From STAFF REPORTS

ALBANY — The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, which was the first state law enforcement agency organized in 1911, is experiencing problems in retaining experienced conservation rangers. Salaries and benefits offered by federal, local, and other state law enforcement agencies have increased more than ranger benefits and have resulted in a retention issue and a loss of trained and experienced rangers.

In recent years, 24 experienced rangers have resigned primarily for financial reasons. Prior to this nearly all vacancies occurred only through retirement.

The DNR Law Enforcement Section has had 30 positions cut due to budget reductions since 2000, dropping the number of conservation rangers statewide from 252 to the current authorized level of 222. In addition, there currently are 15 vacant ranger positions.

The work force has been reduced by 45 rangers while the state’s population continues to grow, and fewer rangers are called upon to do more. Georgia has one conservation ranger for every 42,792 citizens compared to Florida which has one conservation ranger for every 25,207 citizens and South Carolina which has one conservation ranger for every 15,068 citizens.

These permanent cuts and unfilled vacancies have resulted in the remaining rangers having to cover larger patrol areas – in some cases one ranger covering three counties. This situation reduces the rangers effectiveness and efficiency, increases agency-operating costs, and adversely impacts customer service.

More Georgia Conservation Rangers are needed.

Since 2008 began, they have been busy across the state. Rangers rescued six people and their pets from flooded homes in Brooks County along the banks of the Withlacoochee River.

Rangers patrolled hundreds of miles of North Georgia in search of a missing hiker. Her body was recovered as well as evidence of her murder. They rescued two duck hunters on Lake Seminole after their duck boat was swamped and sank. In Camden County, a ranger located and returned to safety a boat and its occupants who had gotten lost in fog after dark.

A stranded boater with motor problems was located on the Coosa River and towed to safety by rangers. Rangers located two stranded boaters and towed them to safety on the Spalding County Reservoir during a 30 mph wind advisory.

In Telfair County, rangers recovered a drowning victim from the Ocmulgee River after a two-week search and recovery operation. With fewer conservation ranger positions and the loss of experienced rangers to other law enforcement agencies, the resources to respond to calls for help from the public are shrinking.

Conservation rangers in 2007 conducted search operations almost daily around the state for lost hunters, lost or disabled boats, missing children, the elderly, abducted victims, and individuals wanted for crimes ranging from sex crimes, murder, armed robbery, to drug offenses.

118 of the searches were land based primarily looking for lost or missing individuals involving 750 hours. 276 of the searches were water based looking for 612 people and 254 boats involving 2,477 hours.

In addition, rangers responded to 6,819 complaints primarily called in by local landowners, which required 20,076 hours of investigation. But with fewer rangers due to positions being cut and rangers leaving for other employment, response times to calls for help could be longer with fewer rangers available.