History
"The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future." - Theodore Roosevelt
1979
Pre-MRA
The Maryland Rangers Association (MRA) was formed from the roots of a Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge that was established to address unresolved issues regarding agency policies and issued equipment. The predecessor of the MRA was primarily FOP Lodge 79 that formed in 1979.
Lodge 79 was established after a dispute between Rangers and management over the authority to carry batons while the Rangers were securing large amounts of funds during a special event at Sandy Point State Park. The Rangers did not carry firearms in those days, and management refused to allow the Rangers to carry the “nightsticks” while assigned to protect the funds. Rangers united to form the Lodge as a means to advocate for better equipment and policies, including enhanced training and equipping Rangers with firearms. Firearms were eventually issued to Rangers at six parks (Gunpowder Falls, Patapsco Valley, Sandy Point, Elk Neck, Assateague and Point Lookout), and only from 9:00 pm until 8:00 am the following morning. The first Maryland Park Service firearms instructors were Rangers Dave Davis, Paul Durham, Keith Frere and John Norbeck.
A dispute with management occurred prior to the deer firearms hunting season in November of 1980, when the Lodge requested that Rangers be allowed to carry their issued sidearm during any “hunting patrol shifts,” regardless of the time of day. Management advised Lodge leadership that this concern would be addressed and reassured the Rangers. Immediately prior to the “deer season,” Park Service leadership announced that there would be no “hunting patrols,” but instead the parks would conduct the normal “operational patrols,” which was seen as a semantic ploy used to deceive and mislead the Rangers.
That perceived betrayal of trust resulted in a long-lasting divide between the Rangers and leadership of the Park Service that lasted for many years. Lodge 79 no longer trusted the word of the Park Service leaders, and therefore many of the Rangers shared that mistrust. That also eroded the Rangers’ belief in the value of Lodge 79.
1981
Rangers were ultimately permitted to carry firearms during their duty shifts after an incident at Patapsco Valley State Park in June of 1981, in which a Ranger was allegedly shot and wounded by a never-identified motorcyclist. Despite its early accomplishments, Lodge 79 eventually failed due to their inability to secure payroll deduction for dues, and Rangers ultimately lost interest in the organization. To their credit, Lodge 79 had focused on policies, equipment and training, rather than on more self-focused pay and benefits, and helped modernize Rangers as law enforcement officers.
1983
In 1983, Rangers were not included when a preferential pay raise was provided to the Maryland State Police (MSP), and subsequently to the Natural Resources Police (NRP). While the Rangers respectfully accepted the MSP receiving a preferential pay raise, they refused to accept that a sister agency in their own department was provided with a raise while the law enforcement officers of another agency in the same department were excluded. This widened the divide between Rangers and leadership, as the Rangers did not trust those leaders to look out for their interests.
Gunpowder Falls State Park Manager / Ranger Bill Simmons led an effort to rectify the pay raise disparity and he spearheaded the formation of an ad hoc organization of Rangers who wanted to pursue the issue. They were ultimately successful and received a salary adjustment through an administrative action of the Board of Public Works, but the Rangers did not form any lasting organization to represent their interests.
1988
Birth of the MRA
The FY89 state budget included another preferential pay raise for the MSP and the NRP, but the Rangers were once again excluded from the proposal. This became widely known shortly before the In-Service Training Sessions / Ranger School conducted in February of 1988. The DNR Office of the Secretary forthrightly admitted during a meeting with park managers that, “We forgot you.” The Rangers were understandably outraged at this stated oversight and the slight became the primary off-duty topic of discussion for staff and instructors throughout the training sessions, and eventually consumed the entire organization. Immediately after Ranger School graduation, the Forest and Park Chief of Operations suggested to park managers that they form a grassroots organization.
In the late spring of that year, Gunpowder Falls State Park Manager (later Northern Regional Manager / Superintendent) / Ranger Rick Barton organized a meeting of his fellow Rangers. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the formation of an employee association, and became the first meeting of the Maryland Rangers Association.
The first official election of officers for the MRA occurred at an August 1988 meeting held at Wye Island (the first crab feast of the MRA) and it was very well-attended. While the charter slate of officers of the MRA were concerned that their career advancement could be compromised, and were preparing for potential reprisals from leadership, the opposite actually occurred.
1988 - MRA formed - Inaugural Board:
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President - Rick Barton – Gunpowder Falls State Park Manager
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Vice-President - Norm Wiley – Patapsco Valley State Park Assistant Manager
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Secretary - Chris Bushman – Gunpowder Falls State Park Ranger
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Treasurer - Bill Simmons – Assateague State Park Manager
The MRA focused on officially and legally forming the organization, and collaborating with DNR leadership regarding pay, retirement, benefits, policies and equipment. Ranger Norm Wiley took the lead in developing the organization by-laws and pursuing payroll deduction, which was ultimately achieved and provided the requisite stability to establish the MRA as a viable organization.
1990
In the 1989 session of the General Assembly, the MRA pursued, and was successful, in passing legislation to include Rangers in the Law Enforcement Officers Pension System (LEOPS), which provided 25-year retirement, access to the Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) and other benefits afforded the state’s law enforcement officers. Gunpowder Falls State Park Ranger Bill Longley was a key player in that effort.
Early 1990s - Under President Norm Wiley, the MRA hired their first lobbyist / legislative representative, Ira Cooke.
Early 1990s - Spearheaded by Sandy Point State Park Ranger Wayne Suydam, the MRA began participating in the Seafood Festival at Sandy Point, raising funds for the treasury and publicizing the MRA and Maryland Rangers.
1993
Under President Chris Bushman and Vice-President / Gunpowder Falls State Park Ranger Peyton Taylor, the MRA logo was redesigned to the current design, and the MRA procured many different items for MRA members, e.g. new bumper stickers, t-shirts, sweatshirts, ball caps, coasters, key rings, lapel pins in an effort to promote the Association and maintain pride in membership.
1994
Under President Chris Bushman, The MRA replaced Ira Cooke with Bruce Bereano as lobbyist / legislative representative for the MRA.
In that first year, Bruce Bereano skillfully and successfully shepherded two pieces of legislation through the General Assembly.
1. Longevity pay increases for Rangers, to bring them in line with the MSP and NRP, and which eventually morphed into pay parity with the NRP as the longevity increments were integrated into a new salary schedule with additional Step increments. Based on the recommendation of the DBM, Governor Schaeffer was prepared to veto this bill, but Bruce Bereano lobbied Speaker of the House Casper Taylor, who convinced the Governor to sign it. President Chris Bushman attended the bill-signing ceremony and thanked the Governor for signing the bill. Governor Schaeffer turned to Lieutenant Bushman and pointedly stated, "Don't thank me, thank Cas," making it very clear that the influence of the MRA and its representative had made the difference.
2. Amendments to the Forest, Park and Wildlife Ranger jurisdiction statute, to clarify that all roadways within or adjacent to State Park property were within the Ranger's law enforcement jurisdiction. Prior to passage of the bill, the Agency was required to have a Mutual Aid Agreement in place with every law enforcement agency with primary jurisdiction in that county, which had been a LOT of work for Chief of Law Enforcement / Ranger John Norbeck, Assistant Chief of Law Enforcement / Ranger Bruce Wilkins and Carolyn Merkle.
Mid 1990's
Under the leadership of two-term President Jerry Kirkwood, and with the guidance and assistance of Bruce Bereano, legislation was passed to provide permanent pay parity with the NRP for Rangers. The new statute, still on the books today, provided that Rangers would receive the same COLAs, Step increments, and all other preferential pay increases received by the NRP. This statute has been provided to DBM on numerous occasions, prior to and especially since the 2005 law enforcement consolidation, to ensure that the law enforcement Rangers who remained with the Maryland Park Service were not “forgotten” when preferential pay raises were provided and associated adjustments made to salary schedules, i.e. the Park Ranger Salary Schedule was adjusted accordingly.
2003
November 2003 - The Mandel Commission Report was issued, including a recommendation to consolidate the law enforcement functions in DNR, i.e. the Rangers and NRP were to be merged.
2004
The MRA became aware of an effort to implement the law enforcement consolidation and asked for a meeting with the DNR Office of the Secretary. That meeting was held on March 24, 2004, and four representatives of the "Grade 17 and above" MRA members (Cunningham Falls State Park Manager / Ranger Cindy Ecker, Gunpowder Falls State Park Assistant Manager / Ranger Peyton Taylor, Tuckahoe State Park Manager / Ranger John Ohler, Chief of Law Enforcement Operations / Ranger Chris Bushman) were presented with a draft plan that would strip the LEO Rangers of their law enforcement commission. The only provision included to protect their earned rights and benefits was proposed legislation to allow them to remain in the LEOPS system. Later that same day, Chris Bushman prepared and delivered to the Secretary a preliminary listing of eighteen (18) benefits that the LEO Rangers would lose as a result of the proposed plan.
April 1, 2004 - After contacting Bruce Bereano on March 27, 2004, to advise him of the proposed plan to transfer all Ranger Sergeants (Grade 16) and below to the NRP and de-commission all Grade 17-and-above LEO Rangers, the Secretary received a letter from Senator DeGrange, Delegate Conway and Delegate Edwards, indicating that they would submit legislation in the waning days of the General Assembly if the Rangers were not kept whole. The administration changed course, and provided a letter promising to allow the LEO Rangers who remained with the State Forest and Park Service to retain their law enforcement commissions and all of the associated benefits.
April 2, 2004 - The largest MRA meeting in the history of the organization was held at the Soldiers Delight Visitor Center, with 90 members in attendance. Ranger Bob Ford gave his famous speech, "If you have a shortage over here, and you have a shortage over here, and you put them together, you still have a shortage!"
2005
The MRA, supported by Bruce Bereano's efforts with the DNR Office of the Secretary and the Maryland General Assembly, passed HB1353, which codified the Secretary's previous commitment to allow LEO Rangers to retain their law enforcement commission, rank and benefits for the duration of their career. Wayne Suydam, Peyton Taylor and Chris Bushman were the lead MRA representatives in negotiations with the OOS. Bruce's role was instrumental, as the OOS and some of the NRP FOP members resisted the legislation, the latter even getting a hold placed on the bill in the Senate, thinking the Rangers were trying to undermine the law enforcement consolidation. In fact, and as all came to understand, the MRA simply wanted the LEO Rangers to be kept whole, and their contribution respected for the remainder of their career as a Ranger. The Secretary had offered that he already provided a letter to the same effect, an argument which the MRA rejected, and would subsequently prove to be very consequential in achieving the above-stated long-term objective.
2005 - Present
HB1353 has been invoked on numerous occasions to correct HRS / DBM on their hiring / recruitment / compensation decisions, e.g. attempting to place newly promoted LEO Rangers into a civilian classification, thereby effectively demoting them and stripping them of their rank, commission and benefits in order to promote.
During the course of 2005, approximately 100 Ranger positions were transferred to the NRP as part of the law enforcement consolidation. Those law enforcement Ranger positions were initially replaced by approximately 35 long-term contractual civilian Ranger positions. Those new civilian Rangers were placed into an existing, previously seldom-used classification, Park Services Associate, as a bridge while the transition to the new civilian Maryland Park Service was conducted. While the DBM has since authorized the working title of Ranger for those positions, that classification remains in use today.
As the MRA was established to represent the interests of the law enforcement officers of the Forest, Park and Wildlife Service / State Forest and Park Service / Maryland Park Service (MPS), membership and the dues contribution of active members declined with the retirement of those law enforcement officers who remained with the MPS. This resulted in many difficult decisions, including the suspension of a long-standing annual legislative reception and the fiscal impracticality of retaining the decades-long relationship with Bruce Bereano. Concurrent with this decline in membership, new issues of great concern to civilian Rangers came to light, bringing to mind the type of parity issues that became the initial catalyst for the establishment of the MRA.
2005
The MRA, supported by Bruce Bereano's efforts with the DNR Office of the Secretary and the Maryland General Assembly, passed HB1353, which codified the Secretary's previous commitment to allow LEO Rangers to retain their law enforcement commission, rank and benefits for the duration of their career. Wayne Suydam, Peyton Taylor and Chris Bushman were the lead MRA representatives in negotiations with the OOS. Bruce's role was instrumental, as the OOS and some of the NRP FOP members resisted the legislation, the latter even getting a hold placed on the bill in the Senate, thinking the Rangers were trying to undermine the law enforcement consolidation. In fact, and as all came to understand, the MRA simply wanted the LEO Rangers to be kept whole, and their contribution respected for the remainder of their career as a Ranger. The Secretary had offered that he already provided a letter to the same effect, an argument which the MRA rejected, and would subsequently prove to be very consequential in achieving the above-stated long-term objective.
2004
The MRA became aware of an effort to implement the law enforcement consolidation and asked for a meeting with the DNR Office of the Secretary. That meeting was held on March 24, 2004, and four representatives of the "Grade 17 and above" MRA members (Cunningham Falls State Park Manager / Ranger Cindy Ecker, Gunpowder Falls State Park Assistant Manager / Ranger Peyton Taylor, Tuckahoe State Park Manager / Ranger John Ohler, Chief of Law Enforcement Operations / Ranger Chris Bushman) were presented with a draft plan that would strip the LEO Rangers of their law enforcement commission. The only provision included to protect their earned rights and benefits was proposed legislation to allow them to remain in the LEOPS system. Later that same day, Chris Bushman prepared and delivered to the Secretary a preliminary listing of eighteen (18) benefits that the LEO Rangers would lose as a result of the proposed plan.
April 1, 2004 - After contacting Bruce Bereano on March 27, 2004, to advise him of the proposed plan to transfer all Ranger Sergeants (Grade 16) and below to the NRP and de-commission all Grade 17-and-above LEO Rangers, the Secretary received a letter from Senator DeGrange, Delegate Conway and Delegate Edwards, indicating that they would submit legislation in the waning days of the General Assembly if the Rangers were not kept whole. The administration changed course, and provided a letter promising to allow the LEO Rangers who remained with the State Forest and Park Service to retain their law enforcement commissions and all of the associated benefits.
April 2, 2004 - The largest MRA meeting in the history of the organization was held at the Soldiers Delight Visitor Center, with 90 members in attendance. Ranger Bob Ford gave his famous speech, "If you have a shortage over here, and you have a shortage over here, and you put them together, you still have a shortage!"
2019
During FY19, the Maryland Park Service initiated an Annual Salary Review (ASR) of the entry-level Park Services Associates (PSA) classifications, and was successful in working with the DBM in achieving a one-pay-grade increase for the PSA Trainee, I, and II classifications, bringing the Park Services Associate II to a grade 14, utilizing / eliminating the gap that existed between that classification and the Park Services Associate Lead (PSAL – Grade 15).
A side letter was produced by the DBM and presented to the Maryland Professional Employees Council (MPEC) to memorialize the grade increase; however, an error was made by the DBM and the Park Services Associate Leads were added to the letter, which was signed and ratified by both parties, making it binding. On July 1, 2019, all four classifications, including the Park Services Associate Leads, were given a one-grade increase. This elevated the PSALs to the same pay grade as their supervisors (Park Services Supervisors / PSS – Grade 16).
Rangers in the PSS, Park Services Manager (PSM) series and above were confused and understandably outraged that the State / DBM would create and/or allow such obvious pay compression and inequity to exist. However, as management employees not represented by the union, they had no organization through which to express their collective voice. In less than a week, a group of leaders emerged and spearheaded an effort involving supervisors from across the state to correct the obvious inequity through a group grievance. The grievance was rejected at every step due to the existence of a statute which precludes disputes about the pay grade of a classification as being grounds for a complaint. In one dismissal, a DNR Assistant Secretary famously said, “I do not find that any of the issues you brought before management have merit.”
With the DBM unwilling to address the obvious pay compression / disparity issue, the Ranger supervisors recognized that they needed to pursue the issue through other avenues. The ad hoc coalition also recognized that to succeed on this issue, and to be able to respond appropriately to any other, they needed a more formal and enduring structure. This led them to approach the MRA and request to be admitted as active, voting, dues-paying members, (the MRA had previously allowed anyone, including civilian MPS employees, to join as Associate Members).
2020
After receiving the request and giving it careful and thoughtful consideration in the context of the by-laws that established the Association to represent the agency’s law enforcement officers, the MRA membership voted to amend those by-laws on January 30, 2020 to extend active membership status to the civilian Rangers. A tremendously compelling aspect of those deliberations was the similarity between the current issue, and the associated lack of representation, and the type of issue that was the original catalyst for the formation of the MRA decades earlier, making it seem to be a logical continuation of the mission of the Association.
During the 2020 Session of the Maryland General Assembly, the Ranger Supervisors, who were then new members of the MRA, testified during the DNR Budget Hearings to bring awareness to the pay compression / disparity that existed within the classifications. While in Annapolis, the new Rangers were introduced to Bruce Bereano. Through his experience, Bruce believed he could help fix the situation and Bruce was rehired to represent the MRA. Unfortunately, immediately after being hired, the Coronavirus pandemic caused significant economic distress to the State, and the issue was tabled until a more appropriate and stable fiscal environment returns.
In the fall of 2020, the MRA membership elected a new slate of officers according to its established biennial schedule, including the first civilian President (Gunpowder Falls State Park Assistant Manager / Ranger Dean Hughes), Vice President (Fair Hill NRMA Assistant Manager / Ranger Chris Grieco), and Secretary (Gunpowder Falls State Park Area Manager / Ranger Angela Crenshaw) in MRA history. These new officers now hold the significant responsibility of leading the new MRA into the future, and continuing to uphold the proud legacy of those Rangers who came before them.
2022