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Show Director Mmmd A long-time special agent with the Department of the Interior has been named to direct the Bureau of Land Management's Manage-ment's law enforcement program prog-ram in Utah. He is Clarence Thompson, who will work closely with BLM's five district offices, as well as with state and local law enforcement agencies, to develop de-velop law enforcement programs pro-grams designed to meet each district's needs. Paul L. Howard, BLM state director for Utah, stressed that until recently, BLM has not employed professional law enforcement personnel to direct di-rect and operate effective enforcement programs. He added that personnel such as Thompson are necessary to keep pace with the increased public activity on BLM-admin-istered national resource lands in Utah. The BLM's law enforcement program will enable the Bureau to more closely protect historical sites and irreplaceable irreplace-able artifacts under the terms of the 1906 Antiquities Act; to curb violations of the 1971 Wild Horse and Burro Act; to stein arson and vandalism on national resource hinds; and to foster cooperation between the BLM and state and local agencies in regulating the use of BLM land for public recreation, with particular emphasis on the proper use of off-road vehicles. Thompson stressed that the BLM's efforts will also .be aimed at educating those uninformed individuals who might otherwise unwittingly violate laws governing public use of national resource lands, through misunderstanding rather ra-ther than malicious intent. By educating the public to the contents of the laws, as well as the reasoning behind their existence, Thompson feels the BLM's law enforcement per- ' sonnel will be better able to concentrate their efforts on prosecuting willful violators. "What we are seeking, of course," Thompson explained, explain-ed, "is voluntary compliance by the public in protecting our American heritage and resources resour-ces - and most individuals will comply if properly informed. However, the BLM's law enforcement program is necessary nec-essary to deal with those who, unfortunately, choose to ignore ig-nore the laws." Mr Howard emphasized that the new BLM special agent will be concerned with planning plann-ing and directing the Bureau's law enforcement program but will continue to work closely with state and local officers in carrying out the program. |