U.S. Park Police Receive Scathing Reviews

In another story about the inadequacies of our Homeland Security System, A government investigation into the U.S. Park Police states there is low morale, poor leadership, inadequate training and poor organization within the service. Outside of that, things are fine in our nation’s capital.

The Park Police is a group of 597 sworn officers, 97 civilians and 30 private security guards. The department is in charge of security at all the monuments in Washington as well as the Statue of Liberty and The Golden Gate Bridge.

The report states that a 9 month investigation found little actual security being conducted by the agency. From guards sleeping on duty, working crossword puzzles or talking on cell phones, the investigation also cited several instances where either guards could not be located or were at staffing levels under the minimums required by the Department of Homeland Security.

Incredibly, although all landmarks have been physically enhanced with barriers and other anti-terrorist physical impediments, the report states staffing levels are currently lower at these national treasures than before 2001.

The report also chastises the agencies poor and outdated equipment including patrol cars that are unreliable and subject to frequent break downs due to their excessive mileage. In over 40 visits to monuments it was repeatedly cited that cameras were either not functioning or in cases where they were, had no staff monitoring the screens.

Interviews with over a hundred Park Police personnel showed several problems with work conditions including complaints that the private security persons involved with security had no training and in several cases could not speak English thus making communication impossible.

With all these problems and more, one would think the director of the Park Police, Dwight E. Pettiford would be announcing his intentions to make sweeping changes to the agency. Instead, Pettiford has gone into damage control mode, denouncing many of the claims as hearsay or unreliable. Pettiford, who took over the consistently criticized agency in 2004, says he is doing a good job and just needs more time to make the agency even better.

The report, highly critical of the director, believes three years to get an agency of only 700 employees in line with security standards was more than an adequate amount of time for the director. It was noted in the Washington Post that the former director, Teresa C. Chambers, was replaced when she went on record as stating the force was inadequately funded, had poor resources and was understaffed. Such comments led to her ouster and a more politically friendly Pettiford was given the post.

Pettiford, showing his own lack of understanding of the need for adequate security uses the same lame excuse other inept security agencies are using to protect their jobs. In a quote to the Washington Post, Pettiford stated in regards to the monuments, “They’re still standing."

Indeed they all are. But is it because of security measures or a simple lack of interest by terrorists to do anything. Perhaps they have the same lack of interest that pervades our Homeland Security Department from actually doing things right. In the mean time we all must walk around with our fingers crossed hoping some fanatic doesn’t blow us up when we visit our treasures.