The Arizona ranger whose tip lead to the capture of two fugitives, may be ineligible to receive the nearly 30 thousand dollars in rewards established by both the U.S. Marshalls Service and a privately ran prison. The U.S. Forest Service usually prevents their employees from receiving gifts over the amount of $25. Pam Baltimore, spokesperson for the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest announced that though local forest officials would like to see the ranger receive the reward money, which if the federal policy denies the allowance of the reward to the ranger there is nothing further to do. Though the Forest Service named the ranger a “hero”, they also stand by the position that the ranger was in fact just doing his job.
This forest ranger while performing a routine duty associated with his job stumbled across two violent fugitives, which had escaped apprehension at the hands of other authorities. The ranger’s suspicions of the campers lead to the capture of both fugitives by the authorities. In my opinion, the Forest Service should make an exception to federal policy to allow the ranger to except this reward. However, the forest service said that the ranger was simply doing his job, but a person should be reward for doing their job to the best of their ability. By showing your employees that you appreciate the fact that they are dependable and trustworthy, helps to avoid complacency in the workplace. During my many years in the workforce, I have seen how the lack of incentives and rewards can affects employees, leading them to complacency within the workplace. Complacent workers are a danger to themselves and to others, if one does not take precautions all are at risk. If the ranger had not done his job, and had not gone to investigate the unattended campfire, the fugitives could have still been avoiding capture. To deny this ranger a bonus for putting himself into a potentially dangerous situation, is in itself unethical.
I agree with you that he should be able to accept the money but he got into the job he's doing knowing that there might be a time he could get into a dangerous situation. A lot of Law Enforcement agencies whether at the federal level where he is or a municiple level will not allow there employees to accept gratuities while on the clock. I know in some states it's a criminal offense if they accept them.
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