This happened on Belle Isle, one of Detroit's nicer parks. I used to go there a lot when I lived in the city.

"White Privilege" ? Sheesh, the guy thinks he's at a Starbucks.
Link

Union: Belle Isle Assault Shows Need to Arm Rangers
The union for state park officers says the weekend assault of a ranger on Belle Isle illustrates why its members need guns, Tasers and bulletproof vests to protect themselves from disorderly visitors.

In Saturday's incident, the female officer was locking up a restroom about 9:30 p.m. when a man tried to go past her to enter the facility at Strand and Woodside. When she told him the restroom was closed, he pushed her, causing her to fall into a trash can, according to the Michigan State Police, which is investigating the incident.

Before leaving, the man muttered something about the woman's "white privilege," then left the area, according to the State Police. He was described as black, about 6-foot-2-inches tall and thin, wearing a short-sleeved shirt with black shorts.

State Police spokesman Lt. Mike Shaw said no one had been arrested as of Monday afternoon.

Ken Moore, president of the Michigan State Employees Association, said the officer who was pushed and others who work on Belle Isle told him after Saturday's incident that they "deal with these kinds of circumstances frequently."

The union, which had filed a complaint with the state Occupational Safety and Health Administration over the issue, says its 320 members report facing dangerous situations at parks across Michigan without the proper gear to defend themselves and keep visitors safe.

Moore said union officials have been gathering information on violence in state parks since 2017, when a 300-person fight broke out at Grand Haven State Park.

"We're alarmed by things we've been finding out," Moore said. "[Park officers] are running across loaded weaponry. They have in their defense a baton and pepper spray. To me, that's alarming."

He added: "I want resolution to the safety concerns. This situation needs to be fixed. Changes need to be made before someone is killed."

Leslie Bell, 75, and Carol Bell, 75, who were relaxing in lawn chairs Monday on Belle Isle, disagreed on whether park rangers should be armed.

"I'm not sure a gun will take us back to the way things were," Carol Bell said, saying she used to feel safe bringing her young son to Belle Isle and taking a nap under a tree. "That's going to escalate things even more."

Her husband, however, said officers patrolling the island need to be armed to keep order. "The park ranger has to have authority," Leslie Bell said. "I think they should have guns."

But the Bells, who are black, agreed the officer in Saturday's incident handled it properly and dismissed the visitor's claim that she exercised "white privilege."

"That phrase only escalates things," Carol Bell said. "Her duty was to close the restroom. She has to do her job. Everyone wants 'me first.' Nobody is above the law."

Hannah Robinson, 31, lives in Oak Park and visits Belle Isle fairly often. She doesn't think it's necessary for state park officers to carry firearms. While she felt unsafe on Belle Isle when she was younger, she says a lot has been done there over the last 10 years to make it safer.


Hannah Robinson, 31, of Oak Park, says she feels safe on Belle Isle and that the DNR officers do not need to carry a hand gun. (Photo: Clarence Tabb Jr., The Detroit News)

"I've never once felt I needed someone with a firearm to protect me," she said last week.

Reached last week, Ron Olson, chief of the Parks and Recreation division of the DNR, said violence is not escalating in state parks. Under the current system, he says, if park rangers find themselves in a situation they are not prepared to handle, they are required to call law enforcement to assist.

Beyond local law officials, Olson says conservation officers, who are armed, are scheduled to patrol state parks for large events and other times they might be needed.

Olson did not respond to requests for comment Monday about the Belle Isle incident.

The state has about 220 conservation officers, said Ed Golder, a DNR spokesman. Park officers only receive seven weeks of training while conservation officers undergo 22 weeks of training from the Michigan State Police, he said.

Park officers and conservation officers monitor the state’s 103 state parks, 134 state forest campgrounds and a 12,000-mile trail system. The park system gets about 27 million visitors annually.

"Michigan State Parks has had this system for about 40 years," Olson said. "We have an excellent relationship with local police. By far, situations have been handled adequately. The vast majority of parks don't need conservation officers. The system works very well."

I examined the photo of Hanna Robinson very carefully. She's not packing a pistol, taser, or wearing a vest.

I can confirm the above. However, I think she is deep concealing her intellect.....in fact, I suspect she left it home.

My niece had a similar experience in a major west coast city. She was a cop before joining the city park rangers.

While working in a large park, she was attacked by a man with a knife and instictively reached for her gun. Ooops, she was no longer LEO so no gun. She and her partner struggled with the guy. They eventually overpowered him but were both injured, her partner (and the perp) fairly seriously IIRC.

She tried to get permission for park rangers (or at least her since she was former LEO) to be armed and was denied, so she quit.

Nuke Detroit and start over in 40-50 years.

quote:

"I've never once felt I needed someone with a firearm to protect me," she said last week

Hey sweetheart, watch the Eleven O'Clock news on 2,4 or 7 especially on the weekends? Bought gasoline at a neighborhood gas station especially at night? How about venturing out from the gentrified areas to "get a feel for the neighborhoods"?

Even Police Chief Craig backs citizens being armed. In his first few weeks on the job a guy tried to carjack him......

Sometimes the stupidity in people amazes me. Keep pulling the tail of the dragon, sometime the dragon will burn you.

quote:

"I've never once felt I needed someone with a firearm to protect me," she said last week

Oh, well shit if you've never felt the need then the need clearly must not exist right?

Seems to me, since the subject of race was muttered during the assualt, this would kinda be like , well, you know, a

Hate crime?

"Hannah Robinson, 31, of Oak Park, says she feels safe on Belle Isle and that the DNR officers do not need to carry a hand gun."


Well, there ya go, an expert opinion. We can all let this drop now... you betcha.



.

I wonder if Hannah feels safe getting to Belle Isle? 14 miles through some of the "best" parts of Detroit to get to Belle Isle. Maybe she has a helicopter.

Hannah can do what she wants. CCW holders can legally carry in Michigan state parks, but not state park officers? Makes sense to me.

I have never understood why some state who employee full time permanent Park Rangers do not give them full Police powers and equipment. South Dakota has armed Seasonal LE Park Rangers just like the National Park Service.

quote:

Originally posted by 4859:
I have never understood why some state who employee full time permanent Park Rangers do not give them full Police powers and equipment. South Dakota has armed Seasonal LE Park Rangers just like the National Park Service.

I'd guess that cost and liability figure into the equation. Maybe optics too. If you are going to arm them, you need to train and equip them. If you are training them to a higher standard, you may have to pay them more. Certainly, if you are arming them, you are giving them more responsibility. If the agency is cheap and has been getting away without it, they may prefer not to arm, even without being anti-gun lefties. Cheap might be reason enough.

Insanity. Arm them and give them full LE training and arrest powers.
And if you do a little research, you will find that Rangers and Conservation Officer have very high rates of being assaulted.

I guess I've been away from Detroit a long time. When I was little we used to go to Belle Isle to the zoo and picnic. It turned into a massive shithole, used be called "little africa" later when I was in my 20s and lived there. Nobody went to Belle Isle anymore unless you were looking for trouble. I think the state took it over some years ago, did they manage to clean it up?

The article states they currently have a baton and pepper spray. It's a shame the ranger involved didn't get back up, follow this gentleman into the john and use the available tools to assert her will.

quote:

Originally posted by TigerDore:
"Hannah Robinson, 31, of Oak Park, says she feels safe on Belle Isle and that the DNR officers do not need to carry a hand gun."

These people really do serve a useful purpose...

I can safely say there is no way I would be a ranger, in uniform, and walk around unarmed. Talk about being nothing but a target with a huge X on your back - especially in today's world. No way, no how.

It’s all about the money. If you expect more from your employees, you have to pay more.

Sounds to me they are more park janitors not law enforcement. Monitor and report, don't get into "hands on" situations.
Let the guy go pee then lock it up ....?