Sadly, the federal government hasn’t been keeping the number of law enforcement rangers up, despite new records for park visitors every year. Just since 2021, more than a quarter of rangers have left the agency and were not replaced. Since 2010, 48% of ranger slots went vacant with no replacement. Many parks have few visitors during the off season and “shoulder seasons,” but seasonal ranger jobs have mostly disappeared, going from 825 slots in 2010, 323 in 2021, and only 43 positions in 2023. NPS special agents that conduct plainclothes investigations are also way down, with only 30 special agents on the job today.
“The Park Service’s ranger force is in deteriorating condition and getting worse,” stated Pacific PEER Director Jeff Ruch, pointing to the House proposed FY 2025 budget that would cut overall NPS funding by 12.5%, resulting in the loss of another estimated 1,000 park staff. “This steady ebb of ranger staffing puts both visitors and park resources at greater peril.”
Because National Park visitation is constantly growing, response times and the safety of the remaining officers are both getting far worse.