Sonoma County’s park rangers are a step closer to losing their sworn peace officer status. This week, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors voted to endorse reclassifying park rangers as public officers. A proposed agreement, expected to be finalized later this year, would put the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office in charge of patrolling the regional park system instead. Park rangers would no longer be allowed to make arrests and use peace officer equipment, like batons. They already do not carry guns. Some park rangers are threatening to leave their jobs if they lose their peace officer status.
