With these thoughts in mind, the basic approach to the determination of visitor protection requirements will be as follows. The first step will involve the development of appropriate goals for visitor protection. Next, for each goal statement, it is necessary to define specific objectives or specific activity-oriented statements. Then each objective will be analyzed to determine the range of alternatives available to achieve it. The advantages and disadvantages of each alternative will be discussed in a later section to determine their feasibility in terms of cost, perceived effectiveness, and ease of implementation.

It is important to note that the goal statements are visitor-oriented and focus on output. Far too often, such goal statements concentrate on the input end of the resource allocation process in managing a program, such as, number of parks or recreational facilities maintained, tons of garbage collected by area, etc.

The goal statements that follow are based on a review of relevant literature, Corps of Engineers policy statements, interviews with over 200 federal, state and local officials and professional judgment of the recreation and law enforcement specialists assigned to this study.

The first-level goal is formulated to define the basic purpose of Corps of Engineers involvement in recreation and resource management. The goal of the Corps of Engineers recreation program is to increase the Corps capability to plan, develop and manage the natural resources available at its lakes for optimum and diverse public recreation opportunity for present and future generations. Public safety, personal security and environmental protection are fundamental to people achieving a fulfilling recreation experience while visiting a Corps lake.

Next, with specific attention to the visitor protection program at Corps of Engineers lakes, the following goals, which are not in priority order, are established:

Visitors to Corps of Engineers lakes should be assured that the primary mission of law enforcement personnel at the project is to protect and serve recreation users and to assist the public in enjoying their stay at the lake.

GOAL 2: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Visitors to Corps of Engineers lakes should be assured that officers with appropriate law enforcement authority are available to protect, maintain, and preserve the highest standards of environmental quality and attractiveness of the lake.

GOAL 3: PATROL

Visitors to Corps of Engineers lakes should be assured that all areas of the lake are patrolled by officers with law enforcement authority on a regular and continuing basis.

GOAL 4: AUTHORITY AND MANPOWER

Visitors to Corps of Engineers lakes should be assured that if a crime is committed, officers with law enforcement authority will be available and have the capability to apprehend the guilty party and present the individual(s) for adjudication to the appropriate judicial authority.

Visitors to Corps of Engineers lakes should be assured that communication devices are available throughout the lake to enable them to report emergencies and other situations requiring law enforcement services without undue delay or difficulty.

GOAL 6: COORDINATION

Visitors to Corps of Engineers lakes should be assured that law enforcement authorities at the lake have developed and maintain effective working relationships with the U.S. magistrates, U.S. courts, U.S. attorneys and all applicable federal, state and local law enforcement and criminal justice agencies.

Visitors to Corps of Engineers lakes should be assured that adequate and accurate records are maintained on all situations related to law enforcement needs and problems at the lakes so that Corps decision-makers can make informed assessments and plans for visitor protection at the lakes.

GOAL 8: PLANNING

Visitors to Corps of Engineers lakes should be assured that all Corps lakes with a recreation component in the planning stage will be developed so as to: 1) enhance the personal safety of visitors; 2) facilitate safety of visitors; and, 3) facilitate the effective provision of law enforcement and visitor protection services. Master plans for Corps lakes and recreation areas should have a law enforcement and visitor protection component.

The above, then, are the goals for the Corps of Engineers Visitor Protection Program. The following statement of Basic Policy is needed, in addition, to govern the interpretation of these goals.

Basic Policy:

While safety from hazards, personal security and freedom from
disturbance is fundamental to a satisfying recreation exper-
ience, overt law enforcement practices of control, search,
seizure and arrest are antithetical to the recreation exper-
ience. Thus, the delivery of visitor protection and law en-
forcement services will be based upon an understanding of the
nature of the recreation experience. A humanistic approach
will be made in correcting improper behavior that is harmful
to the individual, other recreationists, or to the environ-
ment. By the same token, law enforcement measures must be
quickly and forcefully applied to quell more intensive in-
fractions or disturbances that infringe upon the recreation
experiences of others and damage facilities or the environ-

According to the previous partitioning of lakes into class categories, the above goals have been translated into visitor protection services relating to specific needs. More specifically, class A lakes will require the highest level of "people" and resource-oriented visitor protection; class B lakes will require a lower level of "people-oriented" protective services and a higher order of facility and resource protection; class C lakes are being run primarily by state, local, or other federal agencies and will require the Corps to make appropriate agreements with such agencies to assure that visitor protection services are available; and class D lakes, while under Corps control, will primarily require facility protection. In the discussion that follows, specific objectives will be formulated for each project classification.

As noted previously, goal statements are formulated in general terms. The next step is to translate each goal statement into a measurable objective to be achieved in a defined time period. Each goal and its appropriate objective(s) are discussed below.

lakes should be assured that the primary mission of Law_en-
forcement personnel at the lake Is to protect and serve rec-
reation users and to assist the public in enjoying their stay
at the lake.

Discussion. It cannot be emphasized too strongly that recreation is the pri-
mary aim of visitors to Corps lakes. Visitor protection services are
simply an adjunct but necessary function to be performed to enable visitors
to enjoy their stay as much as possible. This orientation requires en-
forcement personnel to be effective but unobtrusive. Enforcement policy
should be heavily weighted to community relations and personnel should be
encouraged to utilize their discretionary authority to the fullest on the
side of leniency. This does not mean that laws and regulations should be
ignored. It does mean that the aim of enforcement personnel should be
focused on inducing voluntary compliance by the public with relevant laws,
rules and regulations. The basic enforcement policy should stress pre-
vention, as opposed to control and apprehension. Of course, there will
always be some individuals who are out to commit serious crimes, harass
and disturb other users unnecessarily, destroy project resources, and
vandalize property. The only way to deal with such individuals is to
provide firm, fair and intensive enforcement pressure.

Objective 1-1: Enforcement personnel at Corps of Engineers lakes should be sufficiently aware of the availability of all facilities and procedures at the project and should be able to provide this and other types of appropriate information to the public when requested.

Standards of Service: The only way to measure the performance of this objective is through randomized surveys of recreation users. Such surveys should ascertain the number of users requesting information and their degree of satisfaction with such service.

Objective 1-2: All personnel with enforcement authority at Corps of Engineer class A and B lakes should be trained in human relations and recreation as well as on the nature and scope of lake resources.

Same as standard of service relating to Objective 1-1;

Same surveys of individuals arrested, cited, or warned by enforcement personnel; and

Follow-up evaluation of calls for law enforcement/visitor protection services with persons requesting such service.

GOAL 2:

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION--Visitors to Corps of Engineers lakes should be assured that officers with appropriate law enforcement authority are available to protect, maintain, and preserve the highest standards of environmental quality and attractiveness of the lake.

Discussion. While continued maintenance of project resources, wildlife management, and design criteria, all contribute to assuring the environmental quality of the project, it is all too clear that enforcement of resource and wildlife protection laws and regulations must accompany more passive measures. More specifically, a wide range of resource-damaging activities are occurring at Corps projects including: (1) camping in unauthorized places; (2) use of off-road vehicles that cause destruction of flora and erosion; (3) littering; (4) tree cutting; (5) out-of-season fishing or hunting or use of illegal methods; (6) unattended or careless fires; and (7) parking in unauthorized areas. While this type of enforcement activity is performed ably by existing ranger personnel with citation authority, it is also necessary that any enforcement officer providing extensive patrol services at a Corps lake should have the necessary authority and knowledge to deal with such violations. Closely related to this enforcement goal is the need to develop a viable environmental protection/prevention program for lake users. Ranger personnel are particularly well-equipped to manage this prevention function.

Objective 2-1: Ranger personnel should continue to be responsible for environmental protection at Corps lakes. However, it will be necessary to significantly increase the existing use of Title 36 enforcement.