FWC Law Enforcement Weekly Reports: Nov. 24-30

November 24 through November 30, 2023

This report represents some events the FWC handled over specified weeks; 
however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement.

View this as a web page.

View previous editions.

CASES

Bay County

• Officer Bragg and Lieutenant J. Allen were on patrol and checked two individuals fishing in Poston Bayou. During a resource and license inspection, officers found neither individual had a valid shoreline saltwater fishing license and one of them was on a license suspension. He was issued a citation for fishing during a license suspension. The other individual was issued a warning for not having a valid fishing license.
• Officer Gore was conducting resource inspections on the Choctawhatchee River when he observed a hunter on a vessel. A stop was conducted and three wood ducks were observed in plain view. The subject stated he had killed too many and removed an additional wood duck from under a burlap cloth. Appropriate actions were taken. 
• Officer Rice received a call about an individual harvesting a deer on Tyndall Air Force Base using a centerfire rifle, which are prohibited for that area. Investigator Nelson assisted by interviewing the hunter who admitted to harvesting the deer with a centerfire rifle. The hunter was cited for harvesting deer with unauthorized method. 
• Officer N. Basford and Investigator T. Basford were on patrol at St. Andrews Bay when they observed a vessel returning from fishing. The vessel was stopped to conduct a resource inspection. The captain of the vessel stated they caught their limit of fish. During the inspection, two undersized triggerfish and 11 red snapper were located. The vessel had three occupants, making them over the bag limit for red snapper by five fish. A citation was issued to the captain of the vessel for possession of two undersized triggerfish and over the bag limit of red snapper. 

Escambia County

• Officer Land was patrolling Yellow River Wildlife Management Area and conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that was operating without a tag displayed. Officer Land detected the strong smell of cannabis from the vehicle. He received consent from the operator to look in the vehicle and located drug paraphernalia. The owner was cited for the violations.
• Officer Land was patrolling Blackwater Wildlife Management Area and located an individual hunting with a centerfire rifle before the general gun season opened. The subject was not wearing fluorescent orange and did not possess a quota permit for Blackwater WMA. The subject was cited for the violation.

Franklin County

• Officers Hartzog and Forbes were on patrol at Big Bay when they observed several individuals duck hunting after legal shooting hours. The officers conducted a resource inspection and discovered one of the subjects was duck hunting without a federal duck stamp. The officers addressed the violations appropriately. 

Gulf County

• Officers Hartzog and Nelson were on patrol at Lake Wimico when they observed two vessels herding and flushing waterfowl. The officers conducted surveillance on the subjects and observed one of them shoot from a vessel after herding the waterfowl. A short time later, the officers observed the operators of the vessels herd and flush more waterfowl in the direction of their hunting blind where there were more hunters. The officers conducted a stop on the vessel operators and the additional hunters. During the resource inspection, additional waterfowl were discovered hidden in a compartment on board. Both vessel operators were cited accordingly for driving and flushing waterfowl and for being over the daily bag limit of waterfowl. 
• Master Officer M. Webb was at a local ramp conducting resource inspections on vessels returning from fishing. He observed a vessel return with a few people on board. An inspection revealed the captain was in possession of an 18-inch red grouper out of season. The captain was cited for possession of red grouper out of season. 
• Officers Gerber and Boley were on patrol conducting resource inspections on duck hunters in the area when they observed a group of three individuals shooting ducks after legal shooting hours. One subject admitted to shooting two wood ducks after legal shooting hours. The appropriate citations and warnings were issued. 
• Officers Gerber and Boley were on patrol when they observed a vehicle operating at a slow rate of speed displaying a light into open areas along the road. A traffic stop was conducted and two individuals were found in possession of several firearms. They were cited for the violation. 

Jefferson County

• Officers L. Glover and M. McLeod were patrolling on a rural county road and observed occupants of a vehicle shining a spotlight out the passenger side window.  The vehicle was stopped and after a brief interview, two subjects admitted to looking for deer. Two loaded rifles were found in the front seat of the vehicle. Citations were issued for attempting to take deer at night. 

Leon County

• Senior Officer B. Johnson was off duty in a store when he overheard a subject talking about field dressing an antlered deer and three antlerless deer and was going to take them to the processer in the morning. Johnson observed fresh deer blood and hair on the subject's pants and shoes.  Johnson left the store and wrote the subject’s vehicle tag down. Senior Officer B. Johnson and Lieutenant G. Louque drove to the subject’s residence to conduct a resource inspection and interview. While at the subject’s residence, they observed evidence of a deer in the bed of a vehicle parked at the residence.  The subject confirmed field dressing an antlered deer hit by a vehicle and admitted to field dressing three antlerless deer for another subject who had harvested them with a rifle.  Johnson and Louque drove to the other subject’s residence to conduct an interview. The second subject admitted to harvesting three antlerless deer with a rifle during a closed season.  Charges will be filed with the states attorney’s office. 

Santa Rosa County

• Officer Burkhead was patrolling Blackwater Wildlife Management Area when he heard shotguns being fired prior to legal shooting hours in an area that is commonly used for waterfowl hunting. Officer Burkhead located the individuals who were shooting and verified they were waterfowl hunting. One of the individuals hid a shotgun and later admitted he was hunting waterfowl that morning without his federal duck stamp or other permits required to hunt waterfowl. Officer Burkhead charged the individuals for hunting waterfowl prior to legal shooting hours. Officer Burkhead charged the other individual for hunting waterfowl without a federal duck stamp and wrote citations for the permit violations. 
• Officer Burkhead was conducting resource inspections on duck hunters at Smith’s Fish Camp. Upon checking a group of individuals, he found one of the subjects to be hunting waterfowl with a shotgun capable of holding more than three rounds. Officer Burkhead cited the individual for hunting waterfowl with an unplugged shotgun. 
• Officers Burkhead, Lugg, Wilkenson, and Lieutenant Corbin were conducting resource inspections in Blackwater Wildlife Management Area. They conducted an inspection on an individual driving on a Florida Forest Service maintained road and found the individual to be in possession of deer meat with high-risk parts such as bone from a deer harvested outside of Florida. The individual was also not in possession of any sex identification along with the meat he was transporting. Officer Burkhead issued a notice to appear citation for possessing or importing deer, elk, moose or caribou carcasses or high-risk parts from anywhere outside of Florida. He wrote a written warning for not being in possession of sex identification for the deer he was transporting. 

Walton County

• Officer Tison and K-9 Officer Graves heard hunting dogs pursuing game on private property in an area where he had knowledge this activity was not permitted by the landowner. The officers contacted an adult and a juvenile trespassing on private property. Other members of the hunting party had allowed their hog dogs to pursue wild hogs onto private property. The landowner requested the adult be charged for trespassing and two members of the party were charged for allowing dogs to pursue game on private property without permission.  
• Officer Tison responded to a trespassing complaint from a land manager where he had observed an image captured on a cellular trail camera of a subject trespassing with a firearm. Officer Tison arrived at the area while the individual was still trespassing on the property. The subject had two firearms and was engaged in wild hog hunting. He admitted to walking past multiple no trespassing signs and walked several hundred yards onto the property. The subject did not have written landowner permission to access the property. At the land manager’s request, the individual was placed under arrest and charged with trespassing and transported to the Walton County Jail. 
• K-9 Officer Graves and Officer Tison were patrolling a lake where there had been several complaints of afterhours duck hunting. While in a concealed location, Officer Tison observed three individuals shooting ducks after legal shooting hours. Officer Tison maintained surveillance on the suspects until they arrived at the boat ramp. Officer Graves contacted the subjects at the landing and confirmed they had killed five wood ducks after legal shooting hours. The subjects were cited for taking migratory gamebirds after legal shooting hours, which is from 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset. Multiple boating safety and hunting license violations were addressed as well. 

Washington County

• Officer Gore was on patrol when he observed a duck hunt in progress. He watched the hunters shoot at ducks past the legal shooting hours. Upon making contact, one hunter was found using an unplugged shotgun and did not have a federal duck stamp or a management area permit. Appropriate action was taken. 

OFFSHORE PATROL

• While conducting vessel patrol in federal waters south of Franklin County, Officers Hartzog and Forbes observed a recreational fishing vessel with several individuals on board fishing. The officers conducted a resource inspection and observed the individuals to be in possession of out-of-season red grouper, multiple undersized hogfish, and undersized gray triggerfish. The officers documented the violation and forwarded details of the violation to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

RESCUES

Santa Rosa County

• Lieutenant Corbin, Officer’s Matechik, Burkhead and Wilkenson responded to a search and rescue in Blackwater State Forest Wildlife Management Area. Two subjects, a mother and daughter and their dog became lost while hiking trails near Blackwater River State Park. The subjects advised they left the state park around 4 p.m. and expected to be back around sunset, 4:45 p.m. At approximately 6 p.m. they contacted the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office for assistance, who contacted the FWC. The subjects were able to give their GPS coordinates from their cell phone before the battery died. At approximately 6:30 p.m. the subjects were located and returned to their vehicle at the state park. 

CASES

Clay County

• Officer Jordan was working a hunting detail at Camp Blanding Wildlife Management Area when he observed a pickup truck shining a spotlight in a manner to disclose the presence of deer. Officer Jordan conducted a traffic stop to address the violation. During the encounter, the subject admitted to shining a spotlight while looking for deer. The subject had a loaded rifle readily accessible in the front seat. Charges are being filed in Clay County for attempting to take deer with the aid of artificial light. 
• Officer Specialist Starling was on patrol when he received a report of a dead antlerless deer on private property. He responded to the area and spoke with the subject who initially claimed he thought it was a fox. Officer Starling explained there is no legal season on foxes. During the investigation, Officer Starling determined it was unlikely the subject believed it was a fox when he took the shot. After Officer Starling pointed out the details of the incident, the subject admitted he scoped the deer and recognized it as a antlerless deer but decided to shoot it. He was issued a citation for unlawful take of an antlerless deer. 
• Officer Jordan was on patrol when he received a report of an illegal antlerless deer that had been taken on a wildlife management area. He responded to the area and spoke with the subject who during the interview admitted to the violation. He was issued a citation for unlawful take of an antlerless deer. 

Columbia County

• Senior Officer Davenport came across subjects hunting dove on a harvested peanut field and conducted a migratory gamebird compliance check. The officer checked about 30 hunters and located a subject with several license violations. Davenport issued the appropriate paperwork to the subject with the license violations. 
• While on land patrol, Senior Officer Davenport observed a subject standing behind a pickup truck at a private residence with an antlerless deer in the bed of the truck. Once Davenport entered the yard, the subject walked away from the truck. Davenport asked the first subject and another individual to walk over to where he was. The officer also saw a female subject exit a side building. Senior Officer Johnston and Senior Officer Bryan arrived on the scene to assist. The officer located two coolers under a shed with one containing deer meat. A search of the area was conducted by Senior Officer Davenport and it revealed a large silver sheet covered in fresh blood and deer hair. Next to that was a freshly dug hole in the ground that had been covered up.  Davenport found two more antlerless deer inside the hole. The female subject permitted Davenport to search her pickup truck where he located a Remington .22 magnum rifle, spent shell casings, flashlights, and 350 spent rifle casings. The female subject admitted to night hunting and killing two of the antlerless deer that morning. Numerous charges will be directly filed with the Columbia County State Attorney’s Office on all subjects.

Dixie County

• Officer Specialists Robson and Hilliard received information about unlawfully harvested antlerless deer. The officers responded to a residence and saw an untagged antlerless deer hanging from a skinning rack. Throughout their investigation, the officers located multiple untagged antlerless deer carcasses along with deer meat. The officers identified two subjects and after conducting interviews with the subjects, probable cause was developed to charge them with the unlawful take of the deer. Charges will be filed with the state attorney’s office.

Duval County

• Master Officer Lentz responded to a report referencing a landowner covering active gopher tortoise burrows. Upon arrival, Officer Lentz observed the property had been cleared, leveled, and a pile of tree debris was present next to the roadway. Historical records indicated Officer McGregor had previously conducted a site visit and photographed active burrows. Officer Lentz contacted the gopher tortoise biologist and confirmed no survey had been requested and no relocation efforts were attempted. Officer Lentz requested a written statement from the property owner who admitted to clearing the property without permits and without conducting any relocation efforts. The property owner was issued citations for damaging and destroying gopher tortoise burrows. 

Gilchrist County

• Senior Officer Cooper received a complaint from the Gilchrist County Road Department about illegal dumping. Upon investigating, Officer Cooper identified a subject, and the trash was weighed at the county trash collection scale. After an interview, Officer Cooper developed probable cause to charge the subject with unlawfully dumping 440 pounds of trash. The charge will be filed with the state attorney’s office.

Hamilton County

• Senior Officers Johnston and Bryan, and Officer Specialist Cline recently worked multiple shifts within Nutrien-White Spring Wildlife Management Area to address complaints regarding waterfowl hunting violations at Beehaven Bay. In the days before the designated waterfowl hunting days and during periods open to hunting, the officers’ collective patrol efforts resulted in a wide variety of violations including multiple public access violations regarding unlawful entry into the WMA during times closed to hunters, no federal duck stamp, no state waterfowl permit, no migratory bird permit, no wildlife management area permit, idle speed violations, insufficient number of life jackets, improper/no display of registration decal, improper display of registration numbers, no navigation lights, wading in Beehaven Bay, no sound producing device, fire extinguisher not serviceable, obscured hull identification number, no registration certificate, no sound producing device, fishing during closed hours, and no freshwater fishing license. The above violations resulted in six notices to appear in court, 12 civil infractions, and 15 written warnings. 
• Senior Officer Johnston responded to a raccoon bite/scratch in Jennings. Upon arrival, Officer Johnston met with the wife of the victim (who is suffering from a medical condition) who advised on Thanksgiving Day, her husband was either scratched or bitten by a captive raccoon in their home, for which they did not have a permit.  The raccoon was released to the FWC and was taken to the Hamilton County Health Department for rabies testing. Officer Johnston addressed the violation of possessing the raccoon without a permit and the dangers associated with that. 

Madison County

• Lieutenant McDonald and Officer Specialist Cline were targeting night hunting  when they heard shots in the distance. The officers then saw headlights and conducted a stop on the vehicle. Three individuals admitted to shooting at deer in a field in two separate locations. Citations were issued for attempting to take deer at night and attempting to take wildlife from a road right of way. 
• Officers Vazquez and Humphrey were on patrol when they heard shots consistent with waterfowl hunting after sunset. The officers located the pond and the subjects who admitted to duck hunting. Appropriate citations were issued. 
• Officer Vazquez and Humphrey located two individuals hunting over bait in Middle Aucilla Wildlife Management Area. The officers had located the bait earlier in the season and continued to monitor it. The subjects were issued the appropriate citations for the violations. 

Taylor County

• Officers Williamson and Edwards, and Lieutenant Loyed were on patrol in an area where night hunting has occurred in the past when they heard a shot from the highway. The officers stopped the vehicle to conduct a check. The two subjects in the vehicle admitted to shooting at a deer. The two subjects were taken to the Taylor County jail and charged with taking deer at night and for road hunting. The next day Lieutenant Loyed went back to the location a recovered a recently killed antlerless deer in the same location they subjects shot from. Additional charges were filed on the two subjects for killing antlerless deer during the closed season.

CASES

Brevard County

• Officer Specialist Parrish received information about two subjects killing a deer out of season. He called Officer Specialist Delano and a K-9 officer for assistance and while searching a block of woods near the subjects’ homes, they found a feeder with one of the subject’s last names written on it. An FWC K-9 worked the area and alerted twice to a potential kill site. Officers Parrish and Delano went to the subjects’ homes and interviewed them. At the first subject’s house, the officers located fresh deer meat in a cooler on the front porch and blood and deer hair on an ATV. The second subject admitted to his involvement and more evidence was found on his property. DNA results confirmed a male Florida deer. Charges for deer out of season were filed with the state attorney’s office.

Indian River County

• Officer St. Martin, Officer Specialist Delano and Senior Officer Platt were working at a wildlife management area when they found a truck parked in a concealed area next to the WMA. They conducted surveillance on the vehicle and at about  2 a.m., the officers observed three individuals walking back to the truck with three hunting dogs off leash. The officers made contact and addressed multiple hunting violations. The subjects were cited appropriately.

Lake County

• Officer Specialist Weber was conducting waterfowl resource patrol in Area 7 of Emeralda Marsh Public Small Game Hunting Area when he checked a vessel returning from a morning of duck hunting. During a resource inspection, Officer Weber located four pied-billed grebes in the vessel, which are prohibited to take. Appropriate citations were issued.

Orange County

• Officer Specialist Hallsten was on patrol when he noticed a vehicle with a trailer parked against the outside of a gate at Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area. Officer Hallsten stopped to investigate and found 4-wheeler sign entering the property through a fence post that had been dislodge from the ground. Other officers were requested to help and Officer Specialists Parrish, Ames, and Balgo responded to assist. The tire sign was followed into the management area, and three subjects were discovered hunting within the closed area, without quota permits, hunting licenses, or management area permits, with use of an ATV, and riding off road.  Citations were issued accordingly.
• Officer Specialist Fahnestock received information that an individual was possibly poaching inside a wildlife management area. Officer Fahnestock approached one of the entrances to the WMA and observed a vehicle. He located and stopped a subject to conduct a resource inspection. The subject was in possession of snipe he harvested inside the WMA during a closed season. The subject also was not in possession of a required permit needed for hunting migratory game birds. The permit violation and hunting inside a WMA during a closed season violation were addressed.

St. Johns County

• Officers Lemaster and Norris were working the Guana River Dam when they observed a van parked outside the closed gate after hours. The officers observed the vehicle owner cast netting from the water control structure, which is prohibited. The subject was cited for trespassing on the water control structure, casting netting within 50 yards of the water control structure located on Guana River Dam, casting netting fin fish, being in Guana after hours, and evasion of park fees.
• Officer Lemaster conducted a fisheries inspection at the Guana River Dam. Upon inspection, the subject possessed an undersized red drum and an undersized spotted seatrout. Officer Lemaster cited the individual accordingly.

CASES

De Soto County

• Officers Geeraerts and Brooks investigated a report of a set gun on private property. They spoke to the property owner who showed them two set guns located on game trails and left unattended. The set guns were seized and the owner was issued a citation.

Hardee County

• Lieutenant Cloud along with Officers Stephens and Livingston were working illegal night hunting when at around 1 a.m. they observed a vehicle traveling on a county paved road stop and a subject fired a round from the vehicle. Officer Cloud conducted a traffic stop and located a .22 magnum with a FLIR scope next to the passenger. Two subjects were arrested and transported to the Hardee County Jail.

Hillsborough County

• Officer McCormack was patrolling the Courtney Campbell Causeway in Tampa. He observed a parked truck with a tandem trailer attached and a “rent me” sign next to a personal watercraft on the trailer and a PWC on the sand by the boat ramp. He approached two individuals standing in the parking lot close to the beached PWC. The individuals stated they had rented the PWC, and the rental operator was on his way back to collect it. Officer McCormack met with the rental operator once he arrived and conducted a livery inspection. The officer discovered 12 livery violations, including missing safety gear and safe operations instruction. The appropriate citations and written warnings were issued to the rental operator.
• While patrolling Courtney Campbell Causeway, Officers Fritts and McCormack conducted a resource inspection of two individuals fishing from the rocks in the mangroves. During the inspection, Officer Fritts located a white bucket with two spotted seatrout in it. After measuring both fish, she determined one of them was less than the minimum size for spotted seatrout. Moreover, neither of the individuals had a valid shoreline saltwater fishing license. The appropriate citations and warnings were issued.
• While on water patrol at night, Officer Bothe along with Officer Specialist Rorer observed a vessel hidden against a mangrove shoreline. The officers attempted to contact two individuals who were preparing to fish with a large monofilament gill but they fled in their vessel and launched the gill net in the water. With the assistance of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office helicopter and FWC K-9 Officer Wilkins, the officers apprehended one of the individuals who was hiding under a dock. The second individual evaded the officers. The officers retrieved the large gill net from the water and found 29 horseshoe crabs, four black drum, one red drum, 25 sheepshead, four tarpons and one shark entangled within the net, which was over 600 yards long. The apprehended individual was transported to the Hillsborough County jail and charged with fisheries violations. The officers submitted a warrant to the state attorney’s office for the arrest of the second subject for the same charges. 

Pinellas County

• While on land patrol, Officer Criswell observed a derelict vessel on the north side of the Courtney Campbell Causeway. At the time, no one was on board the vessel. Officer Criswell contacted the registered owner who had sold the vessel in March 2023. After a thorough investigation, Officer Criswell contacted the responsible party to notify him of the vessel’s derelict status. The responsible party arrived at the location and was unable to remove the derelict from state waters. The responsible party was issued the appropriate citations. 
• While on land patrol, Officer Criswell conducted resource inspections on vessels returning to the Sutherland Bayou Boat Ramp. An angler had a shark not landed in whole condition in his possession. The shark’s head, gills, and fins were removed. The appropriate citation was issued. 
• While on land patrol, Lieutenant Bibeau observed three individuals fishing from a bridge. Lieutenant Bibeau contacted the individuals and conducted a fisheries inspection. At the conclusion of the inspection, Lieutenant Bibeau located four undersized spotted seatrout, which had been hidden. One of the individuals admitted to catching all four trout and was issued a citation and a warning for the fisheries violations 

Polk County

• Officers Stephens, Livingston and Investigator Carter were working illegal night hunting. At about 2 a.m., Investigator Carter observed a vehicle stop and shoot from the road. Carter conducted a traffic stop and located a recently killed deer in the vehicle. The two subjects in the vehicle were arrested and transported to the Polk County Jail.

CASES

Broward County

• Officer Constance was patrolling at the Loxahatchee Road Boat Ramp and conducted a resource inspection on a vessel that had returned from duck hunting. His inspection revealed several violations involving a vessel occupant who was in possession of ducks. The occupant was issued citations for no federal duck stamp, duck hunting without a hunting license or a migratory bird permit. The occupant was also issued warning citations for no management area permit, no waterfowl permit, and no shotgun plug. The vessel's owner was issued a civil Infraction for expired vessel registration and a warning citation for no safety orange flag. 
• Officer Constance was patrolling at STA 2 Waterfowl Public Small Game Hunting Area and conducted resource inspections on a group of duck hunters exiting the marsh. His inspection revealed one of the subjects had a limit of ducks but did not have the necessary plug in his shotgun. Officer Constance issued the subject a citation for no shotgun plug. 
• Officer Bovee was patrolling at Sewell Lock and completed a resource inspection of a subject he'd observed fishing. His inspection revealed the subject was in possession of two undersized snook. Officer Bovee issued the subject a citation for possession of undersized snook and warning citations for no fishing license and no snook permit. 
• While on patrol at the Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park boat ramp, Officers Perez and Olivera conducted a resource and boating safety inspection on a vessel that revealed a subject was in possession of five undersized yellowtail snapper and two undersized gray triggerfish. Officer Perez issued the subject citations for possession of undersized yellowtail and gray triggerfish. Officer Olivera issued the vessel owner infractions for registration and safety equipment violations. 
• Officer Hammad was patrolling western Broward County and U.S. 27 when she heard several gunshots. She located the area of the shots and found several people and vehicles. Officer Hammad's investigation revealed two subjects were illegally target shooting on South Florida Water Management District lands. Officer Hammad issued the two subjects citations for public discharge of a firearm.
• While patrolling at the Loxahatchee Road Boat Ramp Officer, Constance noticed a truck and trailer blocking the South Florida Water Management District L36 levy gate. Officer Constance issued the vehicle owner a citation for blocking the SFWMD levy gate. 

Glades County

• Officer Ciprich was on patrol, checking several anglers in the Harney Pond area of Lake Okeechobee. In this area, crappie must be a minimum of 10 inches to be legal. During one inspection, he encountered an individual who was in possession of multiple crappie under the 10-inch minimum requirement. The subject was educated on the size requirements and was given a warning for the violation.  The following day, Officer Ciprich observed the same individual fishing in the same area. The subject was again found to be in possession of multiple crappie under the minimum 10-inch requirement. The subject was issued a notice to appear for the violation.

Palm Beach County

• Lieutenant Warne, Investigator Fowler and Officers Stone, Peters, Webb, Leon, Koger, Brevik, Defeo and Trawinski all participated in a detail at J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area, which included checking for day use passes and/or wildlife management area permits. During the detail, the officers contacted numerous individuals and addressed multiple violations including alcohol violations, expired registration, failure to pay day use fee, FWC license violations and management area specific rule violations. 
• Officers Morgan, Pullano and Trawinski conducted a seafood quality control inspection of a seafood dealer that resulted in the owner being issued several citations. The owner was cited for having untagged oysters and mussels, a refrigerator with product having a temp of 57 degrees Fahrenheit, thermometers not located in the warmest part of the refrigerator, and production area with nonfunctioning drains causing flooding of sewage.
• Officers Morgan andTrawinski and Lieutenant Brodbeck conducted a vessel stop for violation of a manatee slow speed zone. Upon contact, the officers' encountered juveniles that had alcohol. The operator was cited for operating a vessel with a blood alcohol content of over .02 while under the age of 21. 
• Officers Morgan and Trawinski were on water patrol when they observed a vessel violating a manatee slow speed zone. Upon contact with the operator, the officers observed signs of impairment and initiated a boating under the influence investigation. The operator performed poorly during the standardized field sobriety tasks and was placed under arrest and transported to the Palm Beach County jail where he provided two breath samples over the legal limit for blood alcohol concentration. 

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING

Glades County

• Officer Watson has participated in multiple educational outreach events over the past weeks.
  • He attended the Florida Trail Association event, where he brought an airboat for people to see and had a booth set up where he was able to interact and answer questions from the public.
  • He also attended the Public Safety Day in Clewiston and brought a swamp buggy for the public to see. He and members of other public safety agencies interacted with the public. Officer Watson provide safety information and answer questions related to hunting and fishing.
  • He also gave presentations to approximately 60 to 70 campers at the Fisheating Creek Campground and to elementary school children at LaBelle Elementary during their career day.

RESCUES

Palm Beach County

• Senior Officer Stone was patrolling STA 1 West Waterfowl Public Small Game Hunting Area and checking exiting waterfowl hunters. After the time had passed for all the hunters to exit the area, the check station operator reported to the officer that one individual was overdue and did not check out. The officer drove to the hunter’s assigned parking spot and found his truck but no sign of the hunter. At this time, it was dark and the hunter was assumed to be lost in the marsh.  Additional support and assets were requested and the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office helicopter was dispatched to search for the individual. The helicopter located the lost hunter and helped direct the hunter to where officers were staged on the levee. The hunter was provided a ride back to his vehicle.