Park Ranger Palmer, Retired: My Recollections of the Urban Realm

Essay 2: San Diego Police and Park Rangers on Patrol

On an ordinary day . . .

The call came out that a colleague was contacting a homeless man on Park Boulevard with the assistance of police officers. I was in the area and arrived in time to watch the spectacle unfold, as the man was subdued and cuffed after a minor kerfuffle. I can't say that there was anything remarkable about the situation, but it served as a reminder that rangers are increasingly called to enforce laws in addition to educating the public and maintaining habitat. With this in mind, what should a ranger's priorities be? In retirement, as I look back on a long and fulfilling career, this question still intrigues me.

Whether park rangers hold full peace officer status--perhaps even at the state or federal level--or serve as unsworn public officers, stewardship of the land is the primary duty. However, there is no way to divide things neatly, drawing a hard line between the ranger's traditional role as an interpreter and land manager and the need to enforce laws for public safety. And sometimes those roles conflict in interesting ways, the photo below offering an example.

When City of San Diego rangers--who are not sworn peace officers but public officers with less authority--tackle and cuff members of the public, trouble ensues. Should rangers stand down and wait for the police to arrive? On many occasions, taking action is necessary, although the judgement of the ranger in question may or may not be up to the task.

The ongoing story of patrol life in San Diego continues to call the role of park rangers into question. I wish my colleagues well in sorting through the matter, one call at a time.