The role of all Sonoma County Park Rangers is about to be changed. Today, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors will consider reclassifying the County’s Park Rangers from peace officer status to public officer status. This would mean that park rangers would no longer have the authority to make arrests and instead will be focusing more on stewardship and park oversight. If passed, the board would then vote on a contract between Regional Parks and the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office which will dedicate five officers to a Regional Parks Unit. While the changes come at the recommendation of several leaders within Regional Parks, the park rangers and the Sonoma County Law Enforcement Association object to the move saying it will affect their ability to respond to emergencies.
Sonoma County Park Rangers About to Lose Peace Officer Status
