Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has been pushing to purge national parks of more federal workers, but he has a grand plan to make these treasured public spaces great again: hire a bunch of cops.
On Monday, Burgum announced that the National Park Service is hiring 500 law enforcement officers.
“🚨@NatlParkService is hiring 500 elite law enforcement officers to protect America’s parks & monuments!” he wrote via X. “From remote wilderness to city streets, our officers & rangers are on the frontlines carrying out @POTUS’ directive to keep America SAFE!”
His big news comes nearly one month after the Interior Department announced plans to fire over 2,000 federal workers, including hundreds of parks employees.
That attempt is still tied up in court after Judge Susan Illston in the Northern District of California issued a temporary restraining order sought by federal employee unions.
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Interestingly, 300 of the 500 new positions announced by Burgum are spread across Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and New York City, according to the DOI press release.
When Daily Kos asked why the DOI chose those three cities in particular, they referred the question to their press release which, coincidentally, does not specify why.
However, the press release does outline a vague plan for these recruits to play officer rather than make national parks safe.
Visitors Kaori Nishimura and Eriko Kuboi, from Japan, pose in front of Half Dome at Yosemite National Park on Oct. 17, 2013.
“These efforts reflect the Administration’s strong commitment to public safety, law and order, and the protection of the American people and their public lands,” the release says.
National Park Service Deputy Director for Operations Frank Lands also said in the press release that the officers will “help protect irreplaceable resources, support our park communities, and ensure millions of visitors can enjoy their national parks safely.”
Alarms have already been sounded about Burgum’s plan to offload employees focused on conservation and park health.
Many NPS insiders have already flagged the concerning conditions of the parks and visitors’ safety after the chaos that erupted during the 44-days-long government shutdown.
In Joshua Tree, a wildfire raged across 72 acres. Illegal base jumpers hurried to Yosemite National Park to capitalize on the staffing shortage. A stone wall was demolished in Gettysburg National Military Park.
But for many, it goes deeper than what is happening to the parks today—because Burgum’s layoffs will have long-term impacts on conservation efforts.
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“They’re only here to create playgrounds for people,” a ranger at a California park told Outside about Trump administration officials. “They’re totally missing half of the point.”
And while Burgum’s misguided hiring spree might protect certain monuments and lead to the arrest of flagrant rulebreakers, a coterie of cops won’t be able to fix the damage done or help keep our country’s natural wonders healthy for years to come.
Former NPS Director Jonathan Jarvis said in a statement to Outside that these decisions could be more dire than anyone realizes.
“Over the next three years or so, unless Congress steps in, the Park Service will be pretty seriously damaged, you might almost say dismantled,” Jarvis warned.
