Park Protection

What this funds

Park Protection activities support the NPS mission by contributing to the protection and preservation of natural and cultural resources and ensuring visitors can safely enjoy and experience the national parks. Park Protection plays a key role in serving the public interest through modern, professional law enforcement; physical security; emergency services, risk management and public health; fire and aviation management; and wilderness protection. These efforts include the preparation, response, recovery, and mitigation activities necessary to address public health emergencies, natural disasters, and other impactful The NPS provides for law enforcement and protection in parks. This is an integral component in keeping our natural and cultural resources unimpaired for future generations, providing the public the opportunity to enjoy the national park units in a safe manner, and providing employees a safe place of employment. NPS law enforcement personnel perform a variety of functions, including protecting and preserving resources, park lands and areas with special protection designations, such as wilderness areas and Icon status; ensuring the safety of visitors and providing search and rescue and emergency medical services; managing large-scale incidents and developing emergencies, including structural fires and natural disasters, such as hurricanes; and providing a level of on-the-ground customer service that has long been the tradition of the National Park Service. Law Enforcement Operations - Park law enforcement rangers provide critical services to ensure visitor and employee safety and security, protection of park resources, deterrence of drug operations and other illegal activities in park areas, and apprehension of criminal violators. The United States Park Police (USPP) supports these efforts and provides law enforcement services to designated National Park Service sites in the metropolitan areas of Washington, D.C., New York City, and San Francisco. Border Security -The NPS utilizes law enforcement park rangers and special agents to provide protection of park resources and ensure visitor and employee safety on park lands adjacent to international borders. The NPS collaborates with other Federal, State, and local law enforcement authorities on border security issues impacting park lands adjacent to international borders. Counter-Drug Operations - The NPS works diligently to ensure that all pertinent Federal laws and regulations are enforced within park units. The NPS, in concert with the U.S. Forest Service, Department actively combats illegal drug operations in park areas. Through these efforts, the NPS aligns with Federal drug control priorities by supporting the operations of agencies with drug enforcement missions within NPS lands and reducing drug production and trafficking. These efforts are an integral component in keeping our resources protected for future generations and providing the public the opportunity to enjoy National Icon Protection - The USPP and other law enforcement rangers work to protect each of the park units, and enhanced physical security is required at iconic national parks such as the Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, the Washington Monument, and the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials to address intrusions, vulnerabilities, and potential terrorist threats.

Extracted from National Park Service, p. 20. Verbatim; nothing here is paraphrased.

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