Governor Ehrlich, Maryland Natural Resources Police Celebrate Law Enforcement Consolidation

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WYE MILLS — Demonstrating his commitment to increasing government efficiency, Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. today celebrated the consolidation of the Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) and the State Forest and Park Service (SFPS) Rangers in a ceremony held at Chesapeake College.

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 consolidation called for the expansion of the NRP to include 91 law enforcement officers from the SFPS. The combined organization comprised of 245 active officers will continue to ensure the public’s safety as well as enforce a broader variety of laws and regulations covering boating, inland game, parks, commercial seafood harvesting, sport fishing, pollution and resource protection.

This year, both SFPS and NRP law enforcement officers received additional cross training to fulfill their wide range of duties, both at sea and on land. NRP will remain headquartered at Tawes, with four regional offices.

“By consolidating our personnel and our resources, we now have a superior police force. From enhanced public safety to improved protection of our natural resources, our citizens and our visitors win,” said Governor Ehrlich. “We win in terms of increased efficiency. We win in terms of expertise and force of manpower. We win in terms of rapid response to emergencies.”

Governor Marvin Mandel attended the ceremony along with Department of Natural Resources Secretary C. Ronald Franks, Sen. Richard Colburn (R-District 37), Del. Jeannie Haddaway (R-District 37B), Del. Richard A. Sossi (R-District 36), Del. David G. Boschert (R-District 33A) and Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) Police Chief Colonel Douglas Deleaver. NRP Lt. Robert Davis was the emcee for the morning and NRP Acting Lt. Joe Offer gave the invocation and benediction.

As all 245 officers stood and raised their right hands, NRP Superintendent Col. Mark S. Chaney led his force in reciting the Oath of Office to Governor Ehrlich to show their solidarity and commitment to the state.

“Governor Ehrlich’s vision has provided us with the opportunity to accomplish great things,” said Col. Chaney. “I look forward with great anticipation to the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead.”

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October 5, 2005

The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) is the enforcement arm of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). With an authorized strength of 270 officers and a dedicated staff of civilian and volunteer personnel, the NRP 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.

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