NHP, where they provided assistance at the event noted below. Reports from those parks follow:
Daily updates on the operation will appear in the Morning Report and
InsideNPS through July 7th.
Preparations continue for several major Fourth of July events in the parks. In order to manage these events and establish priorities for resources, Director Mainella has delegated authority to the national incident management team (Skip Brooks, IC) to act as an area command in the management of these events and any other serious incidents that may occur during the coming week. The area command is managing the coordination, mobilization and assignment of critical resources for scheduled events and for unplanned Type 1 or Type 2 incidents, excluding fire. Type 2 teams are in place at Mount Rushmore NM (Central Team, Sherrie Collins, IC), Independence NHP (East Team, Rick Brown, IC), and Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (Pacific West Team, Felicia Probert, IC). Reports from those parks follow:
Daily updates on the operation will appear in the Morning Report and InsideNPS through July 7th. [Submitted by Bill Halainen, IO, ACT; Al Nash, IO, Central IMT; Peter Givens, IO, Eastern IMT; Pat Grediagin, Plans, Pacific West IMT]
Preparations continue for several major Fourth of July events in the parks. Overseeing the events under a delegation of authority from the director is Skip Brooks' national incident management team. The team is managing the coordination, mobilization and assignment of critical resources for scheduled events and for unplanned Type 1 or Type 2 incidents, excluding fire. Type 2 teams are in place at Mount Rushmore NM (Central Team, Sherrie Collins, IC), Independence NHP (East Team, Rick Brown, IC), and Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (Pacific West Team, Felicia Probert, IC). Reports from those parks follow:
Daily updates on the operation will appear in the Morning Report and InsideNPS through July 7th. [Submitted by Bill Halainen, IO, Area Command Team; Shauna Dyas, IO, Pacific West IMT; Rick Jones, IO, Central IMT; Peter Givens, IO, Eastern IMT]
Preparations continue for several major Fourth of July events in the parks. Overseeing the events under a delegation of authority from the director is Skip Brooks' national incident management team. The team is managing the coordination, mobilization and assignment of critical resources for scheduled events and for unplanned Type 1 or Type 2 incidents, excluding fire. Type 2 teams are in place at Mount Rushmore NM (Central Team, Sherrie Collins, IC), Independence NHP (East Team, Rick Brown, IC), and Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (Pacific West Team, Felicia Probert, IC). Reports from those parks follow:
Daily updates on the operation will appear in the Morning Report and InsideNPS through July 7th. [Submitted by Bill Halainen, IO, Area Command Team; Shauna Dyas, IO, Pacific West IMT; Rick Jones, IO, Central IMT; Peter Givens, IO, Eastern IMT]
On July 27th, a contract custodial employee alerted the protection
ranger on duty in the Independence Visitor Center that a man had just
stolen a large number of shirts from the Eastern National bookstore. The
ranger responded, broadcast a description of the man, and began an
investigation. The man was not immediately located, but the
investigation and a video camera revealed that a man had entered the
bookstore just prior to the report, gone immediately to the shirt bins,
and taken 19 embroidered t-shirts valued at approximately $350. His
description was shared with other rangers, one of whom spotted a man
meeting the description several blocks from the Independence Visitor
Center on the afternoon of July 30th. The person who witnessed the
original theft positively identified him, as he was wearing the same
clothes as he had on the day of the theft. He was arrested and
transported to the Philadelphia Police Department for processing. A
check of his criminal history revealed that he had a lengthy record for
larceny and drug-related offenses. He was charged with felony retail
theft and held pending his preliminary hearing. The shirts have not been
recovered.
On August 20th, Attorney General John Ashcroft, visited the park and
used the newly-built National Constitution Center to launch a month-long
nationwide tour on behalf of the USA Patriot Act. In attendance were
roughly 200 local, state, and federal law enforcement officials and many
media representatives. A group called "Unite for Peace" gathered outside
the center and remained there during the entire event. The 50 protestors
rallied against the act by holding banners, giving speeches, and
marching in circles. There were no arrests, and no injuries were
reported. After meeting with reporters, Ashcroft immediately left
Philadelphia and headed for Ohio. Rangers from numerous surrounding
Northeast Region parks were brought in to help provide security during
the event.
On October 3rd, former President George H.W. Bush received the Dwight
D. Eisenhower Medal for Leadership and Service while attending a gala
event at the National Constitution Center, located within the park. The
event was sponsored by the Eisenhower Fellowship Organization in
celebration of its fiftieth anniversary. In attendance of the event were
an array of dignitaries, including former Secretaries of State Warren
Christopher and Henry Kissinger, former Presidents of Ireland and Turkey
Mary Robinson and Suleyman Demirel, and other current and former heads
of state. Dignitary protection was coordinated by staff from the park's
resource and visitor protection division; assisting them were personnel
from the Secret Service, State Department, and the Philadelphia PD
dignitary protection unit. Dogs were provided by ATF and Philadelphia
PD's special operations division.
Rangers responded to intrusion alarms at the First National Bank at
11:30 p.m. on December 5th. The First National Bank is the temporary
museum for the original artwork usually found in the Second National
Bank museum. The collection, which includes an original printing of the
Declaration of Independence, is valued in the millions of dollars. Two
people were discovered inside. Rangers determined that they'd gained
access by breaking a slide lock on an old cellar door that a
construction crew had been utilizing. The pair, both students at Penn
State, had fake identification in their possession and were under the
influence of alcohol. They were taken into custody and transported to
the Philadelphia Police Department for processing.
On the evening of January 3rd, a contract Wackenhut guard saw a
vehicle pull to an abrupt halt near the Liberty Bell screening pavilion
and a woman get out with a box in her hand. She yelled something
unintelligible, held the box over her head, then heaved it down the ramp
of the nearby subway station. She then got back in her car and sped off.
Rangers, transit police and Philadelphia PD officers responded. The
package, comprised of two 12-pack beer containers taped together with
clear packing tape, was tested with a park-owned detection device, but
no indication of explosives was found. The area was secured until the
city's bomb unit arrived. A brick packed in newspaper was found inside
the makeshift box. The Wackenhut guard was able to provide a description
of the woman, the vehicle, and the vehicle's license plate. The area was
blocked and traffic rerouted for about an hour. Local and federal
charges are pending.
On the morning of Sunday, July 31st, an interpretive ranger suffered a cardiac arrest shortly after finishing a program in Independence Hall. Interpretive ranger Chuck Kokolskyj and protection rangers Tony Salvemini and Eric Tillson quickly arrived on scene and started CPR. Paramedic units from the Philadelphia Fire Department were summoned and arrived shortly thereafter. Tillson and the paramedics continued CPR while in transport to Jefferson Hospital. The patient finally responded to the CPR and was rushed to intensive care. He has since been moved to a private room for recovery. [Ian Crane, Chief Ranger]
On January 26th, protection staff made an arrest following a five-month-long investigation into a series of bomb threats against Independence Hall, Based on evidence gathered during the investigation and a confession, the U.S. Attorney's Office charged the suspect with 28 separate US Code violations. The investigation was conducted jointly with the FBI, Philadelphia PD and U.S. Attorney's Office. For a related news article, click on "More Information" below HYPERLINK "http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/13729731.htm" http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/13729731.htm. [Joe Nicholson, Chief of Operations]
Just after 2 a.m. on February 1st, protection rangers heard multiple gunshots coming from the 500 block of Market Street. This is just one block north of the Liberty Bell Center, and the location of the Independence Visitor Center. Guards at the site advised dispatch and the responding rangers that shots had been fired in the area. Rangers found a vehicle with several bullet holes and extensive damage to its passenger side window on the sidewalk directly in front of the Liberty Bell Pavilion. A man was seen outside the vehicle; the rangers took cover, then ordered him to the ground. He refused to comply, got back in the car, and attempted to flee. The vehicle was severely damaged, though, so he was only able to back off the sidewalk and travel another several hundred feet before having to stop. He then got out of the car and entered another vehicle that had pulled up alongside him. Rangers broadcast the latter vehicle's description to responding Philadelphia police officers, who stopped it several blocks away. The occupants were arrested. A number of shell casings and a loaded firearm were found on park property. All evidence was turned over to Philadelphia police, who are handling the arrests and further investigation. No NPS employees were injured nor were any weapons discharged at or by the rangers responding to the scene. [Ian Crane, Chief Ranger]
Park staff were involved in providing support and assistance at three significant special events between April 28th and May 1st. The first event was a visit by Supreme Court justice Stephen Breyer on April 28th and 29th. Breyer visited the park while in Philadelphia as a guest and speaker for the general annual membership meeting of the American Philosophical Society. Breyer and other distinguished guests were given tours of the National Constitution Center. Dignitary protection was coordinated through the US Marshals Service. The center also served as the site for the final evening's reception for the annual retreat of Senate Democrats, held in Philadelphia from April 28th to the 30th. Governor Ed Rendell visited with the senators during the reception. Dignitary protection for this event was coordinated by the US Capitol Police, with assistance from numerous local and federal agencies. On May 1st, a crowd of more than 5,000 immigrants and their supporters rallied in the park across from the Liberty Bell for several hours. A large group of primarily Hispanic immigrants boycotted work and school to increase awareness of the rights of undocumented foreigners. Two large groups - one from the Philadelphia area, the other from nearby Camden - met at the 500 block of Market Street and joined forces to promote their cause. Numerous media groups were in attendance. [Ian Crane, Chief Ranger]
On the morning of Friday, April 28th, Philadelphia PD officers advised rangers that their dispatch center had received a 911 call from an unidentified male who reported overhearing two men saying that they were going to plant a bomb in Independence Hall. Within minutes, rangers had put the park's emergency operations procedures into effect and had evacuated 500 visitors from the building. They then conducted a thorough sweep of Independence Hall and adjacent historic Congress Hall and Old City Hall. No suspicious packages or items were found, so the park reopened to visitors at 11 a.m. Just before 4 p.m. that afternoon, Philadelphia PD reported another 911 call from a man who said he'd hear two people talking about a plot to blow up the Liberty Bell during the march on immigration policy scheduled for Monday, May 1st. The caller provided police with his address, the address where the two suspects could be found, and the name of one of the suspects. Due to the similarity of both calls, park management and the park's law enforcement specialist coordinated an investigation with the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). Investigating officers found that the caller's home address was false, that the call had been made from a payphone, and that the address where one of the alleged suspects lived was actually the home of a family that knew nothing about the incident. Tapes of the two 911 calls were compared and found to be unrelated. The investigation continues. [Ian Crane, Chief Ranger]
On the afternoon of January 23rd, the park's law enforcement specialist was advised that a person had either jumped, fallen or been pushed to her death from the park-owned parking garage. The law enforcement specialist, rangers and city detectives conducted a joint investigation. They determined that the 51-year-old Philadelphia woman had committed suicide, as a video from one of the park's security cameras helped rule out foul play. [Donald Reed, Law Enforcement Specialist]
Protection ranger David Hynes was on patrol near park headquarters around midnight on April 2nd when he saw a man - subsequently identified as R.L. - bend over and pick up a medium-sized rock, then throw it at a park-owned vehicle, shattering the driver's side window. When Hynes approached him, R.L. ran. A citizen joined Hynes in pursing R.L. and both soon caught up with him. R.L. was ordered to the ground, but instead assumed a fighting stance - he balled up his fists, held up his arms, got up on the balls of his feet, and said "I ain't going down." Hynes got out his baton and again told him to get on the ground. R.L. again refused and resumed running. When Hynes caught up with him, R.L. attempted to punch him in the head. Hynes side-stepped, struck R.L. in the right forearm with his baton, and once more ordered him down. This time R.L. did so, but soon began trying to get up and began wrestling with Hynes. Hynes and the citizen worked together to keep him down, but R.L. rolled on his back, keeping his hands under himself so he couldn't be handcuffed. Hynes used his baton as a bar, pushing R.L. down. At one point, R.L. grabbed onto it and pushed it into Hynes, but Hynes regained control of the baton and got R.L. onto his stomach and handcuffed him with the citizen's assistance. R.L. was arrested, and, upon consultation with the U.S. Attorney's Office, charged with assault on a federal officer (18 USC 111) and damage to government property. He was booked into a federal jail and remained there until his sentencing on June 23rd. As part of a plea agreement, R.L. pled guilty to misdemeanor assault and property damage. He was sentenced to 21 months in prison and ordered to pay $200 for the damaged government vehicle window. [Don Reed, Law Enforcement Specialist]
Visitors enjoyed beautiful weather as the park hosted one of the largest Freedom Week celebrations in its recent history. The activities were a great cooperative effort among the City of Philadelphia, the National Park Service, and many other private groups and organizations. This year's celebration included regularly scheduled events such as the Music on the Mall concert, the Philly Pops on Independence concert, the City of Philadelphia's Independence Day ceremony and the Let Freedom Ring ceremony and bell tapping. Added this year were the City of Philadelphia's Independence Day parade past Independence Hall, the Lincoln 200 event on blocks two and three of Independence Mall, and many first amendment activities. Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter were in attendance at many of the weeks events. A unified command system was used to manage the events. Committed to the incident were eight overhead park staff, including incident command, public affairs, safety, and various operations positions. All together, over 150 park staff and volunteers were assigned to ground operations, which included areas such as maintenance, public safety, enforcement, resource management and events. Park staff worked cooperatively with City of Philadelphia officials (police, fire, EMS, etc.) and various park partners, such as the Friends of Independence, Historic Philadelphia and the Philly Pops. In addition to the events already mentioned, staff logged in various incidents, including minor medicals, controlled substance violations, and one person transported to the hospital. Many thanks to a great park staff. They made an outstanding team planning and pulling the weeks activities together. [A. J. Saperstein, Supervisory Park Ranger ]
One of the park's contracted Wackenhut security guards asked protection rangers to respond to the front doors of the Liberty Bell Center just before 2 p.m. on May 20th. This request was due to the guard finding a blue balloon that contained an unknown white powdery substance. All available line rangers and a supervisory protection ranger responded. Visitation was moderate at the time. A preliminary investigation was conducted by the park's acting chief ranger, law enforcement specialist and safety officer from statements and security video footage. They determined the following: Two Wackenhut guards were working in and around the Liberty Bell entrance at 2 p.m. - one outside the entry doors and the other in the vestibule. As captured on video, it appears that the outside guard began to walk through the doors into the vestibule, and, while looking down, kicked something on the floor. This item was later identified as the balloon. The guard who was kicking the balloon then kicked it over to the other guard standing near the vestibule, who proceeded to pick it up (without gloves). The guard with the balloon in hand then received a plastic bag from a security screener and put the balloon inside the bag, then called for a protection ranger. The guard then handed the bag over to the first arriving ranger, who opened it and found the unknown white substance. The ranger then set the bag on the ground away from the entrance doors in order to remove it from the entering public, then began to evacuate the public from the immediate area. The supervisory ranger then arrived on scene, and, while wearing a protective glove, opened the bag slightly to see the contents. Upon observing an unknown white powdery substance, the ranger then advised park dispatch to notify the Philadelphia hazardous response unit. Hazmat, fire and medical units soon arrived, and the entire block was closed for approximately five hours while extensive testing of the substance was conducted. The supervisory ranger, the first arriving ranger and the two Wackenhut guards were kept in isolation pending the outcome of the testing, which eventually revealed the substance was flour. Other agencies on scene were the FBI (JTTF), Department of Homeland Security, and Philadelphia Police Department. Media attention was extremely high throughout the event. A joint NPS and FBI investigation is continuing. [Donald P. Reed, Law Enforcement Specialist]
On the afternoon of October 5th, a suspicious package was discovered at the front entrance of park headquarters in the Merchants Exchange Building. Upon initial visual inspection, there seemed to be what looked like an antenna protruding from the package. The building was accordingly evacuated and the Philadelphia police department, fire department, and bomb squad were notified. The bomb squad assessed the package and determined that it would be a proper precaution to destroy it in place through a controlled detonation. Although no explosives or dangerous materials were discovered after sifting through the remnants, the detonation shattered a large, custom, curved glass window which could cost several thousands of dollars to replace. Camera footage showed a man and woman placing the package on the ground and walking off after several minutes, leaving the package behind. It's not yet known if the act was intentional. No injuries occurred. The park is working closely with the JTTF, FBI, Philadelphia Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Philadelphia Arson and Explosives Task Force. [Donald P. Reed, Law Enforcement Specialist]
On Monday, November 8th, the National Constitution Center (NCC) held a screening of the documentary "Barrel of a Gun," which is a film by Tigre Hill which looks into the 1981 murder of Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner and the subsequent arrest and trial of the suspect, Mumia Abu-Jamal. Abu-Jamal was convicted and sentenced to death in 1983, which has since stirred national and international debate. As a result, the screening of this film promised to become center stage for this debate. Over the past 27 years, Abu-Jamal's supporters have shown a propensity for creating civil disturbances to draw media interest, including a takeover of the Liberty Bell Center in 1999. Sherman Hopkins, the director of security of the NCC, requested assistance from Independence NHP, the Philadelphia Police Department, and the Federal Protective Service. Rangers from Independence NHP and Valley Forge NHP provided security inside and around the NCC. Approximately 300 persons and several national news crews attended the screening, which was followed by a lively panel discussion involving the filmmaker, Abu-Jamal activists, and the Philadelphia district attorney. Although the evening had strong potential to become troublesome, it remained mostly calm. On Tuesday, a review of the Mumia Abu-Jamal case was heard by the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, which constituted the last appeal of the death sentence for Abu-Jamal. The federal courthouse for the Third Circuit is located across 6th Street from the park and Independence Visitor Center. Initial intelligence estimates predicted that over 1,000 protestors would be present outside the courthouse during the hearing, including elements from the rogue New Black Panther Party and anarchist groups. Independence NHP coordinated with the Federal Protective Service, US Marshals Service, and the Philadelphia Police Department to maintain order. Rangers from Valley Forge and Fort McHenry also assisted. By noon, a crowd of about 400 protestors had formed near the courthouse. Several smaller groups setup demonstrations on park property across from the courthouse, carrying large banners and using bullhorns. After the court adjourned, the protestors began to drift away and the incident was concluded around 4:30 p.m. Media interest was moderate. The incident commander was Paula Risell for both the film screening and the courthouse hearing incidents. [Jeffrey Pascale, Acting Chief, Resource and Visitor Protection]
Last June 2nd, park dispatch received a phone call from a Philadelphia police officer advising of a threatening posting that he'd discovered on a popular internet website called Craigslist. The posting was under the "Personals, Rants and Raves" section, which displayed a heading that read "I am a killer" and went on to describe shooting someone with a shotgun in the park. Upon receiving this posting, the park immediately doubled up patrols and went on elevated alert. On June 3rd, investigators contacted a representative from Craigslist and obtained the Yahoo email address and an IP address associated with the posting. This information in turn lead to a suspect by the name of Robert Ortgiesen of Limerick, Pennsylvania. Through extensive additional investigation, it was discovered that Ortgiesen had written two additional posts, one of which described killing his wife and family and the other about "f****** the police." As a result of these postings, the park, in consultation with the US Attorney's Office, obtained and issued a search warrant for Ortgiesen's residence. On June 16th, protection rangers, Limerick SWAT team members, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms K-9 agents served the warrant and seized numerous items as evidence. Ortgiesen's computer was found to contain the threatening postings, and, as a result, an arrest warrant was issued for him on November 16th. Rangers and Limerick PD officers executed the warrant the next day. Ortgiesen was booked into a federal detention center on a charge of knowingly transmitting in interstate commerce a communication which threatened to injure the person of another (18 USC 875). Ortgiesen was released on $50,000 bail and is awaiting his court date. [Don Reed, Law Enforcement Specialist]
A contract security guard in front of Independence Hall reported hearing a female screaming on Chestnut Street around 2:30 a.m. on January 14th. Responding rangers found a man in his early 20s lying on the sidewalk in front of the Second Bank of the United States, evidently the victim of an assault. He had no pulse and was unresponsive; the rangers immediately began CPR and called for EMS and police assistance. An AED was employed, but indicated that a shock was not advised. The man was taken to Jefferson Hospital, where he remained on life support until members of his family could arrive. He was removed from life support that evening and succumbed to his injuries. Witnesses said that the man and two women with him were attempting to hale a taxi after leaving a local bar, and that the man, who was reportedly intoxicated, became agitated at a taxi driver who declined to stop for them and began shouting obscenities at the driver. A car right behind the taxi then pulled up next to him and four men jumped out and assaulted the man. They then fled down Chestnut Street. None of the assailants were known to the two women who were accompanying the victim. The suspects have not yet been identified, but footage from park surveillance cameras is being reviewed. Investigators are hopeful that the suspects will be identified after the footage is released to local media outlets. The National Park Service is assisting Philadelphia PD with the investigation. The victim has been identified as Kevin Kless, 23, a resident of Philadelphia. [Patrick Suddath, Chief Ranger]
During the early hours of January 14th, K.K., 23, a native of Philadelphia, was assaulted in the park just east of Independence Hall and subsequently died in a hospital (click on HYPERLINK "http://classicinside.nps.gov/headline.cfm?type=Incidents&id=6018" this link for the original report). Although the Philadelphia Police Department lead the ensuing investigation, park rangers and dispatchers worked closely with homicide detectives by poring over hundreds of hours of video footage from several security cameras. The cameras did not catch any usable video footage of the attack, but they did capture a possible target vehicle and several potential witnesses who could have been at the scene either as it was occurring or immediately after the assault. The investigation revealed that K.K. and his two female companions had left a local bar around 2:20 a.m. and that K.K. then attempted to hail a cab. Reports indicate that the cab driver refused to pick up the trio and that K.K. exchanged words with him. At this time, investigators later learned, the men who assaulted K.K. thought that he was yelling at them, and they chased him and the two women to the front of the Second Bank, then assaulted him and continued to do so even after he became unconscious. Due to high media interest and the possibility of federal prosecution, the park asked for assistance from a special agent from the NPS Investigative Services Branch. The agent and the park's law enforcement specialist collected additional video from park neighbors and worked directly with PPD homicide detectives on the investigation. On January 18th, a tipster called PPD with information about the incident. He said he'd overheard a man bragging about the assault and inquired about the $20,000 reward. This was the big break in the case. On January 20th, U.S. marshals and PPD homicide fugitive unit officers picked up the man, who was then brought in for questioning. Later that same day, the other two men were arrested, and each has been charged with murder. All three suspects, who are ages 19, 20 and 23 and from the Philadelphia area, confessed to the crime. The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office is currently taking the lead in the prosecution. [Donald P. Reed, Law Enforcement Specialist]
Two men - S.C., 46, and B.C., 25, both of Camden, New Jersey - were indicted on Monday in Federal court on charges stemming from two separate attacks that occurred within the park last June. On June 16th, rangers discovered a man lying on the sidewalk near the intersection of Fourth and Chestnut Streets, suffering from severe head injuries. They provided EMS on scene and transferred him to a local hospital. The man reported that he had been beaten during a robbery. Less than a week later, a second attack occurred at the same location. During this attack, rangers nearby heard screaming and responded in time to prevent serious injury to the victims, but the assailants were able to flee the scene. Rangers Eli Bowers and Sinclare Rehberg were assigned as the case agents. After several months compiling surveillance videos, analyzing evidence, conducting surveillance and interviewing witnesses, they identified the potential suspects and obtained a warrant for their arrest. Rangers, assisted by officers from the Camden County Sheriff's Department, served the warrants on November 21st. The two men are each charged with assault on federal property resulting in serious bodily injury, assault on federal property by striking, beating or wounding, and robbery on federal property. If convicted, each of the defendants faces a statutory maximum sentence of 41 years in prison, a $1.25 million fine, three years of supervised release, and a $500 special assessment. [Patrick Suddath, Chief Ranger]
On the morning of January 27th, rangers responded to a call from contract security officers who reported that a man had been denied access to the Liberty Bell Center for refusing routine screening at the entrance station and telling screeners that he had explosives in his bag. Rangers arrived as he was exiting the building and followed him to the 700 block of Market Street, approximately a block west of the Liberty Bell Center. When they contacted him, he became argumentative and non-compliant and was handcuffed after a brief struggle. All pedestrian and vehicle traffic between 7th and 8th Streets along Philadelphia's busy Market Street was stopped for over an hour while the Philadelphia Police Department's bomb squad checked the two bags removed from his person for explosives. None were found. The man remains in police custody and currently faces a number of federal and local charges as a result of the incident. The NPS is assisting in the ongoing investigation, which is now headed by the FBI. [Layla Schade, Park Ranger]
On the afternoon of February 4th, two rangers were patrolling Washington Square, a busy section of the park during rush hour, when they saw a man threatening another man with a large knife. The rangers quickly drew their weapons, confronted the assailant, and commanded him to drop his weapon. He immediately complied with the ranger's commands and was taken into custody. Further investigation revealed that the weapon he was observed to have been holding was a folding knife with a pistol grip and six inch blade. The assailant, who was found to be a juvenile, also had several other weapons in his possession, including a 10 inch serrated knife, a prison style shank, and a claw hammer - all located in his backpack. Because the suspect was a juvenile, the Philadelphia Police Department provided assistance with his detention and prosecution. He was released to parental custody and faces numerous local charges. No one was injured during the altercation. [Patrick Suddath, Chief Ranger]
On Saturday, May 18th, the Philadelphia Hip Hop Society, a pro-marijuana organization, held a public assembly (First Amendment event) called the "Smoke Down Prohibition V" rally on People's Plaza in Independence NHP. This was this organization's second permitted event in the park. Protection rangers worked closely with Philadelphia Police Department officers to monitor and respond to this event, as participants in the first event held on April 20th claimed to have participated in civil disobedience by smoking marijuana despite knowing the law prohibiting it. With the assistance of a number of law enforcement agencies, including the Philadelphia Police Department, K-9 units, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, rangers and officers enforced appropriate federal regulations, resulting in two federal arrests for assault and interference (18 USC 111) and four citations, with more pending. [Patrick Suddath, Chief Ranger]
On Sunday, June 30th, marijuana reform activists held an event entitled "Smokedown 6," which began with a march from LOVE Park, located in Center City Philadelphia, to the People's Plaza in Independence NHP. The number of activists grew from approximately 85 participants to about 175 protesters by the time they reached the park's First Amendment area. Rangers worked closely with Philadelphia Police Department and Federal Protective Service officers to prepare for this event. Over 50 rangers and officers were on hand to deal with the activists, who participated in civil disobedience by smoking marijuana despite knowing of the law prohibiting it. Seven violation notices were issued for possession of a controlled substance and for interfering with an agency function. Click on this link for a related news story and video - HYPERLINK "http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=9157487" [Patrick Suddath, Chief Ranger]
On June 25th, two New Jersey men were convicted on felony charges related to a series of assaults that occurred in the park in June 2012. B.C. and S.C. of Camden, New Jersey, traveled to the park and robbed and assaulted visitors on two separate occasions. The three victims suffered various injuries, ranging from bruises to severe head injuries and facial fractures. Rangers led the investigation, with assistance from the Department of Justice and the FBI. The complex investigation spanned several months. Both men remain in custody awaiting sentencing. [Sinclair Rehberg, Park Ranger]
On Monday, March 10th, rangers from Independence National Historical Park received a call for assistance from the Federal Protective Service and the US Attorney's Office in dealing with a group of demonstrators protesting the proposed construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, which will stretch from Canada to Texas. The group, which numbered approximately 200 people, had blocked all public entrances to the William J. Green Federal Building in downtown Philadelphia. Rangers assisted two members of the park's maintenance division in setting up bicycle rack barricades opening one access door. When the group reentered the secured area, they were warned by FPS and Philadelphia Police Department officers to clear the area or face legal action. After the demonstrators refused the order and locked arms, they were arrested by rangers and FPS officers and taken into the building for processing. Most were charged with CFR violations for disorderly conduct or disobeying a lawful order and released. Approximately twenty demonstrators were arrested and released, with one protestor arrested and held in jail for throwing a bottle at a US marshal attempting to exit the building. Rangers and maintenance staff from Independence have gained a significant amount of knowledge in managing protests and public gatherings due to the large number of special events and First Amendment demonstrations regularly occurring in the park and also from the numerous Marijuana Smokedown protests which occurred in the park last year promoting the legalization of marijuana. For more information on this event, click the following link to view local media coverage. HYPERLINK "http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/politics/Pa-Environmentalists-Arrested-Over-XL-Oil-Pipeline-Protest-249318281.html" [Trouper Snow, Chief of Law Enforcement Operations]
Two men, B.C., 26, and S.C., 48, both of Camden, New Jersey, were sentenced in federal court last week for crimes which occurred within Independence National Historical Park. B.C. was sentenced to five years and S.C. to 15 years in jail; both will also have to pay restitution to their victims. B.C. and S.C. were convicted last year on multiple felony counts stemming from a series of assaults and robberies which occurred on National Park Service property in June 2012. The attacks resulted in three people suffering injuries ranging from bruises to extensive hospitalization and reconstructive surgery. The investigation was led by NPS rangers with the assistance of the Philadelphia Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. [Eli Bowers]
Seasonal protection ranger Nicolas Gannon saw a visitor at the corner of Chestnut and 6th Street who was exhibiting the signs of a person under the influence of alcohol last Friday morning. Upon making contact with the visitor, Gannon immediately determined that he was actually in medical distress. He called dispatch, asked for assistance, and was soon joined by rangers Eric "Max" Drawert, Rosileen Feriloli, Derik Pinsonneault and Graeme Morris. As Drawert, who is also an EMT, was medically assessing the man, he went into cardiac arrest. Drawert and Gannon administered CPR and utilized a defibrillator until paramedics arrived on scene. The visitor was then taken to a local hospital for further evaluation and treatment. [Trouper Snow, Chief of Operations]
On Tuesday, January 13th, National Park Service staff and the Philadelphia Fire Department responded to smoke alarms in the Second Bank of the United States, a building within Independence National Historical Park. Thanks to the prompt response from the Philadelphia Fire Department, a small fire in a mechanical unit in the basement was extinguished safely. There were no injuries and no damage to the building structure. The building will remain closed to visitors while park staff ensure that this National Historic Landmark is fully cleaned and restored. Park management anticipates the Second Bank will re-open in early May, based on a preliminary assessment. The park will open New Hall Military Museum on weekends, starting January 24th. The Second Bank of the United States houses the park's exhibit of 195 portraits, many of them by 18th century artist Charles Willson Peale. Fortunately, damage to this collection was minimal. Park curators and outside conservators will work together over the coming months to clean each portrait and other museum objects housed in the Second Bank. The building will reopen to visitors while this conservation work progresses and visitors will be invited to learn about the cleaning and conservation process. [Jane Cowley, Public Affairs Officer]
On the morning of January 13th, park dispatch received a smoke alarm from the main floor gallery of the Second Bank. Rangers were on scene within minutes and discovered heavy smoke filling the main floor gallery space. Rangers confirmed that the building was evacuated, determined that the origin of the fire was in the mechanical room in the basement, and guided Philadelphia Fire Department firefighters to its location. The fire was quickly extinguished. Preliminary investigations indicate that the fire was started by a mechanical malfunction in an air handler, which in turn ignited combustible materials within the unit. Smoke traveled through the building's exhibit space via the ventilation system. The park is still investigating how the fire originated and why smoke circulated through the building. Although there were no injuries and no significant damage to the structure, smoke heavily impacted most areas of the building, including the portrait gallery which houses 195 portraits, many of them by 18th century artist HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Willson_Peale" Charles Willson Peale. Damage to the building, other than the failed air handler itself, resulted from heavy toxic smoke that has covered almost all surfaces in the building, including the ventilation system, the carpets, marble interior features, and the portraits. Though nothing has been permanently damaged, a significant amount of cleaning and conservation work on the portraits and other collections housed in the building is anticipated. The building will likely remain closed for several months. [Patrick Suddath, Chief Ranger]
On the evening of January 16th, rangers responded to a report of an unresponsive man in the restroom of the Independence Visitor Center. They found that he was not breathing and had no pulse. CPR was begun and an AED was utilized in an effort to revive him, but the AED indicated that a shock was not in order. Philadelphia Fire Department EMS personnel arrived; they consulted with their medical control, who pronounced the man dead. Rangers noted track marks on the man's arm and found a used hypodermic needle among his belongs. A small blue baggie was also found in his mouth. The National Park Service and the Philadelphia Police Department are investigating. [Patrick Suddath, Chief Ranger]
Early on the morning of March 21st, rangers were patrolling a parking garage that is within the park's jurisdiction. They stopped a car for multiple drug and alcohol violations and conducted a search of the vehicle. In addition to various other items, rangers recovered a large quantity of methamphetamine, marijuana, a scale, and a handgun. During their initial investigation and prior to the search, rangers determined that the owner of the firearm was a convicted felon who had just recently been released from prison. The man was arrested for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and was taken to the federal detention center. The man is also facing multiple drug charges relating the incident. The involved rangers are continuing to work closely with the US Attorney's Office to pursue successful convictions on all counts. The suspect is currently on house arrest awaiting additional court proceedings. [Eli Bowers, Supervisory Park Ranger]
The Philadelphia Parking Authority recently reported a man on the third floor ledge of the Second Street Parking Garage who appeared to be suicidal. Rangers arrived and began to talk to the man. Shortly after, other rangers arrived and stayed out of view. As they continued to build a rapport with the distressed man, another ranger positioned herself close to him in an effort to pull him to safety All rangers silently acknowledged this and continued talking with the man. He was quickly pulled back from the ledge. The man was not injured. He was transported to Hall Mercer Mental Health Facility for a hold and evaluation. [Trouper Snow, Deputy Chief]
Philadelphia Inquirer — "With rakes, brooms, and trash pickers in hand, more than a dozen young Muslim men took to Independence Mall [at Independence NHP] on Saturday in the rain to clean up litter," reported the paper on January 5th. "It was their way of lessening the impact of the partial government shutdown, they said. Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, the Mall's most famous occupants, have been closed to the public for the majority of the time since the shutdown began Dec. 22. That hasn't stopped passersby -- including tourists catching a glimpse of the Liberty Bell from outside its windowed housing -- from leaving their cigarette butts, gum wrappers, and other items of trash behind, or the wind, for that matter, from blowing some of the city's discards there. 'We just came out here because we thought it's our responsibility as a Muslim community to help the neighborhood and help the community,' Zubair Abaidullah, 17, said as he scooped up wet cigarette butts, plastic bags, and other litter." Source: Philadelphia Inquirer.
Cleaning Up Trash — The Muslim youth group from Philadelphia that worked to cleanup Independence NHP (last issue) was not the only one in the field. "Members of a Muslim youth group spent the weekend collecting trash and otherwise cleaning up national parks around the country — helping out in the midst of the government shutdown," reports the Mother Nature Network. "Volunteers with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association (AMYA) emptied overflowing trash cans, picked up piles of litter and swept the streets in Everglades National Park in Florida, the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and Joshua Tree National Park in California." Source: Mary Jo Dilonardo, Mother Nature Network.
Seven people are facing felony charges after at least two federal buildings in Philadelphia were vandalized on New Year's Eve and the discovery of what police said were Molotov cocktails and other suspicious devices. Officers reported spotting about 50 people, all in black, around 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the historic U.S. Customs House, and a man was seen throwing a brick through the windows of a federal building and courthouse shortly thereafter. Damage to the federal building was estimated at $3,000. Anti-police and anti-prison graffiti were scrawled on walls, a sheriff's van was defaced, and several windows were broken. A.M., 25, of Coatesville, is accused of throwing the brick and is charged with criminal mischief and related counts, as are D.C., 24, of Farmingdale, New Jersey; A.D., 23, of Wallingford; and J.A., 31, of Royersford. Additionally, J.R., 25, of Willow Grove; S.M., 22, of Philadelphia; and M.T., 26, are charged with attempted arson and risking a catastrophe, along with other counts, including conspiracy. Robotin was carrying a glass jar with a fuse that had "a strong flammable odor," as well as a plastic container with white powder labeled "Fire Starter." S.M. had bottles with liquids that had "a chemical smell." Numerous Molotov cocktails and other devices were recovered. Source: Associated Press.
On December 24, an officer on foot patrol discovered a fire engulfing the basement of Carpenters' Hall. The fire was contained in about 30 minutes and did not cause significant damage to the upper floors of the building, but the fire did destroy archives in the basement. Most of the archives stored in the basement were 20th century records. Arson is suspected, and an exterior entrance to the basement had its lock broken off. The NPS is asking for any information the public can provide. Carpenters' Hall had been closed to the public for a preservation project and was scheduled to reopen in February, but that date has now been pushed back indefinitely. Source: CBS Philadelphia, Penn Live Patriot-News
The statue of Robert Morris was recently graffitied with the words "human trafficer" [sic] in indelible ink. The park attempted to use nonabrasive chemicals to remove the graffiti, but it only lightened the words. They then contracted with a professional material conservator to apply laser treatment to remove the graffiti, but it also only lightened the words. They are considering other methods. Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer
On August 26, a "verbal altercation" related to "road rage" took place at the intersection of S. Independence Mall East and Chestnut Street in Philadelphia, PA. The incident led to a 36-year-old in a Cadillac opening fire on a group of motorcyclists. A 29-year-old was hit twice. A 24-year-old in the motorcyclist group fired back at the Cadillac driver, hitting them in the arm, as well as many shots on the car itself. The Cadillac driver drove away from the scene and later arrived at the Pennsylvania Hospital for care. The 24-year-old was detained at the scene by NPS personnel. Philadelphia Police Department personnel also responded. The 29-year-old was rushed to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where they were pronounced deceased. No charges have yet been filed. Source: WHYY, The Philadelphia Inquirer
On January 23, a 48-year-old marijuana decriminalization activist received a pardon from President Joe Biden for October 2012 charges of possession of marijuana during a series of "Smoke Down" protests on Independence Mall. The protests led to a 2014 Philadelphia (PA) city ordinance that decriminalized possession of up to 30 grams of marijuana. The individual's presidential pardon was part of two rounds of pardons granted for simple marijuana possession on federal lands. Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer
On September 20, the park announced on its social media that they discovered a crack in the north facing clock of the Independence Hall tower, likely to an imperfection in the glass or "tight glazing clamps." The park said it plans to complete repairs this fall. Source: Independence National Historical Park Instagram | |