INVESTIGATIVE REPORT-Who’s Protecting Us in the Parks?
GULF SHORES Ala.
By Rick McCann
BlueRAMMedia.com
March 2, 2025
In general, park ownership, management, and control fall under five different categories and so far, we have covered the city, county, and state-owned parks. All offer different amenities and services as well as various levels of physical security protecting those who use the parks.
National parks are owned and operated by the federal government and have a wide array of acreage, locations, terrain, topography, and remoteness.
The National Park Service (NPS) is the controlling agency that oversees all national parks and ensures that our parks are kept in good working order, and that includes protecting visitors from all predators, both the four- legged and the two-legged ones.
Our national parks all have rangers assigned to them and they perform many duties ranging from law enforcement to responding to medical emergencies, fires, and just about any type of situation arising in the park.
The NPS employs rangers to perform a variety of tasks, including law enforcement, visitor education, and resource protection
Some NPS rangers are primarily involved in law enforcement, while others work in a variety of public safety roles
The NPS also employs seasonal staff to help with visitor services during busy times who assist in a variety of duties.
The National Park Service employs both “Interpretive” Rangers, as well as law enforcement rangers who are federal officers with all police authority including enforcing traffic and criminal laws, environmental laws as well as regulations of the park system.
Interpretive Rangers are non-law enforcement and are stationed at parks to provide information on the park, monument or location, directions, and general customer service. They are unarmed and have no law enforcement authority. However, they are federal employees and at times will enforce park rules and regulations.
Most parks encompass thousands of acres and every imaginable mix of elevations, densely wooded areas, and off-grid sites, making it nearly impossible for security cameras to be used to protect visitors but electronic security cameras are used in some areas when possible.
The National Park Service rangers also use a wide range of vehicles and methods to cover the vastness of the parks that they patrol including off-road vehicles, horses, helicopters and planes, patrol vehicles, and foot power.
Alabama lists 11 sites that are part of the National Park Service including:
Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument
The Freedom Riders National Monument
Horseshoe Bend National Military Park
Little River Canyon National Preserve
Natchez Trace Parkway
The Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail
Russell Cave National Monument
Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail
Trail of Tears National Historic Trail
Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site
Crime is everywhere, including our national parks and the park staff, rangers and all employees, do their best to protect the millions of visitors each year.
The last type of park in the U.S., are privately owned parks such as amusement parks, private zoos and safaris, ski resorts and water parks, or other specialty parks. Disneyland and Disney World are two of the largest privately owned parks in the U.S. but there are plenty of others spread across the country offering a wide variety of fun and experiences.
While most states do not require that these parks provide any form of physical security, many do employ a security staff or contract their security services out to a private contract security agency.
Many of these parks also use electronic security, surveillance cameras, and other methods to monitor the security of their visitors, staff, and property.
Ultimately, it’s our responsibility to be vigilant, alert, cautious, and aware of our surroundings regardless of where we are.
Be prepared for the unthinkable but enjoy our beautiful, diverse parks. Stay safe!
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