DEC Environmental Conservation Police Officer Highlights |
ECO Actions for Late August to Early September
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) enforce the 71 Chapters of NY Environmental Conservation Law (ECL), protecting fish and wildlife and preserving environmental quality across New York. In 2017, the 301 ECOs across the state responded to 26,400 calls and issued 22,150 tickets for crimes ranging from deer poaching to corporate toxic dumping and illegal mining, the black market pet trade, and excessive emissions violations. If you witness an environmental crime or believe a violation of environmental law occurred, please call the DEC Division of Law Enforcement hotline at 1-844-DEC-ECOS (1-844-332-3267). “From Montauk Point to Mount Marcy, from Brooklyn to Buffalo, the ECOs patrolling our state are the first line of defense in protecting New York’s environment and our natural resources, ensuring that they exist for future generations of New Yorkers,” said Commissioner Basil Seggos. “They work long and arduous hours, both deep in our remote wildernesses and in the tight confines of our urban landscapes. Although they don’t receive much public fanfare, the work of our ECOs is critical to achieving DEC’s mission to protect and enhance our environment.” Recent missions carried out by ECOs include:
Commercial Vehicle Enforcement – Cortland County On Aug. 30, ECO Don Damrath participated in a commercial vehicle enforcement detail in the village of Homer with members of the New York State Police and Homer Police officers to investigate commercial vehicles using secondary roads to avoid commercial vehicle inspection stations on Interstate 81. Approximately 30 commercial trucks were inspected, resulting in 94 violations. Eleven had violations or equipment defects serious enough to warrant taking the trucks out of service. ECO Damrath issued three summonses for violations of ECL, including one for operating a heavy duty diesel vehicle with non-functioning emission control apparatus and two for violations for operating a heavy duty diesel vehicle with emission control apparatus disconnected, detached, deactivated, tampered with, or in any other way rendered inoperable or less effective than designed by the original equipment.
Early Salmon River Activity – Oswego County On Aug. 30 at approximately 7:20 p.m., ECO Tony Panipinto observed two anglers fishing in the closed Lower Fly Zone of the Salmon River. ECO Panipinto approached the pair and requested fishing licenses and identification. Neither could produce the requested documents, with one subject explaining that he had left it in his truck. The other subject said he did not have his license with him. After walking to their vehicle, parked directly in front of the regulation signs that detailed the fishing ban, the first angler “discovered” the documents in his pocket. ECO Panipinto checked the pair for unlawful fish take and for proper tackle and gear but found no other violations. The anglers were informed of the rules, regulations, and laws relative to producing a license upon request, carrying a license while fishing, and fishing in the closed section of the Salmon River. The ECO issued the first angler a written warning for failing to carry his license, and both men received tickets for fishing in a closed section of the Salmon River.
Motor Vehicle Accident – Westchester County On Sept. 3, ECO Craig Tompkins was traveling south on I-684 in the town of Bedford when he heard a call over the radio reporting a vehicle off the highway. ECO Tompkins quickly headed to the scene and spotted a trooper tending to the vehicle, which had gone down an embankment and into a small patch of woods. The officer created a path through the brush to assess the condition of the occupants. ECO Tompkins was then able to make a path to a local road that passed under I-684 to flag down additional responding officers, EMS, and Fire personnel. The ECO then assisted emergency personnel carrying the two individuals out of the woods to waiting ambulances.
Busy day on the Pier – Kings County On Sept. 5, while checking fisherman on Canarsie Pier, ECO Adam Muchow found a stringer of fish hanging over the edge of the pier. The stringer held four legal-size porgy and two short black sea bass. After interviewing fishermen in the area, ECO Muchow found the owner of the stringer at the parking lot edge washing his kayak. The fisherman admitted to catching the porgy, but said his friend “Frank” had caught the bass and would be back in a little while. The ECO told the fisherman he would run his information and wait for Frank’s return. After running the data, Frank had still not come returned. The officer issued the fisherman a summons for possessing undersize black sea bass. The summons is returnable to Kings County Court.
Clams and Crabs After Dark – Kings County
Solid Waste Is Not Agricultural Waste – Orange County
Snow in September? – Onondaga County
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