Park Rangers

[lovetofish]

Just wondering? What good are these park rangers? Most of them time I see them sitting in their trucks for hours at end watching what? These guys get paid really well and during the winter what do they do? I think our money could be used to pay the local LE guys to come in and patrol. Many states I travel to do this or they only have seasonal rangers. I think they get paid over 35,000 for really only working three to four months out of the year. How can we change this so our tax money is being used for a better purpose?

[Dutch]

Get a petition campaign started, collect a few thousand signatures, and then send it to the DNR and cc to your legislators.

[NoLuck]

I don't know if I could sit here at home most of the time and make a good assumption of what the park ranger does the days that I am not there. I know I see them drive through the campground at night and during the day. Nor can I say what they should or should not be paid. I know I could not do the work that most LE do for what they are paid. I don't put my life on the line to defend the general public everyday. I know that the park ranger probably does not run as high of a risk as a municipal officer but he still runs the risk to some degree. If he didn't he would not be wearing a side arm.

What I don't know is if a park rangers job could not be done by someone else in uniform. It becomes a fine line for the PR to walk. If he does his job too well he becomes disliked and if he does not do his job to everyone's liking he is still in the same boat. I am just glad that they are there and provide a presence of some degree. Could it be done better???

Who is to say how it is to be done and to what degree??

It is easy to criticize but it is not so easy to come up with a good answer.

JM2C

[jdmidwest]

I would assume they serve a purpose to preserve order in a campground. If you want to continue to get rid of things at a park, why not the Park Superintendent, what is their purpose? They run the park and manage it. But really, it is just some woods and a stream, what management do they have to do? Decide which trees to trim this year? How about the park maint. guys? All they do is mow the grass and empty the trash. Next time you go to a park, take your weedeater and carry out your trash when you leave and they will not have a job either. How about the camp host? Well they work for free and answer your questions for a free camp spot while they are there. They shovel your fire pit and make use of the fire wood you leave behind.

[Buzz]

I happen to believe they are doing a good job when they just cruise through or stop at certain places along the river. If you aren't doing anything wrong it may look like they may not be earning thier money, but if you are doing something wrong you might want to pack up and leave.

The last time I was at Roaring River I saw a much greater presence than in the past. Come to think of it, I don't recall seeing any illegal fishing behavior. I guess they were earning thier paycheck that day.

What do they do every minute of thier day? I don't know that anymore than I know what a traffic cop does every minute he or she is on duty either, but it's good to know they are around.

[Trav]

darn bears keep stealing my picnic basket....wait a minute....

[troutfiend1985]

I would think we do not notice emergency response and law enforcement until we actually need them. I interned at a police department a couple of years ago and went on numerous ride alongs. Their job is hell for 15 minutes and boring for the next 45, repeat 8 to 12 times a day and call it a night.

Asking what the use of a park ranger is begs the question of whether you have had an emergency inside one of the parks. Have you ever reported poaching inside the park? Without rangers who would you go to? Ever had/witnessed a fight? Hopefully not, but without a ranger system you would be relying on the police/sheriffs department who may be ten to 15 minutes away. These situations represent the tip of the iceberg.

To me, it should be taken as a good thing that Park Rangers appear inactive. If they were continuously active then I do not know if I would go to a state park for fear of safety. Park Rangers have their use but they, just as other law enforcement agencies, respond to situations of need. Just my 2cents.

[lovetofish]

I would think we do not notice emergency response and law enforcement until we actually need them. I interned at a police department a couple of years ago and went on numerous ride alongs. Their job is hell for 15 minutes and boring for the next 45, repeat 8 to 12 times a day and call it a night.

Asking what the use of a park ranger is begs the question of whether you have had an emergency inside one of the parks. Have you ever reported poaching inside the park? Without rangers who would you go to? Ever had/witnessed a fight? Hopefully not, but without a ranger system you would be relying on the police/sheriffs department who may be ten to 15 minutes away. These situations represent the tip of the iceberg.

To me, it should be taken as a good thing that Park Rangers appear inactive. If they were continuously active then I do not know if I would go to a state park for fear of safety. Park Rangers have their use but they, just as other law enforcement agencies, respond to situations of need. Just my 2cents.

I looked at their roster on the MO Park sight. They have more office brass then most large counties have. Plus I bet counties would love to have a contract with the state so they could have another deputy on the road. I think they are a "nice thing" to have but budget is tight. Why do we have so many state law enforcement. We have Conservation, water patrol, state capital, highway, etc. Could not the state parks contract with one of those agencies to patrol. many states use either county or Conservation and Parks use the same LE guys. Seems MO just want to keep the high good old boys in jobs rather than using common sence.

[stlfisher]

Last time I was at Bennett I met the new Park Ranger. He stopped at our cabin the first night and politely asked us to turn down our radio. He then stayed and chatted with us for about 20 minutes. He stopped the next night as well just to chat etc. The main points we took away from listening to him is he spends most of his time cruising around the park at night and investigating any funny business he might see. There is certaintly a lot of down time, followed by a big spike in activity when situations occur. I almost felt a little sorry for the guy and he seemed thankful to have a group around to chat with. It was my impression that he was transferred to Bennett so I don't think you can choose were to go...that was my impression at least, but could I be wrong.

Anyway, I think it is a thankless job, but I am happy they are there.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I doubt that local LE would want to be burdened with a new set of regulations, etc. As soon as you lessen the availability of enforcement the better the chance of some event happening that literally destroys the parks reputation. There's more than a few small towns in this country who can attest to what happens when LE is overwhelmed by a lawless group. Parks are for family's and they need more protection than one or two adults can give.