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February 16, 2024 through February 22, 2024
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.
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 CASES
Escambia County
- While patrolling the Escambia River Wildlife Management Area, Officer Hahr observed a truck parked in an area frequented by people who are hunting. He located a subject carrying a rifle. Officer Hahr determined the subject had just shot at an antlerless deer but missed. The subject was charged with attempting to take deer during the closed season in the WMA and warned for attempting to take antlerless deer out of season.
Franklin County
- Officer Hartzog observed a vessel with two individuals on board throwing a cast net outside of Eastpoint Channel. A short time later, the two individuals began motoring back to the shore and Officer Hartzog stopped them to conduct a resource inspection. One of the individuals advised they did not possess any fish. Officer Hartzog observed oyster shell scattered on the bow of the vessel. An inspection of coolers onboard revealed a large quantity of wild oysters. Officer Hartzog interviewed the subjects and they advised the oysters were harvested from Eastpoint Channel and Cat Point area of the Apalachicola Bay system, which is currently closed to recreational and commercial oyster harvest. Also, a large percentage of the oysters harvested were undersized. Violations were cited accordingly.
Gulf County
- Officers Gerber and Butts were on patrol near the Apalachicola River Wildlife and Environmental Area when they heard dogs barking in an area where hunting dogs are not permitted. They located the dogs and the two individuals responsible. The appropriate enforcement action was taken.
Santa Rosa County
- While on patrol Officer Mullins received a tip from a hunter about vehicles destroying public land. The officer located a broken-down vehicle covered in mud. He tracked down other vehicles and found them doing donuts off a forest road. Each subject was issued several citations. The subjects were directed to remove their broken vehicle upon leaving the forest.
- While on patrol, Officer Mullins observed a vehicle and two subjects searching for deer and possibly night hunting. The officer monitored their actions and conducted a check on the individuals. Upon contact, a loaded shotgun was discovered. The subjects were issued open container alcohol citations and notice to appear citations for illegal night hunting.
Walton County
- Officers Ates and Mursch responded to a complaint of an individual hunting in a closed area within the Lafayette Creek Wildlife Management Area. Investigator Armstrong assisted with searching the area and observed a parked truck. They located and interviewed a subject who was returning to the truck on an electric bike. During the interview, the subject stated he had been wild hog hunting and denied hunting in a closed area. Officer Ates and Officer Mursch followed the subject’s bike tracks and discovered the subject’s climbing stand and a recently killed antlered deer nearby. Officer R. Brooks arrived and assisted with the recovery of the deer and stand. Officers Ates and Mursch and Lieutenant S. Bartlett conducted a follow-up interview with the subject, who admitted to shooting the deer during closed season on the WMA. The subject was issued several citations for the violations
COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING
Okaloosa County
- Officers Ates and Mursch conducted an outreach event for four classes at Crestview High School. The outreach focused on the daily responsibilities of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers, the process for becoming an FWC law enforcement officer, and local issues regarding Florida’s resources. A vessel was brought to the high school to show the students the different types of equipment officers use. The outreach effort reached 60 students and several expressed their interests in becoming future FWC officers.
 CASES
Broward County
- Officers Bruder and Willis were on water patrol when they observed a vessel with fishing rods coming through the inlet. The officers conducted a resource inspection that revealed two undersized gray triggerfish and one undersized flounder. Willis issued the captain of the vessel a notice to appear citation for possession of undersized triggerfish and undersized flounder.
- Officer Olivera was patrolling at Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park and observed a vessel returning to the dock with fishing gear onboard. Olivera contacted the operator for the purpose of a fisheries inspection, which revealed an undersized African pompano inside a cooler. Officer Olivera issued the subject a notice to appear citation for the violation.
Okeechobee County
- Officer Allen observed a subject fishing from the E-Lock on the Kissimmee River in a posted no trespassing area. The subject had been previously charged with trespassing on another water control structure in 2019 by the same officer. He was issued a notice to appear in court.
COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING
Broward County
- Lieutenant Harp and Officers Bruder, Dudas, Moss, Willis, and Rigali participated in the second annual “Ocean Protectors Day” at the Coastal Center in Stuart along with marine units from local law enforcement agencies and our partners at the Florida Oceanographic Society. This event provided stakeholders the opportunity to interact with the marine officers dedicated to protecting our coastal environments. FWC officers provided attendees with informational pamphlets, tours of our 10-meter cabin vessel, and fielded questions pertaining to our role in protecting marine ecosystems.
SEARCH AND RESCUE
Glades County
- Officer Watson responded late at night to a call about two subjects who were stranded after their boat sank on Lake Okeechobee. The officer located the subjects, who were cold and wet but otherwise uninjured and in good spirits. Officer Watson transported the subjects to shore and vessel recovery efforts started the following day.
Okeechobee County
- Officer Dziewiatkowski, Lieutenant Davis and two Okeechobee County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call about a person who got lost in Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park while riding an electric bike. The bike’s battery became drained, stranding the individual on a remote trail. After communicating with the subject, the officers set out on a side-by-side to locate him. After a couple hours of searching, the subject was located and transported safely back to the main road of the park.
 CASES
Collier County
- Officer Jackson conducted a targeted enforcement action focusing on high visibility patrols during the Everglades Seafood Festival. The officers focused on slowing down drivers in the various panther zones and wildlife corridors in the area. Officers Conroy, Stearns, Delgado, Parlapiano, and Savill and Lieutenants Knutson and Mahoney all participated and conducted 44 traffic stops, issued 10 traffic citations and 36 traffic warnings.
- While on patrol, K-9 Officer Wagner observed an individual operating an ATV in Picayune Strand State Forrest. When Officer Wagner attempted to speak with the individual, he sped passed him. Officer Specialist Thurkettle arrived on scene to assist and attempted to get in front of the ATV, but the operator veered toward his patrol truck and forced the officer to brake. Officer Specialist Thurkettle and Officer Wagner successfully stopped the ATV operator and the subject was arrested and booked into the Naples Jail Center for felony fleeing and attempt to elude in addition to receiving other citations.
- While on patrol, Officer Creel checked an angler at a Chokoloskee Boat Ramp and discovered an undersized snook in a plastic bag in the bed of the subject’s truck. The subject also did not possess a valid saltwater fishing license or a snook permit. The subject was issued a notice to appear for possession of snook out of season and appropriately cited and warned for the other violations.
Monroe County
- Investigator Chris Mattson was patrolling the reef line when he observed a vessel tied to a “no fishing” buoy inside Davis Reef, located oceanside in Islamorada. Davis Reef is a sanctuary preservation area, which means it is a no-take zone. The vessel was tied to a mooring ball, and the subject on board had caught fish in the location. The subject was issued a federal citation for fishing in the SPA.
- Investigator Chris Mattson was patrolling in the area of Hens and Chickens Sanctuary Preservation Area located in Islamorada. He observed a boat anchored to the reef with four subjects on the vessel who were fishing. The vessel was anchored within the boundaries of the SPA, marked by four yellow buoys. Investigator Mattson cited all the subjects for fishing in the SPA located inside state waters.
- Investigator Chris Mattson was patrolling bayside of Indian Key Fill when he observed four personal watercrafts riding in an open area before entering a no motor zone. He conducted a stop, which revealed one of the operators was 13 years old. The subject’s father admitted to knowing the minimum legal age to operate a PWC is 14. The father was issued a notice to appear for allowing the underage operation of a PWC.
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