Trump administration abruptly ends key law enforcement program at wildlife refuges - This is Huge!

[mysteryowl]

The Trump administration is abruptly ending a decades-long program that trained national wildlife refuge managers with law enforcement capabilities to police often remote spots of public land.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced to employees on Sept. 21 that refuge managers who were also trained to police the area would no longer be able to act in any enforcement capacity and would be stripped of their firearm, according to an internal FWS email shared with The Hill.

“It means there will be lots of violations, wildlife violations as in over-bagged hunting areas, damaged fences, signs, roads and all kinds of damage to the environment. If there is no one there to enforce the law, that would spread like wildfire,” said Kim Hanson, who retired from FWS in 2008 after more than 30 years at the agency. “It’s an extreme disservice to the American people because they expect us to take care.”

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/409455-trump-administration-ends-key-law-enforcement-program-at-wildlife

The hypocrisy! Republicans want to arm teachers, but the rangers can't have a gun? He removed their guns from them!!!

[Liberty Belle]

1. Absolutely shameful. I hope environmentalists have grounds to sue.

[mysteryowl]

2. I hope so too.

This gives thugs permission to destroy our public lands (essentially).

[Blue_true]

3. The sad thing is.

In the places that those people work in, they are the only law enforcement for miles. This change is going to not only cost wildlife life, but people's lives also. There will be more murders, rapes, violent assaults. Honestly, when I got to those places, seeing armed rangers makes me feel better.

[Fred Sanders]

4. Not good but not dire. 51 mostly retired officers are affected and not fired.

"There are 230 full-time law enforcement officers policing refuges and FWS officials say they plan to replace the vacant dual-officer positions with 15 full-time officers in 2019 as a way to modernize the enforcement ranks and save costs."

[ecstatic]

5. I just hope EVERYTHING trump has done can be undone on 1/20/21

Anyone who promises that gets my vote.

[KT2000]

6. like Malheur Wildlife Refuge

guess we will see more of these takeovers.

[jberryhill]

7. This is red meat to the Bundy crowd

[Demovictory9]

8. kick

[Duppers]

9. 😠