A recent crackdown on unleashed dogs at Del Campo Park by a so-called undercover ranger has left dog owners stomping mad.
The owners say the tickets are an overreaction by parks officials and that the ranger who cited them wasn't in uniform or displaying his badge.
"They are making us feel like criminals," said Susan Moggridge, who was given a $150 ticket for having her dog off the leash at 8:10 a.m. Sept. 13.
According to Moggridge and a half-dozen other dog owners, the park ranger didn't have his badge in easy view. It was underneath some of his plain clothing.
"What bothers me is that he had nothing on to indicate he was an officer, and he comes walking out of the bushes to these women. It was frightening," said Diane Hansen, a dog owner who lives near the park.
Hansen, who wasn't cited, said she is one of a group of neighbors who regularly unleash their dogs in the park in the early morning and again in the early evening.
"I have a 10-year-old golden retriever therapy dog, and I asked this 'secret agent' if I were in violation of the law, and he didn't know," Hansen said.
William Joens, who regularly walks his two dogs unleashed in the park, said most of the neighbors know one another and their dogs.
"We all get along. I was warned by another dog owner that he was giving tickets," Joens said of the officer.
"These were Gestapo tactics," Joens said.
Carmichael Recreation and Parks District administrator Jack Harrison said the officer appearing in plain clothes was not approved by the park district.
"We prefer them to be in uniform and in marked vehicles," Harrison said of park rangers.
The Carmichael park district contracts with the Fulton-El Camino Recreation and Park District to patrol Carmichael parks.
Roy M. Imai, general manager of the Fulton-El Camino park district, said he has talked over the incident with Harrison and that it is not likely to be repeated.
"It was approaching a problem from a different angle, and it is not one approach that will be continued in the future," Imai said.
Imai and Harrison said the crackdown was in response to a rash of complaints about loose dogs from park users concerned about their safety.
"We received numerous complaints about dogs running off-leash," Harrison said.
Although Harrison said he didn't approve of the recent enforcement tactics, he was not sympathetic to those who were cited.
"The law is the law, whether or not the officer is in uniform," said Harrison, who urged the cited dog owners to use dog parks.
The closest dog park is a couple of miles away at Carmichael Park, on Fair Oaks Boulevard. Del Campo Park is between Dewey and Jan drives, near Winding Way.
Hansen said a dog park is not an option for her and some of her neighbors.
"Most of our dogs don't do well at dog parks," Hansen said. "Our dogs are older, and most of us are seniors."
Leslie Lindbo, who with her husband, John, was ticketed Aug. 14 by a uniformed ranger, is also upset.
"I totally agree with the leash law. It should be obeyed, but they ticketed us at the same time kids were getting high in the park before walking over to the high school," Lindbo said.
"If they are arguing to enforce the laws in the parks, then enforce all of the laws," Lindbo said.
"It is unreasonable not to warn people and ignore other crimes," she said.
Imai said most of his rangers work part time and have limited time to address park problems, such as off-leash dogs.
"In this particular park, it was becoming a nuisance, and we needed to step up our efforts," Imai said.
As for giving warnings to offenders, Imai said, "It all depends on the situation and how cooperative people are. There are no hard and fast rules."
Call The Bee's Ramon Coronado, (916) 321-1013.
