Section 34B: Park ranger program; promulgation and notice of rules and regulations; authority of rangers
Section 34B. (a) The metropolitan district commission is hereby authorized to establish a park ranger program within the department to preserve, maintain and protect the parks, reservation, historic sites and open space and to ensure the environmental integrity of properties under the care, custody and control of the commission.
(b) To further the objectives of the park ranger program, the department shall be concerned with the use by the public for exercise, education and recreation of the reservations; and, notwithstanding any general or special law or administrative bulletin to the contrary, the commission shall adopt rules and regulations to define the authority of the park rangers in performing their duties and responsibilities to preserve and protect the reservations as defined above. Rules and regulations so promulgated shall include but not be limited to defining the programs, program objectives, mission, working rules and responsibilities of the park rangers.
(c) The commission shall cause such rules and regulations to be posted in the reservations to which they apply and shall also cause the same to be published at least once in a newspaper published in the county where said reservations are in whole or in part situated, and such posting and publication shall be sufficient notice to all persons. The sworn certificate of any member of the commission or of its secretary of such posting and publishing shall be prima facie evidence thereof.
(d) The park rangers are hereby authorized to issue citations under duly promulgated rules and regulations to any person violating any regulation concerning the parking of motor vehicles, littering, defacing commission property and disturbing flora and fauna. Whoever violates any rule or regulation made hereunder shall be punished by a fine not exceeding two hundred dollars.