By Michael Cabanatuan
Source San Francisco Chronicle
The labor union representing U.S. Park Police officers took complaints over pay and staffing levels public on Tuesday, urging people to stay away from San Francisco's Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Presidio National Park this summer. But park officials said the warning was unnecessary and that people should feel safe visiting.
The advisory, issued in a news release from the United States Park Police Fraternal Order of Police, said that "families should avoid unnecessary travel" to San Francisco's national parks because of what it called "an officer staffing crisis." The union did not provide year-to-year stats comparing crimes at the parks.
According to the union, the San Francisco field office of the U.S. Park Police has just 11 officers available to patrol the Presidio and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which includes Fort Mason, Fort Point, Lands End, Baker Beach, Ocean Beach and Fort Funston in San Francisco. Almost daily, overtime is required to make sure the police force meets the minimum staffing level of three patrol officers for the Presidio, which is required in a contract with the trust that runs the Presidio.
"With the Memorial Day holiday weekend here, millions of American families are putting the final touches on their summer vacation plans," said Kenneth Spencer, chairman of the union, in the release. "It saddens me to say that those plans should not include visits to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area or the Presidio because, simply put, they are not safe."
Officials with the U.S. Park Police and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area disputed the union's assertion.
"The safety of our staff and visitors is always our top priority and park areas remain open and available to the public we serve, especially during the last few years of this difficult pandemic," said Charlie Strickfaden, a spokesperson for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
Spencer said the staff at the San Francisco field office has been dwindling gradually and now has 32 sworn personnel 11 patrol officers. Two years ago, the office had 50 sworn officers, and it should have 83 sworn personnel, he said. A number of officer retirements are also looming, he said.
While many police forces around the Bay Area are short-staffed compared to police positions allocated in government budgets, Spencer blamed the problem in San Francisco on the disparity in pay between what the U.S. Park Police and local police departments are paying. He said a starting salary for a U.S. Park officer is $67,769 per year, while San Francisco officers receive a starting salary of $92,560.
"Staffing levels at the U.S. Park Police have reached crisis levels," Spencer said.
The police union is prohibited from negotiating park police salaries, which are set by Congress, but the union advocates for legislation such as HR 3924, which would boost pay by quickening pay-grade steps for officers. Spencer believes the legislation, which has been stalled, would help restore staffing levels.
"We want to get Speaker Pelosi's attention," Spencer said. "We want to work with (her) on this. She loves the Presidio, we love the Presidio and we want to be able to do our job. We're hoping she steps in."
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