On Even Drier Land

Another week at Lake Mead National Recreation Area and another opportunity to learn about Visitor and Resource Protection. This week I was working with the Rangers over the Boulder District of Lake Mead. You may ask, what does Visitor and Resource Protection (VRP) entail? Well, thanks to the Organic Act, 16 U.S.C. 1, VRP staff essentially enforce all traffic, wildlife, and other laws that apply while within the park’s jurisdiction. Not only that, they provide emergency services to those in need as well, as many of the Law Enforcement Rangers here are EMT trained.

The second week was marked with all sorts of tasks the Law Enforcement Rangers have to perform while patrolling LAKE. I began my week with a patrol on the road towards Callville Bay where we spotted an abandoned water tanker. Initially we were alarmed as there was various debris and first-aid equipment strewn about the ground towards the front. We eventually called a tow company to recover the vehicle but we had to drain it of its water first. The likely case being that the vehicle was stolen and ditched once it ran out of fuel. 

The stolen water tanker being drained.

As the summer goes on the area is getting busier and busier on the weekdays and weekends. I have had several opportunities to play the essential role of what a backup officer may perform for another officer when addressing a contact in a safe situation. I am on the lookout for any weapons that may be used to harm an officer or myself, and I continue to communicate with the initial officer if I see anything. Should anything go wrong, I have a coordinated plan to either retreat to a safe area or call dispatch for assistance. However, those opportunities to perform as a sort of backup officer has made me more comfortable addressing someone during a traffic stop. 

One of the patrol boats located at Hemenway Harbor

I later had the opportunity to ride in one of the patrol boats to rescue man who was stranded on Fishfinder Cove due to his jet ski's engine malfunctioning. Since the park service cannot interfere with commercial operations that can be performed by a local business they cannot tow vehicles, they can only rescue the people not property. So, LAKE has a rotation of tow companies that are contacted for such situations involving vehicle retrieval. So, as I continue my internship here at Lake Mead National Recreation Area I will continue to experience more law enforcement contacts and situations that occur, whether it be on land or water. Allowing me to further my training with the National Park Service, and foster a deeper understanding of how the area operates.