Brookhaven now has rangers, and they have guns Town forms armed patrol to safeguard parks, beaches

September 04, 2008 | 12:19 PM Walker, Brookhaven Ranger? Maybe not, but Brookhaven Town has unveiled what it's calling "the most ambitious law enforcement initiative in over 20 years" — a new Park Ranger Division to be staffed exclusively by "trained law enforcement personnel" who will have "arresting power for crimes committed on town property," according to an Aug. 27 press release issued by the conservative Town Board majority announcing the new division. Councilwoman Jane Bonner (C-Rocky Point), the Town Board's liaison to the Brookhaven Department of Public Safety, said the arrival of the new rangers — who will be armed — is bad news for "vandals, environmental offenders and other criminals," and that the implementation of the Park Ranger Division "will take law enforcement to the next level in Brookhaven." "Town park rangers will make our parks, beaches and open-space properties safer for our residents," Bonner said in the release. "We're officially putting out notice … that town property is off limits, unless you want to be arrested." The division was scheduled to kick off Tuesday with the hiring of 10 "ranger candidates" with "law enforcement backgrounds," the release said. The candidates are slated to be trained at the Suffolk County Sheriff's Academy and also will be required to pass psychological and physical agility tests. Councilman Tim Mazzei (R-Blue Point) said the candidates should expect "a battery of rigorous physical, psychological and law enforcement testing standards." The addition of these rangers, he added, will ease the burden on the Suffolk County Police Department — which patrols Brookhaven Town — and help improve the standard of living for all town residents. "By focusing on quality-of-life and criminal mischief complaints, Brookhaven's park rangers will free up our Suffolk County police officers to focus on patrolling our streets and neighborhoods," Mazzei said in the release. After completing their training, the park rangers will have peace officer status, allowing them to carry sidearms and make arrests on town property when they witness a crime, the release added. The Park Ranger Division will operate under the town's Department of Public Safety and will report to the public safety commissioner and deputy commissioner. The rangers will "supplement our force of uniformed code enforcement officers who currently patrol town parks and facilities," Councilman Ed Romaine (R-Center Moriches), a former officer of the Public Safety Department, noted in the release. Among their duties, they will guard and patrol properties and buildings in town parks and on town beaches, on foot or in vehicles; enforce all town codes and legislation; and assist in searches for missing children and other missing persons at town parks and beaches, the release stated. They will also assist in "calming civil disorders and dealing with unruly persons as necessary," the release added. "These rangers will add a higher level of safety to our families who enjoy our parks and beaches, be a stronger presence at large concerts and other events to ensure crowd safety; and will be the eyes and ears in our pristine open-space parcels to protect their unspoiled environment from polluters and illegal dumping," said Councilwoman Kathy Walsh (R-Centereach). "The rangers will also ensure that our neighborhood parks remain free of loiterers and vandals ... eliminating criminal mischief complaints in these community assets at night."

Alert! The allowed time limit for adding new feedback to this item has expired.