Serving up some love to fish and game cops
What’s wrong with this picture?
On Wednesday night, the men and women of Maryland’s Natural Resources Police and their families packed the basement of an Annapolis church to honor their own. After a salute to the flag and a prayer, they paid tribute to colleagues who plucked shipwrecked boaters from the Chesapeake Bay, recovered the bodies of drowning victims to give families some peace and busted bad guys who stole fish and wildlife that belonged to all of us.
The governor sent regrets. None of the state’s leading political lights or major outdoors groups showed.
Afterward, as they have in the past, officers and loved ones took pictures and chatted while enjoying a cornucopia of light refreshments: two bags of potato chips, one bag of pretzels, two small cans of peanuts, five plastic tubs of store-bought cookies and five two-liter bottles of soft drinks. Then they cleaned up after themselves and went home.
Next month, about a mile from the church, members of the Maryland Legislative Sportsmen’s Foundation will gather at a fancy Annapolis hotel. If the event holds true to its history, politicians and others high up on the food chain, will drink up and chow down while praising each other for performing great works in the name of our natural resources. Representatives from recreational fishing and hunting groups, the charter boat association and conservation organizations will exhaust themselves in endless rounds of speechifying and back patting.
Odds are the governor or other political poohbahs will drop by. Someone will be selected “Sportsmen’s Best Friend,” although why this crowd gets to pick for the rest of us escapes me.
Have we lost all sense of what’s important? Are we so busy making sure we get credit for stuff that would have happened anyway that we can’t recognize who is really getting the job done?
NRP is working at 50 percent of the manpower it had 20 years ago. Officers are retiring by the droves with no real replacements in the pipeline. An academy class that was supposed to be 15 is now down to nine, and another class won’t be funded until early next year, at best. A bill to increase manpower was gutted by the very state lawmakers who have piled on duties while showering officers with hollow words of praise.
Forget about them eating cake. Hand them a bag of knock-off Fritos and remind them to put the folding chairs away and be sure to buss the tables before they leave.
Look, I’m not saying anglers, hunters, conservationists and politicians can’t have a good time at their own expense to feel good about whatever it is they felt they did well. More power to them.
But what if the Foundation, CCA, MSSA, Trout Unlimited, the Maryland Bass Federation, the charter boat association, the waterfowlers, the Maryland Aquatic Resources Council and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation each pitched in $50 and state lawmakers replaced empty platitudes with $10 a piece?
Why, the Natural Resources Police officers and their families might be able to have some name-brand snacks or, heaven forbid, some of those little finger sandwiches that get served at the fancy events.
When I asked the officers about the lack of love shown by the outdoors community, they smiled and shrugged. Sadly, they’ve come to expect nothing more from us.
The Foundation and its members need to get a grip on what’s really important. It wouldn’t kill them to cut down on the alcohol and fancy framed keepsakes and put that spare change toward making next year’s NRP awards ceremony a proper thank you. The outdoors community should say, “Next year, folks, come hungry.”
Foundation members don’t have to manufacture best friends. They already have them. They wear green uniforms.
Comments
Ms. Thompson, You hit the nail on the head. These are a very dedicated group of individuals who lay it on the line each and every day. Unlike the politicians they do not seek fame and riches but they toil anonymously in the heat, in the cold, and in the dampness because they are dedicated to what they do and what they stand for. Too bad other groups can't learn from them. And, I agree that it is a crime the way they are treated.
Joe Dolan
Posted by: Joe Dolan | April 29, 2011 7:33 PM
Amen to your article. I see daily the dedication that the NRP have. While others are sitting home in terrible weather these dedicated public servants are out working to protect everyone. They never get the credit they deserve.
Posted by: Melvin McDonald | April 30, 2011 9:27 AM
I have my opinion but I'm going to keep my mouth shut.
Posted by: Cham | April 30, 2011 10:50 AM
This is so sad, considering the vastness and beauty of Maryland's outdoor areas. NRP Officers taken for granted as people who probably just couldn't get a real job. It's the same way they used to treat military men. I know I grew up with the taunts and the jeers. Only hope I see, is if everyone else can jump on the soldier and family support bandwagon, maybe we can change the tide (punny huh) in regards to the NRP officers. You gotta love what you do to get paid next to nothing to work your rear off only to be yelled at for doing your job by those you ticket and protect. I love Maryland's great outdoors and every time a lawmaker diverts attention (and ultimately money) to other projects, it undermines the importance of our outdoor resources. These officers care and they matter and the fact that they are tossed aside pisses me off. Hey lawmakers, you look real good giving your speeches and looking for votes, usually standing outside with a natural backdrop spouting off a deep love for the people. Read the tourism pages, come to Maryland we have it all, mountains, forests, lakes, ocean. Just don't feed the animals or thank a NRP officers. Well that is if you can even find a NRP officer. When is Maryland going to put these guys on the endangered list?
Posted by: Page868 | June 16, 2011 1:20 PM