Michigan state park police want guns, body armor, say it's a dangerous job

Steve Pepple | Detroit Free Press

The officers who patrol Michigan’s state parks say they should be allowed to carry guns and wear soft body armor to protect themselves from unruly visitors.

The officers have a dangerous job, according to their labor union, despite the idyllic scene portrayed in Pure Michigan advertisements of sandy beaches, towering dunes and beautiful sunsets

“State park officers have been called on to keep the peace during fights and riots in state parks which have resulted in arrests and injuries,” the Michigan State Employees Association said in a press release. “Incidents have included gang-related activity, drug and alcohol abuse, disorderly conducts and a more than 300-person riot.”

The news release didn’t specify where the riot was, but MSEA President Ken Moore called the situation dire.

"Incidents that state park officers have had to deal with are increasing in frequency and becoming ever more dangerous for them and for their seasonal workers,” Moore said. “Our state park officers are serving and protecting Michigan’s citizens with insufficient training, improper tools, lack of equipment and inadequate backup. What is it going to take for our officials to do something about this escalating situation which has gotten worse every year?"

According to the MSEA, state park officers are commissioned peace officers and are expected to do the job of a typical city police officer, but they are not issued a sidearm, Taser, soft body armor, or adequate communications equipment.

Moore says the situation not only affects the officers' safety, but the public's safety.

The union has filed a complaint with the state Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

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The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is happy to evaluate the union’s concerns, said spokesman Ed Golder.

“The safety of our employees and the public is of paramount importance, and we constantly evaluating that,” he said.

Golder contested the union’s allegations that the number of incidents at state parks is escalating or that parks are unsafe.

Michigan has 320 state park officers who are equipped with pepper spray, batons and handcuffs. The state has about 220 conservation officers, who are allowed to carry guns, Golder said. 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 12,000-mile trail system. The park system gets about 27 million visitors annually.

State police also regularly patrol some state parks, including Belle Isle, where they have an established daily presence.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.