Federal Manager's Daily Report

Figures provided by the National Park Service show that law enforcement ranks in national parks are shrinking even while public visitation to the parks is rising, according to the organization Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.

It said that the number of permanent rangers fell nearly 14 percent to about 1,300 over 2005-2016, while there was a similar percentage reduction in seasonal rangers working in the peak month of August to about 400.

Meanwhile, visitation has been at record high levels for the last three years at above 300 million visits in 2016, and 34 new park units have been added since 2009, bringing the number above 400.

There has been a “resulting increase in calls for law enforcement assistance, ranging from medical emergencies to visitors posing for selfies with wildlife,” it said.