National Capital Parks
Pursuit and Arrest of Carjacker
A pregnant 22-year-old woman was sitting in the passenger seat of her
parked car on 6th and H Streets in northwest Washington on the afternoon
of February 9th when a man with a badge hanging from a chain around his
neck told her he was a police officer and that she would have to move
her vehicle. Once she got behind the steering wheel, he yanked her from
the car, jumped into the seat, and began driving away. She grabbed the
door and ran beside the vehicle for a short distance. A witness observed
the incident and attempted to call 911 without success. He then followed
the stolen vehicle down to the National Mall, where he was able to tell
what happened to an officer from the U.S. Capitol Police. The Capitol
Police contacted the Park Police with a description of the vehicle.
Within minutes, officer Corey Houghton spotted the vehicle on the Mall
and attempted to pull it over. The driver refused to stop, though, and a
short pursuit ensued through southwest DC. Eagle 1 flew above the
vehicle and kept tabs on it throughout the chase. Officer Steve Knapp
soon joined the pursuit in his cruiser and was instrumental in the
capture of the carjacker. The vehicle was eventually boxed in at 1st and
P Streets, where other responding Park Police officers assisted with the
arrest of the suspect. He was found to have a knife in his pocket and
was charged with armed carjacking, robbery with force and violence,
assault, and impersonating a police officer.
[Submitted by Sergeant
Scott R. Fear, USPP]
OPERATIONAL NOTES
Servicewide Training
Weekly Listing of Operations Training Opportunities
Operations Training Calendar
This calendar appears every Monday as an addendum to the Morning Report and a separate entry for InsideNPS. It is not meant to be replace the Learning Place; rather it is a quick summary of available training with links (as available) to relevant Learning Place pages. Please note:
- New and revised entries are in bold face.
- Submissions for other training courses should conform to the style used here.
- Please include the URL to the web sites where readers can obtain the requisite forms and/or find out additional information about the training course. If a URL is not specifically listed, the announcement can likely be found on the Learning Place, the NPS training page found at http://www.nps.gov/training/announcements/index.doc.
- Closing dates for applications are underscored.
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March
March 16 — March 18: Archeological Resources Protection (XP-ARPTP-402), National Conservation and Training Center, Shepherdstown, WV. For information on costs, contact Virginia McCleskey at 912-554-4828 or Virginia.McCleskey@dhs.gov . The local contact is Eugene Marino at 703-358-2173. For registration information, contact either Wiley Golden at FLETC (912-267-2246) or JoAnn Andrews at USFWS at 912-267-2913. [Dennis Burnett, WASO]
March 22 — April 2: Physical Security Program (PSTP-404), FLETC, Glynco, GA. For a copy of the announcement, go to http://www.nps.gov/training/announcements/index.doc. The announcement closes on February 18th. [Wiley Golden, NPS/FLETC]
March 30 — April 1: Colt M-16/AR-15 Rifle/Carbine/Submachine Gun Armorer's School, Delaware Water Gap NRA, Bushkill, PA. Those attending will be provided with a complete understanding of the design theory, nomenclature, dynamics, compatibility, interchangeability, detailed disassembly, assembly, maintenance and troubleshooting of the M-16/AR-15 family of weapons and certified for three years as a model-specific Colt law enforcement armorer. The course if for LE personnel only. Cost: $375. The closing date for applications is February 29th. For additional details, contact Mike Zirwas, park ranger, at 570-588-2436 or contact him via email. [Mike Zirwas, DEWA]
April
April 7 — July 31: National Park Ranger Basic Law Enforcement Training (NPRI-405), FLETC, Glynco, GA. For a copy of the announcement, go to http://www.nps.gov/training/announcements/index.doc. The announcement closes on March 3rd. [Wiley Golden, NPS/FLETC]
April 13 — April 23: NPS Certified Driver Operator, Glen Canyon NRA, UT. This 80-hour class is designed to provide persons participating in National Park Service structure fire suppression with technical information and primary skills essential for safe operation and proper maintenance of a fire apparatus. From this course, students will have the knowledge and take home material, instructions and documents for delivering safe driving techniques and required inspection testing and maintenance of fire apparatus. Emphasis is hands-on training of pumping skills critical to the support of personnel assigned to fire control functions. Personnel will become proficient in troubleshooting, hydraulics, drafting and multiple line pumping evolutions. This will be supported with technical literature and training manuals. After successful completion of this course the individual will be certified to drive, pump and maintain structure fire apparatus for the NPS. For more information, contact Lisa Ford at 928-608-6250 or Hal Spencer at 202-513-7124. [Hal Spencer, NIFC]
April 19 — April 23: Wildland Fire Origin and Cause Determination (NWCG FI-210), Colorado Springs, CO. For more information, contact either John Carpenter at 912-267-2607 (John.Carpenter@associates.dhs.gov) or SA Alan Foster at 530-359-2108. [Alan Foster]
April 19 — April 23: NPS Servicewide Basic Technical Rescue Training, Canyonlands NP, UT. This training course is designed for personnel who routinely evacuate injured or stranded persons from heights and difficult terrain. The course will provide participants with the skills to perform difficult technical rescues. Students will be required to bring technical gear, including seat harness, climbing helmet, carabiners, rappel rack, ascenders, etc. This is a very physically demanding course conducted outdoors with frequent exposure to severe heights. All participants must be in good physical condition. There is no tuition cost. All travel and per diem expenses will be by benefiting account. Nominations must be submitted by March 1st to Ken Phillips at Grand Canyon NP, either via email, phone (928-638-7792) or fax (928-638-7838). [Randy Coffman, WASO]
May
May 10 — May 14: Wildland Fire Origin and Cause Determination (NWCG FI-210), Prescott, AZ. For more information, contact either John Carpenter at 912-267-2607 (John.Carpenter@associates.dhs.gov) or SA Alan Foster at 530-359-2108. [Alan Foster]
May 24 — May 28: Wildland Fire Origin and Cause Determination (NWCG FI-210), Redmond, OR. For more information, contact either John Carpenter at 912-267-2607 (John.Carpenter@associates.dhs.gov) or SA Alan Foster at 530-359-2108. [Alan Foster]
June
June 7 — June 11: Wildland Fire Origin and Cause Determination (NWCG FI-210), Missoula, MT. For more information, contact either John Carpenter at 912-267-2607 (John.Carpenter@associates.dhs.gov) or SA Alan Foster at 530-359-2108. [Alan Foster]
June 14 — June 18: Wildland Fire Origin and Cause Determination (NWCG FI-210), Boise, ID. For more information, contact either John Carpenter at 912-267-2607 (John.Carpenter@associates.dhs.gov) or SA Alan Foster at 530-359-2108. [Alan Foster]
PARKS AND PEOPLE
Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area (WA)
GS-025-09 LE Ranger
Lake Roosevelt is seeking interested and eligible permanent NPS candidates for a lateral reassignment for the position of GS-025-09 LE ranger, with a duty station at Spring Canyon. This is a permanent full time position. No park housing is available, but rentals and homes for purchase are available in the Coulee Dam, Electric City, and Grand Coulee area. The person in this position is supervised by a GS-11 district ranger and will work with another permanent GS-9 ranger and two or three seasonal LE rangers. He/she will perform a wide variety of resource and visitor protection work, including law enforcement, emergency medical services and fire management, and will:
- conduct vehicle and boat patrols and be involved in investigations;
- provide emergency medical services at the first responder or EMT level;
- maintain working relations with a wide variety of federal, state and local agencies;
- educate, interpret and inform visitors about park resources;
- maintain a red card and be part of the park's wildland fire crew; and
- work closely with resources management and maintenance divisions in daily duties.
The Grand Coulee Dam area consists of four small communities with a population of approximately 6,000 people. All services are available, with limited selection (e.g. two banks, two dentists, two supermarkets, one hospital). Additional services are available in surrounding areas, 50 to 90 miles away. There is an elementary school in Coulee Dam, a middle school in Grand Coulee, and a high school in Coulee Dam. Summers are dry and warm, winters comparatively mild. If you are interested and eligible for a lateral reassignment to this position, please email Dan_Mason@nps.gov or Karl_Pearson@nps.gov or call Karl Pearson at 509-633-9188, extension 10, by March 12th. The park plans to fill the position late May or early June.
Yosemite National Park (CA)
GS-1301-9/11 Air Resources Specialist
The park has an opening for an air resources specialist to manage the park's smoke management program, which will include working with the local air districts and the California Air Resources Board), and to manage the Conformity and State Implementation Plan efforts in accordance with the Clean Air Act. He she will also:
- supervise the physical science technicians who maintain the park's air quality monitoring equipment;
- interact with many governmental agencies in the Sierra Nevada and the Central Valley;
- oversee the park's air quality monitoring equipment and networks, providing assistance to the fire management officer on smoke management issues; and
- participate in smoke issues and transportation conformity issues with state and county staffs, the California Air Resources Board and county air pollution control districts.
The duty station is in El Portal. The merit promotion vacancy announcement is FS-187483; the all sources vacancy announcement is FS-185114. For more information contact Joe Meyer at 209-379-1185.
Intermountain Region
Laura Joss Named Superintendent of Arches
DENVER — Laura Joss, a 14-year veteran of the National Park Service (NPS), has been named superintendent of Arches National Park, according to Intermountain Regional Director Steve Martin. Joss is expected to begin her new assignment on May 2.
Joss is currently serving as superintendent at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, and Hampton National Historic Site in Maryland.
"I am honored to be appointed superintendent of Arches National Park, and look forward to working with the park's outstanding staff, partners, and community leaders," Joss said. "My family and I are thrilled to join the Moab community, and will enjoy exploring the remarkable resources of the Colorado Plateau."
"We are extremely pleased that Laura has accepted the superintendency at Arches National Park," said regional director Steve Martin. "She possesses the background and professional qualifications that are critical to this challenging and very important position."
Joss received a B.A. degree in Anthropology from Indiana University, and an M.A. degree in History Museum Studies from the State University of New York's Cooperstown Graduate Program. She began her NPS career as a volunteer at Mesa Verde National Park, and has worked as either staff or consultant at a number of national parks and museums including Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site, Big Hole National Battlefield, The Indianapolis Children's Museum, New York State Museum, Onondaga Historical Association, Buffalo Museum of Science, New Jersey State Parks, and the John Wesley Powell Museum.
From 1994 to 2000 Joss served as chief for the branch of cultural resources at Yellowstone National Park. She oversaw the management of the archeology, ethnography, history, historic structures and cultural resource compliance programs, as well as the museum, library and archival collections. Joss initiated planning for a new museum storage facility, which is currently under construction. She also worked cooperatively with other divisions to manage the park's paleontological resources and cultural landscapes. Joss coordinated the Yellowstone Museum Partnership -- a group of 17 regional museums, historical societies, and national parks who work cooperatively on museum, library and archival projects. While at Yellowstone National Park, Joss served as the tribal liaison, working with 21 American Indian tribes.
In 1990, Joss became the National Park Service's Rocky Mountain Regional Office staff curator, and was regional curator from 1991 to 1994. Her duties included providing collection management assistance to 41 national park units within the former Rocky Mountain Region.
Joss is active in the Baltimore community, and a charter member of the Downtown Towson Rotary Club. Recently they awarded her with the designation of Rotary International's Paul Harris Fellow. Joss is on the advisory boards of the National Flag Day Foundation, Historic Towson, Inc. and the Baltimore City Heritage Area.
Joss is married to Stuart Meehan, who is a Media Specialist and Interpretive Planner for the National Park Service's Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network office in Annapolis. They met while working at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, and have two young daughters: Lindsay, age eight; and Elizabeth, age two.
--- NPS ---
[Submitted by Patricia Turley, patricia_turley@nps.gov, 505-988-6745]
Submission standards for the Morning Report can be found on the left side of the front page of InsideNPS. All reports should be submitted via email to Bill Halainen at Delaware Water Gap NRA, with a copy to your regional office and a copy to Dennis Burnett in Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO.
Prepared by the Division of Law Enforcement and Emergency Services, WASO, with the cooperation and support of Delaware Water Gap NRA.