Take Your Child to Work Day

QUESTION:

Does RivCo Parks encourage “Bring your kid to work” day? If not, is there a possibility to make this a RivCo Parks tradition? Many of us have children, some of our children even look at us as if we wear capes. I think it would be an amazing opportunity to inspire our future generations on the many aspects of our love for the outdoors.

ANSWER:

YES! RivCoParks has participated in "Take Your Child to Work Day" in the past (pre-pandemic) and YES, we would encourage participation once again. We're currently exploring how we might participate this upcoming year and will share that information as soon as we have it ready. Thank you for the suggestion!

Issues (Opportunities for Improvement)

QUESTION:

I have noticed a number of items that need to be addressed:

• Service Now Tickets - where do the tickets get routed, how is work prioritized, and how to I follow up on the status of my requests?

• Systems, Permits and Maintenance - who is responsible for assuring systems (like fire systems) are maintained and tested and other permitted items (generators, water tanks, compression tanks, etc.) are maintained and permitted on time? How do we keep track of the status?

• Urgent Requests - is there a way to expedite the purchasing process to address urgent items, like repairing a non-working fire suppression system?

• Maintenance Efficiencies - a reported water leak took 3 months to fix. The delay cost the District $3k in excess water usage and the fix was only $400. How can we prioritize these repairs to improve efficiencies and save valuable resources?

Submitted by: Peter H.

ANSWER:

Thank you for speaking up and calling attention to these items. I appreciate you have the perspective of fixing what might not be working, instead of operating as status quo. We can improve with people like you on our team helping us get there.

• Service Now Tickets - Service Now Tickets are routed to a supervisor/manager or program lead depending on the type of ticket submitted. For example, Maintenance Tickets get routed based on the location selected. Some go to the designated Maintenance Supervisor or Ranger Supervisor, while others go to the District Maintenance Team to be prioritized and addressed. All tickets require a supervisor's approval before the work can be done.

Once your ticket is submitted and approved, you should receive an email notifying you of the status and periodic updates as the ticket is worked on or closed.

• Systems, Permits and Maintenance - The lead of each site is responsible for assuring all site assets are properly maintained. Depending on the site, it's either a Maintenance Supervisor, Park Ranger Supervisor (if there is not a Maintenance Supervisor at the site), Interpreter, or Park Facilities Coordinator. If you have specific concerns about a particular site, please start with speaking directly to the Chief in charge of that area to determine who is the responsible staff member.

In terms of tracking, each site has a maintenance Management Plan that identifies routine and episodic maintenance needs. When items are inspected, they are manually logged on the MMP or designated inspection sheet. In some cases, this is an excel spreadsheet, and in some cases it's through ArcGIS surveys.

• Urgent Requests - Yes, there are emergency procurement procedures for items of urgency. Our procurement team can assist you with determining the best/fastest way to address these items when they arise. The best way to plan for routine maintenance is to enter into agreements with vendors for multiple years to avoid the emergency situations.

• Maintenance Efficiencies - Communication is key to ensuring quick and efficient responses to urgent maintenance needs. Rather than just submitting a ticket, follow up with a phone call or email to you supervisor and the supervisor in charge of the fix to let them know what is happening. By giving them a "heads up" they can look for the ticket or start working on a repair right away. No response? Don't wait. Call the next person in the chain of command to get things moving if necessary.

Use of Protective Vests/Body Armor

QUESTION:

It's been noticed that some Rangers are allowed to wear protective vests while others are not.  If the safety of employees and especially Rangers are of paramount importance why aren't all Rangers allowed to utilize this safety protocol?  All Rangers are allowed to carry pepper spray and a bite stick yet not all of them are allowed to wear a vest.  This doesn't make sense and makes one set of Rangers safety seem more important than others.  All Rangers are routinely put into situations that could prove to be dangerous whether it's from intoxicated guests with knives and possibly guns close at hand to the unhoused who may be influenced by banned substances and as such should be offered the same amount of protection.  Can this be changed?  Can all of our Rangers receive the same safety measures across the board?

ANSWER:

Thank you for submitting your inquiry about the use of protective vests (body armor). Safety concerns are taken seriously and our solutions must remain calculated, objective, and supported with relevant data.

Mission and Values of RivCoParks:

Before I address your specific body armor question, I think it’s important to remember who we are and what our role is with the communities we serve. Our mission is to create spaces that are both accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Our core values - being community-centric, inclusive, providing exceptional service, and acting as responsible stewards - define who we are. While we deeply respect the role of law enforcement, our Park Ranger's focus is on enhancing the guest experience by fostering a warm and welcoming environment. To support this goal, we strive to provide guidance on how visitors can safely enjoy our spaces. The presence of body armor and defensive tools can sometimes create a different visual impression, potentially making guests feel uneasy and suggesting an atmosphere of concern rather than the safety and enjoyment we work hard to maintain.

History of Body Armor, Pepper Spray, and Batons:

To give you some historical background, when we first considered allowing rangers to utilize pepper spray and batons as defensive tools, then to wear body armor, our internal Ranger Safety Group had identified an uptick in interactions that included contact with animals (aggressive dogs off leash, wild boars, etc.),  contact with unauthorized target shooters (high powered rifles, semi-automatic rifles and side arms), and seasonal contact with hunters (deer, quail, pig, dove, and turkey) with the potential of errand shot, ricochet, or negligent discharge during hunting license check. There were also an increasing number of engagements with unhoused individuals in open-space areas and illegal marijuana grows where access was limited and response by law enforcement may be delayed.

The Ranger Safety Group presented their analysis of issues, similar agency best practices, and potential solutions to the RivCoParks executive team for review. After consultation with human resources, risk management, and legal counsel, it was determined use of pepper spray and batons could assist with defending against attacks by a dangerous animal or person, allowing employees an opportunity to retreat to safety and call for help. Several years later, body armor was added in limited situations/areas based on the objective risks present and type of work being done, though no documented incidents of attacks had occurred.

The overall goals in any of our defensive measures are to:  

1. Obtain willing compliance through calm communication (if it's not calm it's not effective)

2. Know when to engage further (if the person is intoxicated or combative, further discussion will probably not help)

3. Know when to pull back to our safety zones and contact local law enforcement for further support.

Fortunately, the above goals, combined with a focus on our mission and values, have greatly limited the number of actual incidents where use of a baton or pepper spray have been necessary. In fact, I can count on one hand the number of times they’ve even been deployed. In terms of body armor, no incidents have occurred where body armor was the determining factor in injury prevention. This is a good thing. It means that our training, engagement, and response methods are effective.

What Next?

I know I cannot cover all your concerns without mutual dialogue, but we remain committed to maintaining a safe environment for our employees and guests. Our monthly Supervisor meetings and Ranger Safety Group meetings are the intended forums for topics like this one. Please talk to your Area Manager to get your concern scheduled on the next agenda for further peer discussion and evaluation.   For further details on our policies, discussion about your concerns, and potential solutions, please reach out to Chief McLain anytime.