Andrew

   I made the mistake of wandering downtown the other day and found the rumor mill nearing meltdown. Drug dogs at Lees Ferry! Several men and a drug dog were on the ramp yesterday! People were searched! Boats were boarded… No, boats weren’t boarded… It was real low key… It was a bad scene–everyone was real uncomfortable… No one was searched… It was a surprise to the Lees Ferry rangers…

   I spent the rest of the day on the phone. Toward evening I got a call back from Tommy Lee, Chief Ranger for Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. She filled me in on the nature of the June 13 operation. Yes, there was a drug dog on the ramp yesterday. He arrived with his handler and personnel from Glen Canyon and the Coconino Sheriff’s Department. It was low key. Everyone was very polite. No one was searched and no boats were boarded, although most of the boatmen welcomed them.

   No, Grand Canyon National Park personnel were not informed prior to the operation, nor were Glen Canyon personnel. In security operations such as this, only those who need to know are informed.

   No, there is not a perceived drug problem at Lees Ferry. It was not directed at the boatmen or the river industry. The dog has been on loan to Glen Canyon NRA for about a month. His name is Andrew and he’s a really nice dog.

   There is no law-free zone. Andrew has toured much of the Recreation Area: federal buildings, concessionaires, employee dorms, and so on. Glen Canyon hopes to acquire a permanent dog and handler in the future.

   No, there was not “probable cause” for a search. None is needed to have a drug dog in the area. However, had Andrew “alerted”, that would have been probable cause for a search.

   And yes, we might expect to see Andrew again on an irregular basis.

   Stories differ on how well the operation was received, from very positive to very negative, and on Andrew’s other visits in the area this year. But is that really the point?

   One of the greatest values Grand Canyon has to offer us is a perspective on the human condition, through total immersion in this stunningly natural area. It illuminates the striking contrast between the craziness and paranoia of modern city life, and the simplicity and richness of living under the stars. Isn’t this a place where we should be trying to focus on the resource rather than importing inner city enforcement techniques? Would a walk-through metal detector on the ramp be any more inappropriate or absurd?

   The Park Service is one of the most destitute branches of a nearly bankrupt government. Officials in both Grand Canyon and Glen Canyon have told me there is not a perception of a drug problem on the river or at Lees Ferry. So, really, isn’t there a higher priority for the considerable funds being used for Operation Andrew?

   With the many major problems we have to deal with on a shrinking microbudget, let’s not devote our time and monies to searching for, or creating, new problems. Let’s put our highest priority back on protecting the resource and helping people enjoy and understand it. Let’s put Park and Service back in the National Park Service.

Brad Dimock