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Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Natural Resources Police Recognizes 25 New Graduates
Class is last to complete new cross training required for MPS, NRP consolidation

WYE MILLS — The Natural Resources Police (NRP), the law enforcement arm of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), this afternoon recognized the fourth and final class of graduates since the announcement of the consolidation of the NRP and the Maryland Park Service (MPS) rangers.

The consolidation, which took effect Jan. 1, is designed to increase state government efficiency and eliminate redundancies. The Governor’s Commission on Structure and Efficiency of State Government, chaired by former Governor Marvin Mandel, recommended the consolidation in its final report. The report can be viewed online at http://www.dbm.state.md.us/efficiency/MCFinalReport.pdf

The combined organization will continue to ensure the public’s safety as well as enforce a broad variety of laws and regulations covering boating, wildlife, parks, commercial and recreational fishing, and resource protection.

“Today’s graduation is the last of the initial phase of the consolidation process,” said Col. Chaney. “I am proud of you and I welcome you and your families to the Maryland Natural Resources Police family.”

DNR Deputy Secretary Lynn Buhl attended the ceremony along with DNR Assistant Secretaries Kristin Saunders and Mike Slattery, NRP Superintendent Col. Mark S. Chaney, NRP Deputy Superintendent Lt. Col. Nicholas Paros, NRP Chief of Support Services Lt. Col. Maurice Davis, NRP Chief of Field Operations Lt. Col. Daniel Hughes, NRP Chief of Administrative Services Kathy Lantz and Maryland Park Service Lt. Col. Rusty Ruszin. NRP Lt. Robert Davis was the emcee for the afternoon and NRP Cpl. Barry Ball gave the invocation and benediction.

Chip Franklin, WBAL-AM talk show host and political satirist, gave the keynote address. Franklin is the recipient of the 2004 Edward R. Murrow Award for Writing, 2004 National Headliner Award for Broadcasting, a 2005 and 2004 Talkers Magazine’s Heavy 100, which recognizes the top radio personalities in the US and a four-time winner of Achievement in Radio’s Best Talk Show Host Award.

Below is a list of the graduates and their hometowns.

The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) is an enforcement arm of the Department of Natural Resources. With an authorized strength of 285 officers and a dedicated staff of civilian and volunteer personnel, the Natural Resources Police provide a variety of services in addition to conservation and boating law enforcement duties throughout the State of Maryland. These services include homeland security, search and rescue, emergency medical services, education, information and communications services on a round the clock basis. NRP is the only police force aside from the Maryland State Police that has statewide jurisdiction.
June 7, 2005

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 446,000 acres of public lands and 18,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov