Tuesday, July 16, more than a dozen SEIU 1021 members at Sonoma County confronted their Board of Supervisors over its decision to remove peace officer status from park rangers. “Peace officer status” is a designation that allows rangers to perform duties similar to those of sheriff deputies within their parks, such as issuing citations, arresting people, and handling law enforcement situations. 

Josselyn Torres, a park program assistant, said in a statement: “Rangers undergo extensive training, including EMT and wilderness first responder certifications, making them uniquely qualified to handle situations specific to park environments.

“Park rangers also, as their essential job duty, know best how to navigate the tricky terrain that is our parks. Law enforcement officers, while skilled, do not have the specialized knowledge required for these unique challenges. Without their peace officer status, park rangers will be at risk, lacking the protection they need to perform their duties safely. For the public, that would mean delays and dangerous, harmful, and potentially lethal outcomes during emergencies.”

SEIU 1021 Sonoma County Chapter President Travis Balzarini echoed Torres’s concerns about safety: ”Imagine one of your loved ones needed dire life-saving help in one of Sonoma County’s parks. How would you like it if there were delays in getting your loved ones life-saving attention?”

SEIU 1021 members were joined by more than a dozen community members. Community members raised concerns about equity, noting that parks often serve as a space of peace and tranquility, particularly for communities of color who often do not have a trusting relationship with the County’s sheriff deputies.

While the Board ultimately voted to strip peace officer status from Sonoma County park rangers, negotiations continue to hammer out the details of what park rangers are and are not allowed to engage in to keep Sonoma County’s parks safe and fun.

SEIU 1021 members and allied community members put up a strong fight. Prior to the Board meeting, 160 people sent e-mails to the Board, urging them not to remove park rangers’ peace officer distinction.