![]() He says right now their safety is at risk because they don’t have the equipment or the staffing levels they need. “This ramped up from years of not having the proper law enforcement on that beach,” said Erik Bailey, who was working as a Ranger that day and got caught in the middle of the throng while trying to protect an unconscious park patron from the melee.īailey says he has worked as a state park ranger for 14 years, and now works with the union representing Michigan’s Rangers, the Michigan State Employees Association. ![]() It was estimated 10,000 people were on the beach for the July Fourth holiday.Įventually, neighboring police departments had to be called in and the Rangers evacuated the park. Rangers say there were only two of them scheduled to work on the day the video was taken. “Right now, we’re vastly outnumbered and they’re not afraid to turn on us,” said the Ranger. “There’s fighting over there,” a young woman told Rangers. ![]() Rangers and local law enforcement can be heard on the video questioning how they can keep up with the crowds. Video from Grand Haven State Park shows the chaos before more than 300 people broke into a fight on the packed beach last year on July 3. In just the last few weeks, two rangers have been assaulted by park visitors on Belle Isle and at Dodge 4 State Park in Waterford. State Parks Officers, also known as Rangers, tell the 7 Investigators that unruly crowds like the one that took over the beach at Grand Haven State Park in July 2017 are becoming more common at state parks. One of those officers says he knows he’s risking his job to expose this, but as he told 7 Investigator Heather Catallo, the public’s safety must come first. Those are just a few of the problems that State Park Officers say they are facing inside the parks. Learn more about how the Recreation Passport supports state parks and local outdoor recreation opportunities at. Forgot to check “YES” during renewal? Residents and nonresidents can purchase a Recreation Passport window sticker during regular business hours at state parks. Residents can purchase the Passport for just $11 ($5 for motorcycles) at the time of Michigan license plate renewal through Secretary of State. Visit to subscribe now.Ī Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry to Grand Haven State Park.Ī Recreation Passport grants vehicle access to any Michigan state park, boat launch, state forest campground or nonmotorized state trailhead parking. Inside Michigan’s Great Outdoors subscribers are always the first to know about reservation opportunities, state park events and other outdoor happenings. To check camping availability and make a reservation at Grand Haven State Park, visit or call 1-800-44PARKS (1-80). To learn more about the Friends of Grand Haven State Park and the walkways, visit or Grand Haven State Park is located on the shore of Lake Michigan in Ottawa County, consisting entirely of sandy beach and providing scenic views of the lake and the Grand Haven pier and lighthouse. The DNR Parks and Recreation Division also provided $10,000 from the district ADA budget. Grand Haven State Park staff managed the installation of the ADA-approved structures. ![]() The friends group contributed $15,000 to the project through fundraising activities and the DNR contributed an additional $15,000 through its Partnership Match Program. We are pleased to partner with the state park and the DNR in this effort.” “Grand Haven State Park is a treasure for residents and visitors alike, and all should have easy access to the waterfront. “The friends group was happy to lead this project,” said Mike Mazurek, president of Friends of Grand Haven State Park. These accessibility improvements were made possible through a joint effort of the Friends of Grand Haven State Park, the DNR and Grand Haven State Park. Each walkway includes a midpoint resting area and viewing deck at the end. These walkways provide beach access to individuals using wheelchairs, walkers and canes. One 180-foot walkway is available at the pavilion/day-use area and another 190-foot walkway is available near campsites 145 and 147. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources today announced that two new universally accessible, solid-surface walkways have been added at Grand Haven State Park. ![]()
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