Director says officer will get more respect, compliance with rules
By Barney Lerten and Amy Easley, KTVZ.COM
The Bend Metro Park and Recreation District plans to end its three-year park ranger program and instead enter into an agreement with the city to have a uniformed officer patrol the parks, to boost compliance with park rules, the district's executive director confirmed Monday night.
Erin Bennett, who has held the park ranger position, showed up at Monday night's park district budget meeting, the first of three nights, to urge that the program be retained, arguing it is a positive program that enhances the district's relationship with its users and costs less than a police officer would.
But district Executive Director Don Horton said of the change, "It's happening,"
"We have been talking for several months with police about having more police presence in the parks," he said. "The reason we're doing that is that we're just not getting the level of adherence to the rules in the parks, particularly with dogs off-leash," as well as a rising problem with vandalism.
"People won't obey the rules, even if she's standing there, telling them what they are," Horton told KTVZ.COM. "I think it needs to be someone with the authority a police officer carries. It's not necessarily about carrying a weapon, but the level of respect they get."
Hikers who use the parks said Tuesday there is a need to enforce the leash laws.
"When other people don't have their dogs on a leash, it makes it harder for me to take my dog out," said Katie Brandow.
"The worst thing in the world that you can see is a dog bite to the face," said Victor Hayton. "And then you have to break up a dog fight."
Horton said, "I made the decision to change the program. We're working out an agreement with the police department that they would have someone in the parks full-time. In the past, they would patrol the parks when something serious" occurred.
Horton said an intergovernmental agreement with the city of Bend is scheduled to come to the park board on May 20 and the city council the following night.
Bennett's husband, Jim, sent a note to friends, family and acquaintances Monday, asking them to support keeping the park ranger program and to urge the park board to overrule Horton's decision.
Jim Bennett said his wife was not solicited for any input before the decision, and added that in the nearly three years on the job, "her managers have NEVER ONCE even gone out with her to observe what she does in the parks!"
"The district has also failed to give her the tools she needed to do her job," he said, noting that was not allowed to issue citations for serious violations.
Horton said, "I think some people probably would respect (Bennett) more" if she had the power to write tickets, "but not to the same degree that you would respect a police officer. I think people are more accustomed to giving that to a police officer."
Jim Bennett said his wife's ranger duties go well beyond enforcing the rules and help to build a bond between the park district and its users.
"Everything from the children down at the river saying, 'What's that?' 'Oh, that's an otter!' to 'Hey, can you put your dog on a leash? Oh - and here's a dog treat.'"
Erin Bennett, who declined to speak while on-duty Tuesday, has been notified her job is ending May 25. But Horton said, "This is not a personnel issue. It's not a budget issue. It's a change in direction with the program, to make it successful. It has nothing to do with Erin - anybody in that position would have faced the same challenge."
But there is a cost issue, though police indicate the plans call for the park district paying for a full-time reserve officer. Jim Bennett said the ranger position was budgeted for $100,000 in the past year, and his wife receives "about half of that maybe a little more when you add in benefits."
Horton said, "Person for person, it is more expensive to hire a police officer. But we're also looking at the effectiveness of the program."
