| Show - 6T The Salt Lake Tribune Sunday September 2 1990 National Park Service rangers battle rising tide of crime By Dirk Johnson NY Times News Service ' ' GRAND CANYON Ariz — When the sun melts into the canyon or a gentle breeze whispers past the Ponderosa Pine this national park seems to serve as a tranquil retreat from a noisy world That is until Paul Crawford a park ranger pulls on his bulletproof vest "Fighting stealing killing — we get it all" said Crawford who wears a 357 magnum revolver on his hip along with a billy club and handcuffs "People drop their guard when they come to the parks And that's why the criminals follow them here" Alarmed by violence in the parks including the shooting death of one ranger the National Park Service has urged all rangers to wear bulletproof vests While the statistics are sketchy the service says that crime is now a problem throughout the park system Drug smugglers gangs prowling campgrounds and car thieves are lured by the open spaces and the easy pickings To be sure the number of crimes are small compared with the thousands of visitors who enter the parks each summer day Still rangers and tourists are distressed that crime has now invaded even the national park system long prized as a sanctuary from the worst of urban and suburban life "Things have gotten a lot more intense" said Robert C Marriott a park service official in Washington "It used to be that we'd run into a belligerent drunk occassionally But now we run into people who are confrontational and violent We've had rangers beaten so badly they've had to take early retirement" Officials called for bulletproof vests after the killing of a ranger at the Gulf Islands National Park in Mississippi last year The ranger Robert L McGhee was shot to death after making a traffic stop on a park road In the past year rangers shot two men to death in separate armed battles at Lake Meade National Recreational Area near Las Vegas A ranger was injured in a fall over a cliff last year when he scuffled with a man he sought to question about an automobile theft The assailant who also fell was killed in the incident at Canyon de Chelly National Monu- ment in Arizona A major drug smuggling operation was uncovered this year in Big Bend National Park in Texas A few months ago rangers discovered a laboratory for an illegal drug in Joshua Tree National Park in California Since January rangers and drug agents have seized more than $500 million in narcotics from national parks Parks officials also warn that organized bands of thieves believe campgrounds are easy marks Officials say thieves lurk in the background at camp sites watching for people who leave valuables unguarded Perhaps lulled by the bucolic setting most tourists appear to believe that national parks are free from the dangers back home "Sure I leave things in the tent" a Detroit truck driver said as he walked into the woods with his family "That's one of the reasons I like camping It's not like the city where you have to lock everything up" Such an attitude can be quickly altered by a thief parks officials say "It's no secret that national parks are ripe grounds for larceny — autos camera equipment jewelry" said Ken Miller chief of visitor protection at Grand Canyon "The professional thieves are the hardest to deal with Our chances of catching up with them are slim at best A lot of people don't even bother to report the thefts since there's not much we can do" For that reason crime statistics in national parks are sketchy There were 18 homocides in national parks last year the same number as five - 1289: Pia (morns HONG KONG JEWEL -1- 1 WO Korean Aktinft induatat a ttto Hotel AT braaktut olt000hoo to Salgagort Bangkok IdiaLayook Bak 4 Mainland China ovoitobio km transtom -- tyl W1 TOKYOSATS - om'AUK 444 - LU-SAO SAPPORO- OSAKA—1175$ FUKUOKA NAGOTA-1- KATMANDU RT HONG SEOUL RT $7711 AT S11211 RT $720 RT SINGAPORE—PAO 111095 RI KONG CALCUTTA WO" 7 RT I 113SW Ask Patton& CO11204 Open Sat la to &WSW NI aaattatattiotStresoret a Swan flostrietiono rtoola &two Manor I ma 966-4241400-748-424- Sept triN I:1W The rral 12-1- 869 4 ottlittrort union -- - lir? - 1 ' 1:ateWs: c 'Ittgovir ' I: 1 I ' 1: 4 it t' e - - ---' col 11lAn313 5 s Sept $59 0 ‘ - 56668778 '- 17-2- ---1- -- tit- - 8289 ST GEORGE Sept A b - a vs BYU $pa :' 1440's ' ' ' -- - ' 9Y1:e1:-- - 58374038 facErrot-- PRICES FROM ssErtRAlo - Eig)art For your convenience we now accept the credit card of your choice VISAr 0 TRAVEL CROSSROAD '01:i1plorf Blvd f farMidila title'84047 : 'H ' ' -- ' i'''' lo jilt emb gam -- uite200 ' 506!5101 orttot fre 11400471 - i ' $849 CARD PLACE YOUR AD ("1991 ALASKA) - ' 0 "" lug For Sailing Dates LOVE BOAT SAVERS Other Destinations 0 - RE 3 4- - 49 2 8 PICK YOUR - Call L K06iwoomksAvilon62:4 - expRIESS TOUR° OURS - ti SOUTH PACIFIC SENIORS ' 3 Airpok- fugKeRocilans si SPECIALS P Man Las Vegas San Diego Harbor Cruise Sea World Tijuana with local guide Los Angeles Jousting Matches Disneyland NBC Tour Forest Lawn Reserved seats at the ROSE PARADE (Phantom of the Opera is offered to those booking early) ' :i ' Dec oadtazrgaitgzoeoir SOUTH AMERICA l' - YEAR'S HOLIDAY ORIENT 1 - ' ROSE PARADE & NEW i — MEDITERRANEAN 0 21099 - OF THE OPERA Oct 27Nov 3 CARIBBEAN SSEPNErAto DANISH DAYS (Solvang) 8 mat ALASKA 0 i GERMANY SENtORs0 $1295 1 23-N- TEMPLES & PHANTOM Oakland San Francisco harbor cruise Big Trees Railroad Big Sur Hearst Castle Solvang Los Angeles "Phantom" on Halloween Night Las Vegas St George PRINCESS CRUISES SPECIAL° r-- V'Ve' ' ' ' $ WESTERN LDS I ---- aga lip o 5 Quebec Montreal Ottawa Thousand Islands MOO Plo Etagt ct demi Ur Mary ENen 13 Sept 28-OBoston Vermont New Hampshire Maine Nova Scotia Cape Breton Island New Brunswick 0 1 5 L Wax '181646111a1gaisiom SENIORS° so) a ff g1 Di -ro- totistindlvsidamoogokgb10110or ' 16-2- - SPECIAL SOLV 6 23-2- i I ATLANTIC CANADA SENIORS° EUROPEAN TOUR 14-2- iiii diffilliiPPPPP PP '''''''''''''''''''''' ' 0 0 0 YEGAS ssErAt OREGON 1 27-O- Sept it - I LAS $28 0 — !I! CANYONS TOUR COLORFUL ve” btrMMIMIMS6 "1:900 ssEpNElcoIRArve $89 DINOSAURS : lieirlightsoottigi A 0 fi mertlr::Lnmor000sArmosalolgw14oktt two° & LAKE HAVASU 2 October Generation I Includes: Meals Hotels Transportation Temple Sessions and More 0 inclodet A Tam HAWAII DELUXE 3ISLAND 'a' 'aiirstsArldbraao(Ortikatl'andOtti or14 - - ssEpNErAt: 120 25-2- 7 0 0 Sept 0 O 0 Oct 0 e 0 Sept O 0 Oct AVE50 Anitwa-i-oratels- PELUXK'ESCORTEDJOUR - Las Vegas 0 0 22 - A CLAWSON SHIELDS MARTI si ST GEORGE 3 49 8-- SPECIALur ()Sept O O ZEALAND' ER7 & rtrir STRAL:farA 1 — i275 Ammy ' NEW ENGUND & 4) BITOURS kyACATIONS1661 2244570 LAS VEGAS 18-2- October SENIORSle HEBER CREEPER 0 Sept OUTSTANDING SOUTH PACIFIC TRAVEL BARGAIN - 19-2- "We used to get more people who just wanted to appreciate the natural scene to learn something about it" Benjamin said "That's not enough anymore People come for recrea More SPECIAL° LAUGHLIN O TEMPLE TOUR 2 ottAN 17-1- SENIORS° 8249 4 OBERAMMERGAU tmova tilos ""' owc" t&I is targetThe Utah state's ing Southern California — the tourism market — in a largest month-lon- g promotional campaign beginning Monday on two Los Angeles radio stations Commercials and vignettes on Utah will be broadcasting through Sept 29 on country muand KZIAsic stations KLAC-AFM In addition KLAC's Stoney Richards will be broadcasting live from Stein Eriksen's Lodge in Park 8 and from Moab's City Sept Grand County Travel Council Sept 1 Live broadcasts will air from 11 am to 3 pm mountain time parks Includes: Meals Hotels — —0 O Z re 2 0°41 031311311e11)1 market targets Travel Council Officials note a change in the attitudes about vacations at national Transportation Disneyland and No suitioRstA GAME MUCH MORE COLVIVaLMIES (East& West) specialmists $579 Nom 2 MESA TEMPLE CALL or WRITE 5259 SOUTH 2200 WEST SAX UT 84118 2 Radio campaign group" St George & Las Vegas Temples ° FOOTBALL tRANSPORTATION AlkW RI 710 RT 3 29-0- fie 3 1991 This tour December 30 may be short but it is loaded View the Rose from Parade reserved seats enjoy a New Years Eve Medieval dinner and entertainment Universal Studios Calico and much more RT -MS BANGKOK—MO RI let Cm) RI RI —NM o 0 ROSE PARADE SPECTACULAR KONG—Site AT RI WONG BANGKOK HONOLULU WOG KOK MOROI ULU E HONG KONG i HONOLU- kTAIPEI -- — 00-805-5 N vs HAWAII BYU w NOV- - 2 1991 Included on December 27 this tour are Holiday Bowl tickets if a local team is invited or a harbor dinner cruise Lawrence Welk dinner and theater San Diego Zoo and Sea World Disneyland or Universal Studios and re served seats at the Rose Parade and much more I clouters" as rangers call the professional thieves had looted valuables from a number of automobiles In one altercation Crawford drew his gun when a man pulled a knife after being stopped for a traffic violation They came to blows before the man was subdued and taken into custody Except for a bruised finger the ranger a native of Brooklyn emerged unscathed While professional thieves account for a significant part of the crime in the parks officials say much of the trouble results from good times gone awry "People are on vacation so they might have been drinking all day" said Miller "Sometimes people will fight with their neighbors But more often we get problems between people who came in the same LOS ANGELES ssEpNEIgRA$L4 a 4 1991 Celebrate December 27 with us the Tournament of Roses Parade highlighting exciting San Francisco the beautiful California coast Danish Solvang Universal City Catalina or Disneyland and much more ROSE PARADE A o' l'tolooNOI'' - 221-171- mobb 25-D- SAN DIEGO EXTRAVAGANZA UNIQUE TRAVEL 0 Toil (803) 7 38 Primo 1 NOBODY!! ssEPNErAtO A VeNottiCnoW'a-wiecari- Rg ltill PIK FALL FOLIAGE NEW ENGLAND 0 Sept 0 0 2313ot 5 811395 FOOTBALL 0 ! NovBYU VS HAWAII w 0 5 $1295 0 0 0 Sept 0 O gdeS 164'411 0 gy imp Lo"7 ROSE PARADE 0 Sept CALIFORNIA COAST TOUR fr ' during an argument and "car TEMPLE TOURS NOBODY HAS LOWER shi aljil PRICES From 1984 to 1989 the number of reported burglaries rose to 801 from 717 reported assaults dropped to 300 from 527 reported vehicle theft rose to 313 from 178 "They took my bicycle my money and all my credit cards" said Jenn De Rosa of Westfield NJ who has been camping across the country with a friend Steve Grillo "But I feel pretty safe We've got a knife a stick and each other" Crime in the parks has drastically changed the role of park rangers many of whom entered the field for a love of nature not police work ' tion They want a thrill They want some kind of a novel experience" And some of them get it Expecting to spend an idyllic week in a camp site some wind up behind bars at the park or get whisked to the jail in Flagstaff about 70 miles away The night before rangers were called to a bar where a tour leader and a bartender went to the wall over a difference of opinion A week earlier a man stabbed his wife in the neck 44010Ctwemon years earlier li cers a designation that would allow them to retire with a pension after 20 years instead of the present 30 The concentration of police duties together with the relatively low pay starting salaries are below $15000 have cut the waiting lines for park ranger jobs "Fifteen years ago you would have 20 qualified applicants for every job" Miller said "Today we have jobs that go unfilled because we can't find anyone" Much of the crime at Grand Canyon involves its permanent residents the men and women who work in the bars restaurants and stores within the park usually for low wages But rangers also get plenty of calls to the camp sites where alcohol is often implicated in problems It is not uncommon for rangers to mediate domestic disputes for example which rage in tents as surely as they do in homes "We get a level of crime that you'd expect in a city a couple of times this large" said Crawford a ranger who sat behind the wheel of the ranger cruiser his eyes open for anything that looked suspicious It would be a rather quiet night with only one campground dispute: a family from the Middle West and two young German men were vying for the same camping space "When I started I thought I'd be out here protecting the environment" said John C Benjamin a district ranger who holds a masters degree in forestry "I had no idea I would be breaking up bar fights investigating murders and making reports on assaults" Some hikers have learned that leaving automobiles alone can be risky "Everybody used to leave their gear in the car but you can't do that anymore" said Mike Waddell a manager at the Appalachian Moutain Club which provides huts for hikers in the White Mountains of New Hampshire Groups that sponsor hiking and camping say the wilderness remains relatively safe especially for people who travel in groups Steve Griffiths who heads tours for the Sierra Club said the group advises hikers of the safety in numbers "In general it's a good idea to hike with somebody not only because of crimes of violence but also accidents like falling or becoming ill" he said At Grand Canyon which holds about 20000 people on busy days the park ranger is essentially a police officer Indeed rangers have been lobbying Congress for recognioffi tion as federal 116025' DESERET NEWS WANT-7ADS! L143 — - South Main Salt take City Utah — 21alts 0 - - '4 116011640ahaAwaigahiasa4tilt4liaotoJtoMmolitmiktimad 0 1 e ' i A I1 kI r ib - t l'1 u i IDESVOM inllfl 0 EAV 1:1: tl 1 v Als r a ‘ 1 k ' (111PIATI ' 11 1(r (i-Hti II At-- °JO ((1e i --- FROM 7 nu - EACH WAY FLY-- c BASED ON ROUND TRIP DRIVE 11 HOTEL PHANTOM OF THE OPERA TOUR 3 1 Oct Nov 1618 Sept Try our van connecting service to the 21-2- PKG 19-2- Al ‘6i-- 4836464 ORLANDO ' A-- A 42dAvAiiiiy ': EACH in conionction land package LOWER FALL RATES! 483-656- 5 Mon-F- rt am-- 8 Sat 0 9 00 PHONE HOURS Mon Fn 8 00 Sat 9 00 am-53- 0 $1000 for one way)accommodations pm Al Ail COMPLETE PACKAGE CRUISE and transfers FREE CANCUN SEMINAR Learn Get all OTHER UTAH TICKET OUTLETS: Part City Dcgintown 5210611 Pmvo 3732021 Log81752' 5200 Soanetl Fork Bngnarn Cy Helm( C5 0ofr 2257600 Murray Ogoen 621 5450 Mogaday 2627171 IN Nt4 N I I Round trip airfare and 7 nights accommodations 104‘11 t 3 4z I AIR SERVICE S EPCOT mae - 7 z ea— A trom'f399 I cruise ALL CHARTER FLIGHTS VIA CONTINENTAL AIRLINES AND ARE SUBJECT TO THE TERMS OF THE OPERATOR PARTICIPANT CONTRACT Some Restnctions Apply I I the latest information via slides anti videos on: Sightseeing Tours and Local Attractions ' aounIttal Sandy West alloy 9646677 Rexburg Wane Faits 5239911 : I - WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 57:00 PM 250 East Morris Avenue (2430 South) about scuba diving sightseeing and tours pm 1 - FREE ORLANDO SEMINAR SEPTEMBER 47:00 PM 260 East Morris Avenue (2430 South) Get all the latest information via sloes and videos TRAVEL CLUB DISNEY INCLUDES: Round trip airfare 4 nights Orlando hotel TUESDAY ASK ABOUT OUR SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNT 1000 III) av7' INCLUDES - COMPLETE PACKAGE 7 nights --- ---- 00 on pm 0 ti! WAY BASED ON ROUND TRIP $679 1 worrOk irgilli ttirty waits: INCLUDES Round trip airfare from 1) e-ia- Ntm I NONSTOP COMPLETE PACKAGE trom$31114 $67 L le - VIA AMERICA (Add r L rl 4L215011 141:4:c' 4'N ti t 17reunviltiternIPpaulrrchased I OFFICE HOURS RESERVATIONS FOR: CALIFORNIA rd FROM 2 ISLAND PACKAGE First Class Accommodations— Inter-Islan- d Alrfare t accommodations WEST AIRLINES INCLUDES Round trip airfare and 7 nights accommodations q (6) 7:1N 0 (U) Li PEla-- A0AmMastia ' IP lidmaiokalikoMSSatalkidatiMit uiatmliau4aL!!iitaw4nrxtprzvitimaiontsimw5zaamiltmett4wiLzthltleurary-V--44m:'-'''-k7mM4M140 zwuls6 MEXICO Round trip air- fare from SLC & 3 nights hotel $ii3 cr 31 11 I VIA OAKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT COMPLETE PACKAGE DISNEYLAND PACKAGES AVAILABLE ALASKA HAWAII TOLL FREE I occupancy FROM following airports: Orange County Burbank and Long Beach from $89 each way Ontario from $99 each way PLUS an additional 22 Southern California cities from $89 each way vm114 t 143 uttil 1 I - FROM (Add $1000 for one way) Round trip air fare from SLC car rental based on double 'Y - h ' ra it‘i 1' - -- 4 ii10444do SUPEP 'E'---s:1- rptssamer:Nr - i - |
