Wow...Anyone else having that weird deja vu feeling? Maybe that's because the NPS told congress that the Park Police were under staffed by 20% in 2000. Perhaps it's because U.S. Park Police Chief Teresa Chambers told The Washington Post in 2003 that her agency was under staffed and subsequently fired for her outrageous comments.
National Mall Crimes Expose U.S. Park Police Officer Shortage (YubaNet.com)
The recent series of crimes on the National Mall underscore warnings raised in December 2003 by then-Chief Teresa Chambers about the effects of staff shortages in the U.S. Park Police, according to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). Chambers, who contended that the Park Police was not adequately staffed to meet its law enforcement obligations in the nation's capital, was fired for confirming those conditions in an interview with The Washington Post, a termination she is still seeking to overturn.Will the current U.S. Park Police Chief Dwight E. Pettiford face the same fate as Teresa Chambers? No, of course not, because Pettiford has not stated that the park police are under staffed. Pettiford believes they simply need to shift their hours and patrol locations.
Park Police Shift Duties To Increase Mall Patrols (Washington Post)
U.S. Park Police shifted their hours and their patrol duties to swarm the Mall yesterday, declaring the nation's back yard "safe for everyone, day and night," despite a recent string of robberies.Looks like someone has a bright political career in his future.
"The Mall is safe," U.S. Park Police Chief Dwight E. Pettiford said. "It is safe, but just like anywhere we go in the world, we have to take our own precautions."
3 comments:
Hell- the Park Police has been reduced to starving their patrol horses.
However, according to Chief Pettiford, "This is better for 'em in the long run; a lot of those horses looked like they oughta be oinking instead of neighing, if you know what I'm saying."
Ranger Bob,
You may be on to something big. Maybe the rangers should ride pigs instead of horses. Then the park service could just feed the pigs food from the garbage. Just think, they would save money on animal feed and refuse dumping fees and get free fertilizer.
I heard from a USPP buddy that GSA "repossessed" some of the USPP patrol vehicles in DC. They had to call officers in from their beats, ask them to take all their stuff from the cars and off they went. Very sad state of affairs, and not at all like the grand USPP of old!!
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