Why are assaults 'increasing' on rangers and park police?

[The_Outlaw]

Park rangers, wildlife refuge workers and U.S. Park Police experienced more assaults and threats from visitors last year than in 2011, according to a group that represents federal resource workers.

A total of 591 incidents were reported by six land and water agencies in 2012, up 38 percent from the previous year, the group says. More than one-quarter of the incidents involved some sort of violence against the employee or officer, the report by the advocacy group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility says.

More than half of 100 reported incidents against U.S. Park Police involved violence, the report said, including an incident where a suspected drunk driver tried to run over a police officer.

The report is set to be released on Monday. The Associated Press obtained a copy in advance. The report is based on figures obtained from the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and other agencies.

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Why is this happening?
Who or what is to blame?

 

[Treo]

2 Timothy 3
New King James Version (NKJV)

Perilous Times and Perilous Men3 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away

Next Question??????

 

[GB-Boater]

Too many laws, too much control. People are going to revolt. We may be seeing the beginning.

 

[K7lvo]

I voted "LE overstepping." It won't be long before the postman is armed and, when your dog barks at him from your fenced yard, will shoot your dog and arrest you.

The picture that comes to my mind is the old Robert Conrad battery commercial - "Knock this off of my shoulder!"

 

[CharlesMorrison]

Link Removed

For all the future armed postal workers!


Sent from behind enemy lines.

 

[Icemanii]

My son is a ranger at a park and I can tell you he often speaks of the stupidity of people visiting. Is the land there for all to use? Yes. But the rangers are a necessary evil due to the Self-centered clowns who feel they can do anything they want. Having seen some of this behavior out in the 'wild', I can understand his concerns.

As with anything we do, your rights to do so end where someone elses rights begin, and vice-versa. If your redneck drinking, partyining, shooting games are endangering or even just infringing on my quiet weekend in nature then you have overstepped your boundries.

Son tells me that most of the problems they have are with drunk idiots who think that having a bonfire that can be seen from the Space Station while music is playing loud enough to hear 3 counties over and screaming over the music is their 'right' because it is a public park.
Do some rangers get the I have a badge, I have the power mentality? Sure, as with everything, there are the bad apples. But the good overshadow the bad IMHO.

Myself, I have had nothing but good encounters with rangers, and I have visited Parks in over 30 states. Guess I am just lucky in that respect.

 

[The_Outlaw]

My son is a ranger at a park and I can tell you he often speaks of the stupidity of people visiting. Is the land there for all to use? Yes. But the rangers are a necessary evil due to the Self-centered clowns who feel they can do anything they want. Having seen some of this behavior out in the 'wild', I can understand his concerns.

As with anything we do, your rights to do so end where someone elses rights begin, and vice-versa. If your redneck drinking, partyining, shooting games are endangering or even just infringing on my quiet weekend in nature then you have overstepped your boundries.

Son tells me that most of the problems they have are with drunk idiots who think that having a bonfire that can be seen from the Space Station while music is playing loud enough to hear 3 counties over and screaming over the music is their 'right' because it is a public park.
Do some rangers get the I have a badge, I have the power mentality? Sure, as with everything, there are the bad apples. But the good overshadow the bad IMHO.

Myself, I have had nothing but good encounters with rangers, and I have visited Parks in over 30 states. Guess I am just lucky in that respect.

I can agree with most of your post, however, I have had a somewhat bad experience with a ranger in southern california when I was out trout fishing and minding my own damn business back in 1996.

The ranger was hispanic and he had a real bad attitude problem imvho.
(Reverse Discrimination Probably).

He wanted to see my fishing license (which was clearly exposed on the outside brim of my hat).
He ordered me to remove it from the clear protective plastic cover that I had placed it in (I complied).
He then ordered me to show him my drivers license (I complied).

He was intentionally acting disrespectful & confrontational by his demeanor & tone of voice imho, but I continued to be respectful towards him.

He also asked me if I was armed but I informed him "No Sir, I am not armed".
FYI; it's "impossible" for the average law abiding citizen to get a CCW (concealed handgun license) in southern california.

'Free country' my arse.

 

[tricolordad]

I voted that the citizens are out of control, but I really think that it is our society that is out of control. People blame phantom mental illnesses and not the individual, so after the schools coddle possible serial killers and tell them "it's ok, it's not your fault. You're a good person, even if you strangle animals and threaten women," a park ranger says "stop torturing animals or I will arrest you" and the out of control douchebag that society coddled tries to kill the ranger.

Another reason I am glad that we can carry in state parks, forests and national ones as well. Park rangers, game wardens and conservation staff are an extremely valuable resource. Without them, we would overhunt, overfish and some species would disappear altogether within a few months. I will always assist a DNR agent in need. Most of them exhibit the professionalism and good manners that used to be common among all LEO.

 

[Treo]

I voted that the citizens are out of control, but I really think that it is our society that is out of control. People blame phantom mental illnesses and not the individual, so after the schools coddle possible serial killers and tell them "it's ok, it's not your fault. You're a good person, even if you strangle animals and threaten women," a park ranger says "stop torturing animals or I will arrest you" and the out of control douchebag that society coddled tries to kill the ranger.

Another reason I am glad that we can carry in state parks, forests and national ones as well. Park rangers, game wardens and conservation staff are an extremely valuable resource. Without them, we would overhunt, overfish and some species would disappear altogether within a few months. I will always assist a DNR agent in need. Most of them exhibit the professionalism and good manners that used to be common among all LEO.

Oddly enough I find myself 100% in agreement with ths post

 

[HoJo]

It's called a lack of respect and it's a two way street.

 

[Billyjack]

I agree that respect is a two way street, I will not give respect where none is given... Most are cool guys, but I have ran into a few where i leave that are just straight up ***** holes..

Sent from cellular device

 

[farsidefan1]

I grew up going to Yellowstone National park a couple of times a yr to fish and do some sight seeing. I remember the rangers being friendly and helpful. I moved to California for a few yrs after grad school and then returned to Utah. I didn't get up that way for a few more yrs then some friends invited me to join them. One of my friends was older and walking was painful. When we finished fishing we were walking back to the car along the road. The older guy had left earlier and was maybe a quarter of a mile ahead of us. A ranger pulls up behind us and begins interrogation. He wanted to see our permits, why were we walking along the road, when we had arrived, how long we were staying. All in a very angry manner, like we were a menace to the park. He then goes up the road to my buddy and does the same to him. In fact he was still going after the guy when we walked up to that point.
I wrote it off as some young guy on a power trip having a bad day. The next year another friend and I took our boys fishing in the park using his boat. With it we could get over to parts of the lake few people get to fish. We were in a far corner and I had a very nice fish on when a ranger boat pull up beside us. They again are very aggressive. The other 3 on the boat showed them their permits. I smiled and said just a moment please, I will be done here in just a minute. They were REALLY ANGRY. They actually threatened to arrest me and haul all of us in for not cooperating. Now it only took me a few moments - not minutes to bring in and release the fish. I reevaluated the "one bad ranger" theory I had come up with before and concluded that there was a pervading attitude change on the part of the rangers that people were bad for the park and should be hassled till they stopped coming. I stopped into another ranger station manned by a couple of older gentlemen and as we discussed where to fish they were delightful to talk with. I asked what the hell was going on with the younger guys I had run into of late and they looked at each other, smiled and shrugged. They said it had been going on for a few years and it seemed to them that all the new hires had a "trees are good and people are evil and bad attitude".
That is what I think is going on. It starts at the top and has worked its way on down.

 

[jcreek]

I voted that the citizens are out of control, but I really think that it is our society that is out of control. People blame phantom mental illnesses and not the individual, so after the schools coddle possible serial killers and tell them "it's ok, it's not your fault. You're a good person, even if you strangle animals and threaten women," a park ranger says "stop torturing animals or I will arrest you" and the out of control douchebag that society coddled tries to kill the ranger.

Another reason I am glad that we can carry in state parks, forests and national ones as well. Park rangers, game wardens and conservation staff are an extremely valuable resource. Without them, we would overhunt, overfish and some species would disappear altogether within a few months. I will always assist a DNR agent in need. Most of them exhibit the professionalism and good manners that used to be common among all LEO.

I agree with this for the most part too. I have ran across a few stupid DNR officers though. I had one tell me I couldn't shoot trap where I was because my backstop wasn't high enough and I might hit somebody "walking around back there." I was shooting target load in a 150yd long abandoned quarry 25 miles from the nearest paved road... C'mon.

 

[jcreek]

As with anything we do, your rights to do so end where someone elses rights begin, and vice-versa. If your redneck drinking, partyining, shooting games are endangering or even just infringing on my quiet weekend in nature then you have overstepped your boundries.

So you're saying that if I'm out in the middle of a the forest shooting, and you're out hiking or camping and the noise happens to be bothering you I'm "overstepping my boundaries?" Endangering your safety is one thing, and making noise is another. You have the right to leave if it bothers you.

Every fall we have some hunters show up at the local shooting pit pissed off that we're out target shooting during hunting season and scaring away the game. Sorry, I don't hunt. And I'm not about to quit my hobby for two months just because it conflicts with yours.

 

[Icemanii]

So you're saying that if I'm out in the middle of a the forest shooting, and you're out hiking or camping and the noise happens to be bothering you I'm "overstepping my boundaries?" Endangering your safety is one thing, and making noise is another. You have the right to leave if it bothers you.

Every fall we have some hunters show up at the local shooting pit pissed off that we're out target shooting during hunting season and scaring away the game. Sorry, I don't hunt. And I'm not about to quit my hobby for two months just because it conflicts with yours.

You just go target shooting in the middle of the woods is what you are saying? Or a designated spot that you can control where the rounds go? I can't speak for WA but here in MI, I think you would have a problem with just indiscriminant shooting out in the woods.

So you are saying your right to make however much noise at whatever time you want is your 'right' and if others don't like it, they can leave? I believe most parks have rules regarding noise, so think you may want to look that up.

As I stated, my rights end where your rights to your weekend fun begin, they are the same BOTH ways. Neither of us has any more or less.

 

[UATKP]

I frequent a lot of parks... both national and state... and I've run across some rangers that are really nice people and some that are just horse's rears. I think for the most part, the one's that are the horse's rears are those who have run across some real dunderheads in dealing with the public, and they haven't quite yet learned how to separate themselves from one situation when confronted with another, (in that they allow a bad meeting to interfere with the next meeting with the public.) Just takes time to grow in their job.
And yes, I do understand that there are a few bad apples in every barrel...

 

[KSDeputy]

I agree with you tricolordad. In addition, being addicted to Gunsmoke, I like your photo of Ken Curtis, aka Festus! I am a retired deputy sheriff. I have the greatest respect for Wildlife Conservation Officers, as we call them in Kansas. They often encounter armed individuals, in areas where a back up officer is far, far away. A friend of mine who was a WCO encountered an individual fishing without a license, who he was trying to arrest. The person jumped in his truck and tried to flee but he made one mistake, he left the driver's side window down a few inches. My friend running along side the truck, popped the window out, grabbed him and arrested him as the truck was still moving. I happened to be at the jail when he was brought in. I decided to have a talk with him to make sure his mind was right, and assure that he would not give the correction officers any problems. I wasted my time, my friend the WCO took care of that when he made that amazing moving arrest.

 

[tricolordad]

I agree with you tricolordad. In addition, being addicted to Gunsmoke, I like your photo of Ken Curtis, aka Festus! I am a retired deputy sheriff. I have the greatest respect for Wildlife Conservation Officers, as we call them in Kansas. They often encounter armed individuals, in areas where a back up officer is far, far away. A friend of mine who was a WCO encountered an individual fishing without a license, who he was trying to arrest. The person jumped in his truck and tried to flee but he made one mistake, he left the driver's side window down a few inches. My friend running along side the truck, popped the window out, grabbed him and arrested him as the truck was still moving. I happened to be at the jail when he was brought in. I decided to have a talk with him to make sure his mind was right, and assure that he would not give the correction officers any problems. I wasted my time, my friend the WCO took care of that when he made that amazing moving arrest.

Haha that's awesome! People discount game wardens like they aren't real cops, but these dudes are in shape and better shots than most of us. They spend all their workdays climbing hills and mountains, clearing downed trees, dragging huge sometimes dead animals around, chasing poachers through swamps and all that. I'm in shape, but not like that lol. They remind me of my brothers at Bragg. Maybe there's a reason they're called "Rangers." Hooah!

Ken Curtus is the ****. Especially as Ernest T. Bass on The Andy Griffith Show lmao

 

[tricolordad]

So you're saying that if I'm out in the middle of a the forest shooting, and you're out hiking or camping and the noise happens to be bothering you I'm "overstepping my boundaries?" Endangering your safety is one thing, and making noise is another. You have the right to leave if it bothers you.

Every fall we have some hunters show up at the local shooting pit pissed off that we're out target shooting during hunting season and scaring away the game. Sorry, I don't hunt. And I'm not about to quit my hobby for two months just because it conflicts with yours.

Tell them it's bull. The younger animals (aka the stupid ones) run when they hear gunfire. The older more experienced ones hide. They just gotta learn to have patience and improve their tracking skills. In my experience, the best hunts are the ones late in the season. You've never been deer hunting until you step on a huge buck lol

 

[KSDeputy]

Tricolordad, as you know so much about Curtis, I guess you know he was one of the Sons of the Pioneers, as well. He got the mules he used on Gunsmoke from MO.