FAQs

Why are Rangers important? What do you do?

Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Rangers are the first responders to emergencies within the preserves. When the preserve itself or its visitors face an emergency situation, it is the rangers who are the first responders on site. This protection is issued through three main elements – law enforcement, fire suppression, as well as emergency medical response and rescue. Whenever we get a call, we want to be capable of handling the situation, even at risk to ourselves in order to ensure the safety of the preserves and their visitors. However, the threat to the rangers’ personal safety is increased as the rangers get older with the increase in the retirement age. 

The Ranger law enforcement duties ensure the preserves are a benefit to all. By enforcing the District’s Ordinance Rangers protect sensitive habitats from damaging activities, and ensure physical safety to visitors by deterring dangerous or reckless behavior. These and other similar actions put Rangers at risk. Rangers are one of the most frequently assaulted groups of law enforcement due to the remoteness of the job and the inability for backup to respond quickly. However, we put ourselves on the line to protect the preserves and their visitors– a risk that only increases as rangers approach the new retirement age of 62. 

Fire suppression tactics are an increasingly important part of California open space, and Rangers are expected to engage with a fire by suppressing when possible and coordinating with supporting fire departments. This critically important work is physically demanding, comes with inherent risk, and also helps to keep our open spaces, visitors, and neighbors safe in the inevitable event of fires.

Rangers also come to the aid of injured preserve visitors and can be the deciding factor as to whether an injury is fatal or not. Equipped with a medical bag that includes tools to help assist with critical injuries in remote locations, park rangers are prepared to locate and assist park visitors who experience issues ranging from minor sprains and swellings to traumatic injuries or medical emergencies. Attending these incidents can require a great deal of physical exertion, sometimes physically carrying injured patients from the preserve using specialized equipment from remote locations.

All of these job duties are done in addition to occasional participation with search and rescue, preserve maintenance duties, natural resource projects, as well as providing visitor services and interpretive programs.

Why does Midpeninsula Rangers Peace Officers Association need to exist?

The Midpeninsula Rangers Peace Officers Association exists to be the labor representation and legal defense for Rangers, Lead Rangers, and Supervising Rangers who work for the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. We know that as peace officers there is an amount of risk to our jobs, and we are willing to accept that risk to keep visitors safe when they’re in one of the preserves under our jurisdiction. The physical risk is real– Rangers are one of the most frequently assaulted groups of law enforcement due to the remoteness of the job and the inability for backup to respond quickly. Without the MRPOA, Rangers are also at risk of potentially losing their job or being personally liable for following policy set by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. As Rangers there is potential for being fired for not following a policy because it’s poorly written, but there’s also a potential for being fired for following policy – the livelihood and future of Rangers is dependent on forces outside the control of the Ranger themselves. This is why Rangers need the MRPOA.

I got a warning or a citation at a Midpeninsula Regional Open Space Preserve. Why do you bother preserve visitors like this?

Part of the duties as Rangers and Peace Officers is to ensure that the preserves are a benefit that can be enjoyed by all. Enforcing the District’s Ordinances helps Rangers protect sensitive habitats from damaging activities and ensures physical safety to visitors by deterring dangerous or reckless behavior. According to the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District Policy, we are required to use the minimum level of enforcement necessary to gain compliance, but we are expected by our management to write citations and perform RADAR for bike speed to ensure the safety of preserve visitors. The regulations that govern Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District preserves are set by the District Board of Directors, who take public comment into consideration but operate independently. If you don’t agree with a warning or citation, we recommend you bring your concern to the District Board of Directors at their next public meeting.

Why are you at impasse with the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District?

We became park rangers because we care about protecting regional open space. We use the tools of law enforcement, fire suppression, and emergency medical response to make sure that this regional district is able to be a safe place for visitors to enjoy now, while preserving it for future generations.  

The Midpeninsula Open Space District has required that we continue to perform these labor-intensive and highly-skilled roles until the set retirement age of 62. Our question is whether the general public wants geriatric rangers coming to rescue them if there’s an accident on the trail or trying to protect this treasured space from fire season. We believe that park rangers should be on a Public Safety Retirement plan with the retirement age of 57 with the support and additional protection of Industrial Disability Retirement (IDR) if we are disabled on the job. The district has refused to acknowledge that Rangers put themselves at risk protecting the preserves and their visitors – something that no other role in the district does. The public wouldn’t receive the same value from the open space preserves if the nearest qualified first responders were physically unable to provide aid, or if they injured themselves in the process of administering it. This is why we are asking the district to change our retirement options.

For more frequently asked questions about contract negotiation with the District, check out our negotiation FAQs.