748 PARKS 



must not be inconsistent with the Constitution and the laws of the United 

 States, or the constitution and laws of the state, or the charter and ordi- 

 nances of the local political subdivision in which the park governing authority 

 operates. In addition to such rules and regulations as may be adopted by 

 any park governing authority, the laws of the nation, of the state and local 

 political subdivision operate within the properties under the jurisdiction 

 of each park governing authority. For examples of park rules and regu- 

 lations, see section at close of this chapter, entitled "Some Examples of 

 Park Rules and Regulations." 



METHODS USED IN POLICING PARKS 



There are three general methods used in policing parks in the various 

 park systems in municipalities and counties of the United States. 



Using Park Employees. 



The first method is that of clothing park employees with the authority 

 of constables, policemen or sheriffs, requiring them, in addition to the per- 

 formance of their regular duties, to enforce park rules and regulations. 

 This is the method that is usually followed in villages, towns and small 

 cities, and is not infrequently found in large cities, even though the parks 

 are patroled by the regular municipal police. The employees so sworn in 

 as officers wear no uniforms but are usually provided with a badge as the 

 visible sign of their authority. In all communities having only a few park 

 properties and not organized into a genuine system, this method of policing 

 parks, together with such aid as the constable, policemen or sheriff may 

 render from time to time, may be entirely satisfactory and adequate. With 

 due care in the selection of the employees who are to exercise police authority, 

 this method may be of great value even in well developed park systems 

 having regularly uniformed police or guards. It is more or less wise to 

 limit the police power of deputized park employees merely to enforcement 

 of park rules and regulations. 



Policing by Regular City Police. 



The second method of policing parks is to place the policing under the 

 regular city police. This method has widespread use at the present time. 

 This no doubt came about partly as an economy measure, partly as a 

 general tendency to consolidate like functions in the community, and partly 

 because in so many instances the seasonal character of park policing made 

 it impossible to keep a majority of park policemen on the force the year 

 round. This method is almost universally practiced in all commission- 

 governed cities, city manager-governed cities and is found even in such 

 large cities as New York and Boston. It is the universal practice in villages, 



