Senate Democrats Oppose Trump Administration's Hiring Surge at Interior Department's Park Police
A group of Senate Democrats is urging the Trump administration to halt its efforts to significantly expand the U.S. Park Police force, which operates under the Department of the Interior. The administration is offering $70,000 signing bonuses to new recruits as part of a hiring surge aimed at doubling the force's size. This initiative has raised concerns among Democrats who view it as a potential centralization of power, allowing the administration to exert greater control over policing in Washington, D.C. The Park Police, which primarily operates in Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, has already hired 77 new officers since January, with plans to hire more. The Democrats argue that there is no evidence of increased crime on National Park Service land to justify this expansion. 
