ONDCP Seal
 PolicyPolicy
IV. Agency Budget Summaries

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE


  1. RESOURCE SUMMARY

  2. METHODOLOGY

    • The National Park Service (NPS) develops its drug control budget based on tracking of actual FTE usage in the field, a review of prior year expenditures as tracked by Program Work Element (PWE) and a projection of costs associated with support needed for FTE usage.

  3. PROGRAM SUMMARY

    • The National Park Service's anti-drug program represents a small portion of its law enforcement activities, composing less than one percent of the agency's budget. NPS drug cases involve the use, possession, sale, distribution, smuggling, manufacture, and cultivation of various controlled substances in park areas.

    • The National Park System manages its drug control programs at the park level, augmented by the U.S. Park Police in major urban areas. The U.S. Park Police consists of uniformed and nonuniformed police officers who perform the same level of work and diverse duties as any urban police department. The primary presence of the U.S. Park Police is in the District of Columbia; however, officers are also routinely assigned to Maryland and Virginia, to the New York Field Office, to the San Francisco Field Office, and to several other areas of the country. The work done at the park level and by the U.S. Park Police reaches across all five strategic goals.

    • Some of the specific purposes of NPS' law enforcement program (NPS Park Rangers) as it relates to drug enforcement are to locate and eradicate marijuana plants being cultivated on park lands, to combat drug use, distribution, and smuggling in National Park areas, and to work cooperatively with other Federal, State, and local agencies in mutual drug enforcement operations in areas contiguous to park boundaries.

    • The National Park System contains 376 diverse and unique areas, including parks, monuments, historic sites, trails, and recreational areas. NPS administers more that 80 million acres in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. NPS programs are oriented toward the fundamental mission of natural and cultural resource protection and interpretation while also promoting outdoor recreation, historic preservation, and environmental awareness. NPS works closely with states, local governments, and community groups to accomplish these goals.

    • Many park areas are located in or near known drug smuggling or trafficking routes. Cases involving the use/possession, sale/distribution, smuggling, manufacturing, and cultivation of controlled substances occur routinely in park areas. Roughly 365 miles of the 1,700 miles of this country's border with Mexico are in units of the National Park System and significant percentages of the coastlines of a number of states in which smuggling occurs also lie within park areas (22 percent of the coast of Florida, 31 percent of Georgia, 42 percent of North Carolina, 50 percent of Maryland, 35 percent of Virginia, and 20 percent of California).

  4. BUDGET SUMMARY

    1998 Program

    Goal 1: Educate and enable America's youth to reject illegal drugs as well as the use of alcohol and tobacco.

    • The FY 1998 resources include $0.153 million which supports Goal 1 of the National Drug Control Strategy to increase public education for the purpose of increasing public awareness of the consequences of illicit drug use and the use of alcohol and tobacco by underage populations.

    Goal 2: Increase the safety of America's citizens by substantially reducing drug-related crime and violence.

    • The FY 1998 funding for Goal 2 is $0.744 million. This funding includes $0.712 million to increase support for Task Force operations that target all levels of drug trafficking and drug crime, and to improve the efficiency of Federal drug law enforcement investigative and intelligence programs. An additional $0.032 million funding is to increase the effectiveness of Federal, State, and local law enforcement tasks, and to improve the efficiency of Federal drug law enforcement investigative and intelligence programs to apprehend drug traffickers, seize their drugs, and forfeit their assets.

    Goal 3: Reduce health and social costs to the public of illegal drug use.

    • The FY 1998 resources include $0.316 million which supports Goal 3 of the National Drug Control Strategy to expand and enhance drug education and prevention strategies in the workplace.

    Goal 4: Shield America's air, land, and sea frontiers from the drug threat.

    • FY 1998 resources include $1.892 million which supports Goal 4 of the National Drug Control Strategy. This funding is to improve the effectiveness of law enforcement to stop the flow of drugs into the United States, especially along the Southwest Border.

    Goal 5: Break foreign and domestic drug sources of supply.

    • FY 1998 resources include $6.310 million which supports Goal 5 of the National Drug Control Strategy. This includes $6.060 million to reduce domestic drug production and availability, including the illegal diversion of prescription drugs, and $0.250 million to continue to target for prosecution those who illegally divert pharmaceuticals and listed chemicals.

    1999 Request

    • Total FY 1999 drug control budget request is $9.454 million, approximately the same level as FY 1998.

    Goal 1: Educate and enable America's youth to reject illegal drugs as well as the use of alcohol and tobacco.

    • FY 1999 resources include $0.154 million, which supports Goal 1 of the National Drug Control Strategy to increase public education for the purpose of increasing public awareness of the consequences of illicit drug use and the use of alcohol and tobacco by underage populations.

    Goal 2: Increase the safety of America's citizens by substantially reducing drug-related crime and violence.

    • FY 1999 resources include $0.747 million, which supports Goal 2 of the National Drug Control Strategy. This includes $0.715 million to increase support for Task Force operations that target all levels of drug trafficking and drug crime, and to improve the efficiency of Federal drug law enforcement investigative and intelligence programs. An additional $0.032 million funding is to increase the effectiveness of Federal, State, and local law enforcement tasks, and to improve the efficiency of Federal drug law enforcement investigative and intelligence programs to apprehend drug traffickers, seize their drugs, and forfeit their assets.

    Goal 3: Reduce health and social costs to the public of illegal drug use.

    • FY 1999 resources include $0.316 million, which supports Goal 3 of the National Drug Control Strategy to expand and enhance drug education and prevention strategies in the workplace.

    Goal 4: Shield America's air, land, and sea frontiers from the drug threat.

    • FY 1999 resources include $1.900 million which supports Goal 4 of the National Drug Control Strategy. This funding is to improve the effectiveness of law enforcement to stop the flow of drugs into the United States, especially along the Southwest Border.

    Goal 5: Break foreign and domestic drug sources of supply.

    • FY 1999 resources include $6.337 million, which supports Goal 5 of the National Drug Control Strategy. This includes $6.087 million to reduce domestic drug production and availability, including the illegal diversion of prescription drugs, and $0.250 million to continue to target for prosecution those who illegally divert pharmaceuticals and listed chemicals.

  5. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS

    • NPS Park Rangers have been successful in the interdiction of cocaine and marijuana on the Southwest Border, with seizures of 90 to 100 pounds of cocaine and of numerous vehicles and weapons.

    • The value of cash, vehicles, and radios seized in 1997 was close to $92,000. NPS Park Rangers and investigators responded to 1,973 drug cases, arrested 2,400 persons and confiscated 9 vehicles and 62 weapons during this period. During 1997 the Service reported the eradication of 271,544 marijuana and sensimilla plants. The estimated value of drugs destroyed is $216,514,000.

    • During 1997 the U.S. Park Police responded to 2,367 reported drug incidents, arrested 1,383 persons for drug violations, and confiscated 56 firearms. The value of narcotics and other property confiscated was approximately $1.9 million.

    • In 1997 NPS Park Rangers participated in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program at 17 schools. The D.A.R.E. program is aimed at educating elementary and junior high school students to the dangers of drug use and the loss of self-esteem by those who use drugs.

    • The U.S. Park Police are also active in the Project D.A.R.E. program, providing drug awareness education to 40 schools, encompassing 100 classes, with over 2,500 students. Forty-two officers serve as active instructors.