JEFFERSON – The Ashtabula County Metroparks has hired two additional part-time park rangers to boost its safety presence in its parks and trails.
Rangers Pamela Bradek and Shalana Satterwhite were sworn in as Rangers by Metroparks Board President Robert J. Best at the Feb. 13th Board of Park Commissioners’ meeting.
“We are pleased to add Rangers Bradek and Satterwhite to make our park experience even more secure,” commented Mr. Best.
Both newly hired rangers come to Ashtabula County Metroparks with a wealth of experience in the field of law enforcement.
Bradek has been in law enforcement since 2004, including at the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s/Sheriff’s Offices, a police officer in the City of Ashtabula, Jefferson Village, Eastlake, as well as Geneva on the Lake. Ms. Satterwhite brings experience since 2001, including East Cleveland and Highland Hills Police departments as well as the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Lakeland Community College and Public Safety Driving School.
Bradek and Satterwhite join Ranger Kristen Fortune to comprise the Metroparks’ Ranger unit. Metroparks park rangers are uniformed, commissioned law enforcement officers through the Ohio Revised Code and have
been through rigorous training through the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy and are connected to other law-enforcement entities in the county.
Ashtabula County Metroparks has a memorandum of agreement with the Ashtabula County commissioners and the Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Department for dispatch, aid and data access. Its rangers have arrest powers and are fully capable of enforcing every aspect of the law in their provision of public safety primarily within areas of Metroparks jurisdiction. Park rangers enforce both park rules as well as the Ohio Revised Code.
“I’m excited to be a part of Ashtabula County Metroparks as a park ranger. It is truly an honor to serve Ashtabula County and do my part to keep our parks and trails safe and secure,” commented Ranger Bradek. “I have enjoyed meeting the Board, staff, volunteers and park attendees so far.
I love being out in nature and throughout our beautiful county. I enjoy meeting residents and welcoming visitors to our Metroparks. I grew up in Geneva but am still discovering new and different experiences in our Metroparks in order to help make your park experiences safe and enjoyable. I was born in Ashtabula County and am glad to be working at Ashtabula County Metroparks.”

Ranger Satterwhite commented, “I’m happy to be continuing my law-enforcement career in the outdoors. I love the parks and trails. It will be my pleasure to keep them safe and secure.”
Rangers Bradek, Fortune and Satterwhite will be working at various hours and times to protect all of Ashtabula County’s Metroparks and trails to keep them safe.
“We are very excited to have our two new Rangers. It may be the first all-women’s law enforcement unit in Ohio,” commented Marie Lane, vice president of the Board.
“Again, not only will our rangers keep our parks safer, but they will add ranger presence on top of the already existing Metroparks Bike Patrol. We anticipate that with the added law enforcement presence, it will provide an even greater deterrent to people that otherwise might have got- ten into park mischief to respect Ashtabula County’s parks and residents,” Executive Director Larry Frimerman added.
Ashtabula County Metroparks is an Ohio Revised Code statutory park district providing quality park experiences in nine currently open parks covering over 1,100 acres of publicly accessible parkland throughout Ashtabula County and founded in 1959. It owns and manages 30 miles of paved, ADA accessible greenway and bike trails as well as 12 miles of primitive trails throughout its park system. Ashtabula County Metroparks is primarily funded through a five-year parks levy which passed in 2014, which has permitted the significant expansion of its park holdings and open parks. Since 2014, Metroparks has tripled the number of open parks and publicly accessible acreage as well as adding amenities throughout the Greenway and each of its open parks.
For further information  on events or other activities, please visit the Ashtabula County Metroparks website page.         www.ashtabulametroparks.com.  Follow us on Facebook.
For questions, please call (440) 576-0717.

Pictured from left to right:  Marie Lane, Metroparks Board Vice President; Ranger Satterwhite; Ranger Bradek; Robert Best, Metroparks Board President