After the Parks Police neglected, American tourists visiting national landmarks are less safe.

As left-wing leaders advocated for defunding their local police departments, the USPP experienced a decline in staffing levels and resource strain, with union leaders requesting additional resources.

Since 1975, the agency responsible for protecting national monuments in Washington, D.C., New York City, and San Francisco has experienced its lowest staffing levels, according to Ken Spencer, chairman of the United States Park Police Fraternal Order of Police (FOP).

""The officer level feels like it's almost intentional how poorly our staffing is managed. Days off and leave are frequently canceled, and day-to-day operations are dangerously unsafe for our mission," he said to Planet Chronicle Digital."

"In 1975, the U.S. Park Police had a total of 547 sworn officers nationwide. Currently, there are 515 officers, and this number is steadily decreasing. Despite our repeated attempts to emphasize the urgent need for additional staffing, Congress, the Department of Interior, and the National Park Service have failed to take meaningful action to address this crisis."

Despite having allies in Congress, the Parks Police stated that neither the Department of Interior nor the NPS under the Biden administration have made necessary adjustments after years of requesting relief.

"Spencer stated that our officers want the American people to be aware of a draft bill in Congress that could solve our staffing crisis for the long term. However, both parties have disregarded the agency, and the bill remains stagnant. We hope that a recent event will motivate Congress to compel the Interior Department and the National Park Service to address this critical issue in federal law enforcement. Immediate action is necessary to safeguard our officers and the public we serve."

Neither the Interior Department nor the NPS responded to requests for comment, and the FOP previously stated that both agencies have hindered the legislation.

On Friday, Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., wrote a scorching letter to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, urging her to provide more resources for the USPP following a violent protest at Columbus Plaza on July 24, where a "thousand-strong" anti-Israel mob burned U.S. flags, vandalized landmarks, and assaulted officers. The protest was sparked by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Capitol Hill.

"Once again, I express my deep concern regarding your inadequate response to the criminal and violent actions of pro-terror, anti-Israel protesters on federal property," he wrote. "For the second time in two months, USPP officers have been left with insufficient resources and inadequate numbers of officers to safeguard the public and secure federal property from a harmful crowd."

During the protest, the Park Police had only 29 officers available. A video on social media shows some of the chaos, with at least one protester attacking a USPP officer from behind.

Spencer informed Planet Chronicle Digital that the number of arrests made was insufficient to halt the chaos.

Barrasso expressed concern about the latest violent uprising on federal property in our nation's capital, which he found particularly troubling given his repeated attempts to seek support for the USPP, which he claimed you ignored.

The USPP arrested 10 individuals during the conflict and is requesting the public's assistance in identifying six additional suspects who allegedly attacked an officer and caused damage to government property.

In February, Haaland received a letter from Barrasso requesting that she address "alarming attrition rates, outdated pay scales, and chronic staffing shortages."

The U.S. Park Police has faced violent protesters and hostile mobs twice in two months, with the Biden-Harris administration failing to provide adequate support. The administration has allowed the police force's ranks to dwindle to their lowest level in nearly 50 years, leaving officers high and dry. Barrasso urged the administration to take action to support law enforcement in protecting national treasures and symbols of democracy. The swift and decisive actions of the officers prevented further harm and destruction of federal property.

In a letter to National Park Service Director Chuck Sams, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, inquired about the absence of USPP staffing during the riot.

"The USPP Union reported that only 29 Park Police officers were present to handle the massive protest, despite the situation rapidly deteriorating into a riot. In contrast, Amtrak Police had made arrangements to increase its police presence at Union Station and acquire additional resources."

Organizers of demonstrations requested a permit for 5,000 participants, which would outnumber police by approximately 200 to one, as Cruz stated.

"NPS and the Department of the Interior should have sought additional support from other law enforcement agencies in the region, as U.S. Capitol Police and Amtrak had done, to address the stretched resources of the USPP, according to Cruz. Additionally, while the USPP union is concerned about budgetary constraints, it appears that NPS could have allocated more funds for officers in anticipation of this event."

The USPP FOP issued a warning earlier this month that the understaffing issues pose a threat not only to officers and the public, but also to national landmarks.

The agency, with only 515 officers nationwide, is in charge of safeguarding federal landmarks in and around New York City, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.

The Park Police are responsible for Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, New York, where thousands of migrants are being sheltered. However, the USPP has only two officers available to police the shelter, which has led to an increase in crime in the surrounding community, according to Spencer.