That said, the parks community should keep making noise. Continue telling Rec and Parks and your City Council reps exactly what you need in your parks. The budget cannot be accepted as an excuse. Mealy-mouthed mumbling about "personnel matters", and "we just can't do it" are not acceptable. I'm sure most of you reading this consciously understand that those who get service in this City even in hard times get it because they do not accept no for an answer. Nor do they buy in to the strategy City officials use to shut down having to respond to a need. This letter is just one piece of that type of strategy. "Divide and Conquer" is another. Refuse to acknowledge this strategy and ask for, nay - DEMAND what you need in your parks.
Working together as a community, and with the Department, we can solve these problems to the betterment of everyone.
Please hang tough. It was inspiring to hear so many different communities telling Tom LaBonge the exact same thing no matter where they were from or which park they use:
-We need Park Rangers in our parks.
-We need Park Rangers on patrol.
-We need Park Rangers to be a tactical division, doing more not less.
-We need Park Rangers doing their full range of traditional duties:
1. Security and public safety
2. Firefighting
3. Search and rescue
4. Community Policing
5. Resource and wildlife protection
6. Education and interpretive services |
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Finally,
-Chief Torres should not be removed from the Park Ranger Division!
For background on this issue and links to audio from hearings and official documents, please see the below.
Thank you!
-Kristin Sabo
____________________________
Kristin C. Sabo
ksabo@wildwildwest.org
LINK to Park Ranger information and articles:
http://griffithparkwayist.blogspot.com/search/label/Park%20Rangers
LINK to Community Matters radio show discussion of this Park Ranger issue with Bill Murray, myself, and guest callers:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Bill-Murray/2009/10/10/Community-Matters--9pm-ET-6pm-PT |
