Bi-Weekly Conservation Officer Report
March 16 - 31, 2014
CO Doug Hermanson investigated an incident involving the dumping of
livestock on CFA lands. A complaint was
reported that two cows had been dumped in the area of a logging job. CO Hermanson was able to retrieve tag
information from the animals and locate the owners. Enforcement action was taken against the
livestock owners for the litter.
CO Marvin Gerlach received a complaint of several near miss car/deer
incidents near a residence in Menominee County. It seems with the long winter
the residents of one house felt sorry for the local deer and decided to start
putting out some feed for recreational viewing. Unfortunately for the
deer, they decided to place it next to their mailbox along a high traffic
county road. CO Gerlach talked to the “deer feeders”, explaining that
although they were not in violation of the recreational feeding rules, they
were certainly putting motorists and the deer in harm’s way by locating the
deer feed so close to the road. The subjects agreed that their activities
were causing a hazard and decided to relocate the feed site to a safer
location.
CO Brian Bacon and Sgt. Marc Pomroy were checking local lakes that
still had ice fishing activity. While
most anglers have removed their shacks, a few shacks were still found to be
active. One shack the COs were familiar
with had the identification on the shack removed, but the subjects failed to
cover their tracks in the snow. The
tracks led from the shack to a nearby residence where a suspect was
developed. Enforcement action was taken.
CO Marvin Gerlach received the disposition on an illegal
turkey case in Menominee County from the fall of 2013. The subject pled
guilty to the illegal turkey charge and paid $1525 in restitution, court costs
and fines. He also lost all hunting privileges until 2016. A second
subject from the same complaint pled guilty to recreational trespass and paid
$375 in court costs and fines.
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CO Kevin
Postma contacted an ice angler at the mouth of Pendills Creek. The subject advised CO Postma that he didn’t
have a license and had tried to buy one earlier in the day but the internet was
down and in turn the license machine was also down. CO Postma followed up and confirmed the angler’s
story. In this case discretion was used
and arrangements were made to make sure the individual purchased a fishing
license.
While on fish
patrol on Brevort Lake, CO Kyle Publiski was dispatched to a snowmobile on fire
just a few miles from his location. Arriving on scene CO Publiski contacted the
owner of the snowmobile who stated it was too late; the snowmobile had already
burned up. CO Publiski was shocked to see that the fire was so hot it burned
through two feet of snow and ice on the snowmobile trail and all that was left
of the snowmobile were a few small burned parts and a motor.
COs Mike
Hammill and Brett Gustafson stopped a snowmobile operator who didn’t have a
valid registration or trail permit. The operator claimed he was unaware that he
needed to have a registration on a snowmobile.
CO Hammill file checked the individual which revealed a misdemeanor
warrant for the same violation two years prior.
Bond was taken ensuring the nonresident snowmobiler would respond to his
ticket.
CO Mike
Hammill contacted an individual lying on the ice next to his fishing pole. The angler jumped up when he noticed the law
enforcement shield on the snowmobile and quickly walked away from the fishing
pole. When asked for his fishing license
the angler patted his pockets and replied, “I forgot it at home.” CO Hammill ran a file check for licenses
purchases and found the angler hadn’t purchased a fishing license since
2006. Enforcement action was taken.
After
completing a group patrol of Munising Bay, CO Michael Evink became aware of a
snowmobile injury accident that was located in the Hiawatha National
Forest. CO Evink contacted the
Manistique Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and directed them to the closest
access to the accident. Officer Evink
located the victim and when EMS arrived he also transported the personnel to
the scene. Working with the EMS
services, the CO assisted with transporting the patient off the trail with the
use of an enclosed rescue sled and his snowmobile.
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For several months CO Jon Sklba has been attempting to contact
individuals responsible for the construction of a rough cabin built on state
land. Last week, CO Sklba found the cabin had received recent use. While
leaving, he observed a subject driving a truck into the area with a snowmobile
in the bed. Considering the cabin as a
potential meth lab, CO Sklba returned with a local deputy and contacted the
subject. No evidence of narcotics was found and it turned out the young
downstate man had built the cabin to live like a “mountain man” off and
on. Enforcement action was taken and he
was ordered to tear down and remove the cabin.
CO Matt Theunick ticketed a subject for littering after he attempted
to pull his iced-in shanty off Mullett Lake with a chain and destroyed it,
leaving all the debris on the ice. The debris will be removed.
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CO Angela Greenway contacted two subjects fishing the closed waters of
the Little Manistee River. One of the
anglers lacked a fishing license and the other only possessed a restricted
fishing license. Tickets were issued to
each subject, one for fishing closed trout stream and the other for fishing
without a license.
Lt. David Shaw responded to a complaint from a snowmobile operator who
encountered a truck on the snowmobile trail containing a load of freshly cut
wood and a deer in the bed of the truck.
Lt. Shaw patrolled the complaint area and being unsuccessful in locating
the suspect vehicle, returned to the District office to inspect wood cutting
permits for possible information on identifying the suspect. CO Steve Converse continued to patrol the
complaint area in a search for the suspect and, while not locating the original
suspect, was able to contact a different individual he had been investigating
for timber theft. This person was
leaving the Manistee National Forest with freshly cut firewood. Further investigation revealed excessive U S
Forest Service (USFS) wood cutting permits and illegal amounts of wood
taken. Additional questioning led to
information concerning the illegal selling of firewood from state forest as
well as an illegal deer that was taken during the past firearm season. A report was submitted to the prosecutor’s
office for the state charges and the illegal wood information was turned over
to the USFS for prosecution.
Sgt. Michael Bomay and CO Brian Brosky were in the location of a
recreational trespass complaint that was in progress. CO Brosky immediately contacted the
complainant and was able to gather additional information, including that the
hunters also violated his safety zone while hunting rabbits. The complainant stated the subjects had just
left the area but was unable to provide a vehicle description. The COs continued patrolling in the direction
of the complaint when Sgt. Bomay observed a vehicle with two subjects dressed
in orange traveling on the opposite side of the roadway staring into the brush and
who appeared to be road hunting. CO
Brosky stopped the vehicle and it was determined that the two hunters were in
fact the suspects from the trespassing complaint. Interviews were conducted and both subjects
admitted to the trespass but not the safety zone violation. A report will be forwarded to the
prosecutor’s office.
CO Jeff Ginn was conducting a taxidermy inspection when he located a
Black Bear missing paperwork and an untagged turkey with a 10 inch beard that
were taken by the same subject. CO Ginn
contacted the Ministry of Natural Resources of Ontario and was provided
detailed information on the Black Bear.
CO Ginn conducted a follow-up investigation with the subject and was
able to confirm a legally harvested bear from Ontario. When CO Ginn inquired about the Wild Turkey,
the subject lowered his head and admitted to taking it out of season. The subject was ticketed and enforcement
action was also taken against the taxidermist for improper record keeping.
Sgt. Michael Bomay and CO Jeff Ginn were on patrol of the Muskegon
River and observed a subject fishing from a vessel near the Croton Dam. As the patrol vessel became apparent to the
subject, he immediately set his fishing pole down and looked away from the COs’
boat as it approached. The subject acted
surprised to see the COs out on the high water and instantly informed them,
“You got me”. No fish were taken but the
subject was issued a ticket for fishing without a license. A check of the retail sales system confirmed
the subject had also not purchased a fishing license last year.
CO Brian Lebel was conducting surveillance of the Muskegon River ice
anglers for a long period of time before he walked out onto the ice. As he approached, CO Lebel observed one
subject immediately go over to a fishing shanty and let them know the DNR was
coming. CO Lebel contacted occupants of that
shanty and located a subject who did not have a fishing license in his
possession. The subject stated he did
have a license but had left it in his vehicle.
The subject rudely told CO Lebel to just look it up on the
computer. CO Lebel confirmed through the
retail sales system the subject had not purchased a fishing license, and
enforcement action was taken.
CO Troy Mueller responded to a complaint of a subject taking deer
during the closed season, and at the residence located remains of eight deer,
three raccoons, a squirrel and a Wild Turkey, all taken during the closed
season or with no licenses. During the
interview the subject admitted to shooting most of the deer out of season. A check with the retail sales system
confirmed the suspect had not purchased any hunting licenses for several
years. Enforcement action was taken,
including seizing the firearm for condemnation.
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While patrolling on the snowmobile, CO Mike Hearn observed three
snowmobilers operating on private property that has been a source for multiple
complaints of vehicle trespass. CO Hearn was able to catch up to and stop the
out of state group. Upon contact, the lead snowmobiler was ticketed for the
trespass violation.
CO Mike Hearn observed a plume of thick black smoke several miles away
and located the source on Twin Lake Rd near US-131. Upon investigation the CO
learned that the property owner was burning stumps in a large open pit. Aside
from the stumps, there were also several bags of trash containing household
rubbish, plastic children's toys, a couch, stereo equipment, etc. The property
owner was ordered to extinguish the fire, and an arrest warrant is being sought
for the unlawful disposal of solid waste.
CO Brian Olsen received information about possible illegal
burning. CO Olsen located the source of
the complaint near a business that was conducting spring cleaning. The business was burning logs; however, CO
Olsen located several tires placed in the fire.
Enforcement action taken.
COs Steve Lockwood and Jason McCullough conducted an investigation
into a group of individuals they ticketed for shooting rabbits and grouse from
a motor vehicle. The COs conducted
multiple interviews and eventually obtained confessions and additional evidence
on numerous other animals killed during the closed season. The group of individuals had been shooting
rabbits, deer, grouse and squirrels from inside a vehicle as well as during the
closed season. The group had killed six
deer in one day in a section of remote state land during the month of
February. The kill sites were located
and evidence seized. Numerous charges
have been authorized by prosecutors in three separate counties.
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CO Nick Atkin assisted the US Coast Guard on multiple search and
rescue missions where anglers had fallen through the ice on the Saginaw
Bay. All anglers in distress were
located and rescued without injuries.
CO Scott Brown located an ice shanty on the Pigeon River outside of
Caseville that had not been removed prior to deadline. CO Brown tracked down the owner and ticketed him
for failing to remove the shanty in time.
With the melting snow CO Bob Hobkirk has been able to patrol on the
ice around the islands located along the west side of Huron County. A number of waterfowl blinds were located that
have not been removed. CO Hobkirk has
issued four tickets to individuals for failing to remove their hunting blinds.
While checking local fishing spots in Sanilac County CO Seth Rhodea
walked out to an ice shanty and attempted to contact the angler. Upon reaching the shanty the CO was unable to
locate anyone inside but there were three lines in the water inside the shanty
and three tip-ups set up around the shanty.
After a short time the CO was able to contact two anglers returning to
the fishing gear who had left all their lines in the water while they went out
to lunch. Tickets were issued for
unattended lines.
CO Seth Rhodea received a Report-All-Poaching (RAP) complaint that
involved subjects shooting a goose and then leaving it alive after it was
injured from the gunshots. After several
phone calls were made a possible suspect was identified. CO Rhodea then contacted the suspect who
agreed to meet with him. Upon meeting
with him CO Rhodea immediately received a confession from the hunter who was
then ticketed for taking a goose out of season.
CO Larn R. Strawn patrolled Belle
Isle State Park. While conducting a
traffic stop of a motorist the CO discovered the driver was operating without a
license, had expired license plates and no insurance. It was also determined that the driver had
outstanding arrest warrants from multiple jurisdictions. The driver was arrested.
CO Ken Lowell received a complaint on a local Lake in Montcalm County
regarding a man burning down his ice shanty. The CO made contact with the
complainant which led him to a residence on the lake not far from the burnt
down shanty. After talking with the owner
at the suspect’s residence it was discovered that a friend of the owner had
attempted to cut the shanty out of the ice, but it became too much of a
headache so he decided it was easier to burn it down. The CO met with the
suspect and received a confession. Tickets were issued for littering and
failing to remove his ice shanty before March 1st.
CO Dan Lee and Sgt. Ron Kimmerly were patrolling Belle Isle when they
observed a vehicle that appeared to be avoiding them. They located the
vehicle a short time later as it pulled into a parking lot. The driver
was suspended with warrants out of Detroit. After the subject was
arrested he thanked the COs for the work they are doing on the Island.
CO Jeremy Payne worked with the Michigan State Police (MSP) on a road
hunting complaint in Isabella County where three suspects were driving around
Isabella and Montcalm County poaching squirrels, rabbits and raccoons from
their vehicle. The MSP located and stopped the suspects and found the driver
to be highly intoxicated and in possession of an uncased loaded rifle. There were also numerous CPL
violations. The subjects were arrested and warrants are being requested
for recreational trespass, taking game during the closed season, possession of
game with no license and 16 other game violations.
Last fall CO Quincy Gowenlock charged a suspect who shot a deer in
August. The investigation started when the deer’s head was found in a wooded
area in Bay County. The suspect was
recently sentenced and paid over $2,000 in fines and restitution and also lost
his hunting privileges until the year 2017.
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CO Gary Raak
reported watching a UTV operating carelessly over state land closed to ORV
use. The operator was in the process of
jumping a snow bank when he noticed the CO watching him and fled the area. CO Raak was able to follow its tracks back to
a residence where contact was made with the subject’s father who stated his son
was the one out on the UTV but had left.
A file check revealed the subject had an outstanding warrant. Contact was made with the subject the
following day and enforcement action was initiated for the illegal operation of
the UTV and bond was taken for the outstanding warrant.
Sgt. Jeff Rabbers
contacted three subjects operating one ORV in the Allegan State Game Area (SGA). A discussion ensued regarding laws pertaining
to ORV use and the operator was informed that they were operating in a closed
area, illegally operating on state roads, riding with more persons than legally
allowed, not wearing helmets, and had failed to transfer the title of the
ORV. Enforcement action was taken for
the violations.
CO Michael Mshar
conducted surveillance in the Allegan SGA in response to complaints of subjects
illegally cutting and harvesting wood on state land. Contact was made with two subjects who had
illegally taken two large truck loads.
The subjects were both ticketed for the violation and ordered to return
the wood to game area staff.
CO Michael Mshar
located a parked car near a closed trout stream in Allegan County. A foot patrol along the closed stream
resulted in the location of a subject fishing illegally and in possession of a
brown trout. Enforcement action was
taken.
While patrolling
Allegan County, CO Michael Mshar located a subject burning a mattress along
with many other household objects. When
contact was made the subject indicated he had obtained a burning permit. Enforcement action was taken after an
explanation was given that burning permits are only for yard waste.
CO Brad Brewer
and Sgt. Zachary Doss followed up on information about a deer without a tag
hanging at a residence. A short
investigation led to the subject admitting that the deer was a road kill where
the subject had not obtained a permit.
Enforcement action was taken.
CO Jeff Robinette
received a RAP complaint about a large amount of litter being dumped on
Commercial Forest property. CO Robinette
was able to obtain a name from items in the garbage. An investigation led to the owner of the
garbage being ticketed for littering and cleaning up the mess.
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While en
route to the wildlife lab, CO Rich Nickols was exiting the freeway when he observed
a large cloud of dust ahead and then saw a vehicle bounce off a guardrail. The vehicle continued on and CO Nickols
followed it a short distance before conducting a traffic stop. The driver said he was looking down at his
cell phone and lost control of the vehicle.
The driver was also driving in violation of his restricted license. A ticket was issued for careless driving.
While working
on Belle Isle, COs Michael Drexler and Rich Nickols assisted the MSP on a
traffic stop. There were four occupants
in the vehicle. Violations included open
intoxicants, marijuana possession, driving while licenses suspended (DWLS),
improper plate, and three out of the four occupants had warrants. One of the passengers was arrested on a
warrant and turned over to local deputies.
CO Damon
Owens and Sgt. Troy Bahlau closed a waterfowl case where the non-resident
subject was hunting without a small game license, state or federal stamp. The subject was found guilty on all
violations and ordered to pay fines and costs totaling $700.
CO Shane
Webster and Sgt. Anthony Soave backed up a MSP trooper on a traffic stop during
a shift on Belle Isle. The driver of the vehicle was driving on a suspended
license, open intoxicants were found within the vehicle, and the insurance for
the vehicle had expired. The driver was arrested and the vehicle was impounded.
CO Shane
Webster made a traffic stop of a vehicle for failing to stop at a stop sign
while working on Belle Isle. One of the passengers had five outstanding
warrants for his arrest. CO Webster arrested the subject and transported him to
jail.
CO Todd Thorn
issued one ticket to a man hunting small game without a license. When questioned, he stated he didn’t have
time to go get one. CO Thorn then
pointed out that his hunting partner, whom he rode with, produced a small game
license purchased just that morning.
CO Todd Thorn
assisted MSP and local deputies with a foot chase of two men who fled from a breaking
and entering in progress. A K-9 was
dispatched to the area and tracked the individuals for nearly two hours. After a lengthy pursuit the two men were
located and arrested by officers as they attempted to cross a road. The men had felony warrants, had fled with
electronics from the residence, and were also charged with flee and elude and
other offenses.
While working
Belle Isle, COs Todd Thorn and Jeremy Payne were scanning a Detroit Police
frequency and heard a complaint where a fast food restaurant was about to be
robbed. The complaint indicated there
were three people located in the parking lot with face masks on. The COs immediately responded to the area and
witnessed the subjects walking across the road.
The COs contacted the subjects, one who is a Detroit area rapper, who
explained to the COs that they were filming a video and how the video footage
would contain a scene where he is arrested by the police. A special emphasis would be placed on the
handcuffing scene while being arrested.
CO Payne ran a file on all three individuals and found the rapper had a
warrant for his arrest. Enforcement
action was taken.
While working
Belle Isle, COs Todd Thorn and Jeremy Payne stopped a vehicle on the MacArthur
Bridge for failing to stop at a stop sign.
While approaching the vehicle, the COs could see a large cloud of smoke
coming from inside the vehicle. The COs
could immediately smell the aroma of burnt marijuana, and a search of the
vehicle revealed marijuana and open intoxicants. One of the passengers had a warrant for her
arrest. Enforcement action was taken.
CO Jeff Goss
received reports of subjects taking overlimits of panfish on Graham Lake. Upon
checking the lake the next day, CO Goss observed several anglers on the ice.
While watching through his spotting scope, CO Goss recognized one of the
anglers as someone he had arrested several times in the past. A file check revealed the subject had three
warrants for his arrest. When CO Goss made contact it was discovered that he
was 19 fish over his limit. The subject was lodged on the warrants and ticketed
for the overlimit.
CO Jeff Goss
assisted several law enforcement agencies this past weekend. CO Goss backed up
Branch County Sheriff’s Department deputies on a domestic situation, the MSP on
a resist and obstruct where two subjects attempted to run from a trooper, and a
tribal officer on a domestic situation.
CO Kyle Bader
patrolled Belle Isle, and while on the island, the CO made a traffic stop for
excessive speed. The driver and
passenger were both suspended. The
driver had two misdemeanor warrants and the passenger had three. The vehicle was not registered or insured and
the tabs did not match the plate. Two tickets
were issued and bond was collected on one warrant. The subjects were advised of their other
warrants and the vehicle was released to a valid driver.
COs Kyle Bader
and Jeff Goss checked anglers on a small cove in Union Lake. Over 40 anglers were observed and over 20 of
them checked. Many had limits of
panfish. Within 15 minutes of the COs
being at the landing, a lady drove her car down to see why her husband hadn’t
returned home. She said she had received
a phone call alerting her that the COs were checking anglers so she came down
to see if he was getting a ticket.
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Sgt. Tom
Wanless stopped a vehicle for traveling at a high rate of speed on Belle
Isle. The operator had a suspended
driver’s license and multiple warrants for his arrest. The passenger had an open container of intoxicants. Enforcement action was taken and the operator
was turned over to the Redford Township Police Department for three of his five
warrants.
COs Kris Kiel
and Phil Hudson were called to back up a MSP trooper on Belle Isle where the
subjects had warrants and the odor of marijuana was present. When the COs
arrived, a search of the vehicle was conducted. A bag with approximately
one half pound of marijuana was located in the trunk. The driver was
arrested and transported by the COs to the Detroit Detention Center on felony
possession of marijuana with intent to deliver.
While patrolling
Belle Isle, COs Kris Kiel and Phil Hudson backed up a MSP trooper on a traffic
stop. The driver was arrested for operating while impaired and carrying a
concealed weapon while intoxicated. One passenger was arrested on
outstanding warrants.
While
patrolling in Macomb County COs Ken Kovach and Todd Szyska happened upon four
juveniles fishing on the north side of the Spillway Dam. Upon their
approach one of the teens lifted a net that had been submerged in the river and
pulled a whiskey bottle out of it. Another teen took the bottle and threw
it into the Spillway. Upon seeing this, the COs made contact and heard many
excuses about the whiskey bottle. In lieu of issuing a ticket to the 15 year
old for littering, CO Szyska made him call his mother. CO Szyska then
explained to the parent what the teen had been up to. The mother was very
upset and said she would handle the situation. This included the
teen being picked up immediately.
While working
on Belle Isle, CO Szyska was called by a MSP trooper to help with dogs at
large. The trooper had been chasing a pit bull around the roadways to get
it to go back to its master, as the dog had been running in and out of
traffic. It was also discovered the subject had two other dogs, all of
which were unlicensed. The subject was
issued a ticket for not having his dogs leashed in the park.
CO Al
Schwiderson stopped two separate vehicles while working Belle Isle. In both cases, the operators were driving on
suspended licenses and both also had open intoxicants in the vehicle. Enforcement action was taken.
Sgt. Kevin
Hackworth was patrolling Belle Island when he observed a vehicle parked on the
roadway near a “No Parking” sign. The
driver of the vehicle attempted to leave after noticing the patrol truck’s
emergency lights. After a short distance
the driver pulled over and stopped. When
asked, the driver said that he thought Sgt. Hackworth was signaling him to
leave by turning on the emergency lights.
After a short discussion it was determined that the driver had a
suspended driver’s license and several containers of open intoxicants were
discovered in the vehicle. The vehicle
was towed and tickets were issued for the driver’s license violation.
Sgt. Kevin
Hackworth was patrolling on Belle Isle when he witnessed a person drive across
the MacArthur Bridge, cross the centerline and proceed the wrong way down a
one-way road. After stopping the vehicle
it was discovered that the driver was intoxicated and transporting open
intoxicants. Enforcement action was
taken.
CO Mark
Ennett responded to a RAP complaint regarding the illegal shooting of a Canada
goose on a small private pond in Monroe County. After a few minutes of speaking
to the homeowner and his guest full confessions were obtained and the goose
carcass was retrieved. The guest used the homeowner’s rifle with a scope to
shoot the goose from the house. The two had breasted the goose out and were
preparing to eat it for dinner that night. CO Ennett ticketed the shooter for
killing a goose out of season, gave numerous warnings, and seized the rifle
from the resident for condemnation.
CO Jason
Smith made several traffic stops addressing vehicle-related violations while
patrolling Belle Isle. These traffic
stops resulted in enforcement action being taken for persons operating without
driver’s licenses, no operator’s license on person, possessing/transporting
open intoxicants and 19 warrants for wanted persons. CO Smith also gave several warnings for other
violations.
COs Pete
Purdy and Chad Foerster assisted the MSP with a traffic stop on Belle
Isle. The driver of the vehicle attempted to enter the Island after
hours. The driver had a suspended driver's license and five misdemeanor
warrants for his arrest. The passenger had multiple warrants for her
arrest out of three different courts. Marijuana and street purchased
prescription pills were also discovered in the vehicle. The MSP trooper
lodged the driver. COs Purdy and Foerster turned the passenger over to
the Sterling Heights Police Department for one of the outstanding
warrants. The vehicle was impounded.
While patrolling Belle Isle COs Pete Purdy and Seth Rhodea stopped a
vehicle when they observed the driver disregard a stop sign. Both the
driver and passenger had felony warrants out of the State of Georgia for auto
theft and larceny but the holding agency didn't want to extradite the
subjects. Both driver and passenger were also in possession of open
intoxicants. Enforcement action was taken.
CO Jason Smith and Lt. Sherry Chandler made a traffic stop on a
vehicle with expired plates while patrolling Belle Isle. The driver of the vehicle was
unlicensed. The COs also learned that
the passenger in the vehicle had two outstanding warrants for his arrest. Enforcement action was taken.
CO Jason Smith and Lt. Sherry Chandler conducted a traffic stop on a
vehicle that had swerved into the COs’ lane almost striking their patrol
vehicle. CO Smith made contact with the
three occupants and discovered that two of them had outstanding warrants. CO Smith also located marijuana and open
intoxicants in the vehicle. Tickets were
issued and one of the passengers was lodged.
While on a
midnight patrol on Belle Isle, COs Todd Szyska and Al Schwiderson came upon a
vehicle parked on Sunset after the park closure. The emergency lights of
the patrol unit were activated as well as the spotlights, at which point the
suspect vehicle took off. The vehicle continued onto the Strand where it
pulled over to the shoulder. While the COs
attempted to contact the occupants, the vehicle again took off. Finally
the vehicle was stopped further down on the Strand. The driver stated she did not stop due to the
fact that Detroit Police Officers in the past used their emergency lights to
let park goers know it was time to go. She said she was not used to
having to stop for the police. Her driver’s record was clear; however,
her male passenger had a warrant out of Allen Park for traffic and a bottle of
open intoxicants in the vehicle. Enforcement action was taken
While
checking ice anglers at the Fair Haven Access Site, CO Ben Lasher observed an
older angler who was parked near the end of the ramp who looked a little
confused. After dealing with some other
anglers, CO Lasher approached the gentleman who explained that he had lost his
car keys and was trying to retrace his steps to find them. CO Lasher offered to help and after a few
minutes he found the keys in the bottom of a bucket. The man was very grateful since he was about
to call his wife to come with the extra keys.
While
patrolling on Belle Isle CO Ben Lasher was passed by a vehicle traveling at a
high rate of speed. CO Lasher caught up
to and stopped the vehicle, which was occupied by six subjects. The driver was
suspended and the front seat passenger had two warrants out of Oakland
County. Enforcement action was taken,
the vehicle was turned over to a valid back seat passenger, and a MSP trooper
transported the passenger to Oakland County.
While working a shift on Belle Isle,
Sgt. Arthur Green and Lt. Steve Burton conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle
that was observed driving the wrong way on a one way road and speed in excess
of 10 mph over the speed limit. The
driver stated she could not find her driver’s license and produced her U.S.
Passport as identification. The COs
checked via LEIN and discovered she had an outstanding warrant from a local
jurisdiction and her license was suspended.
She was issued a ticket for the traffic violations and arrested and
conveyed on her warrant.
CO Dan Walzak
observed a vehicle on Belle Isle traveling in excess of the speed limit. The vehicle was pulled over and contact was
made with the driver. The driver stated
that he was merely driving his girlfriend and her father around the island for
her birthday. A check of the occupants
revealed that the father had one felony warrant and six misdemeanor warrants
for his arrest. The driver had 34
misdemeanor warrants for his arrest. A
verbal warning was given for the speed and both subjects were lodged on their
respective warrants. The girlfriend,
with no warrants and possessing a valid driver’s license, was released to
finish her birthday tour of the Island by herself.
While
working a Belle Isle midnight shift, CO Mike Drexler observed a vehicle
operating the wrong way down a one-way street. A traffic stop was conducted and
CO Chad Foerster arrived on scene shortly after contact was made. The operator
was operating on a suspended license and had several outstanding warrants for
his arrest. The passenger also did not possess a valid driver’s license and
open liquor was located in the vehicle.
Both the driver and passenger were arrested on their several outstanding
warrants and lodged at the Detroit Detention Center. The driver also received
tickets for a traffic violation and open intoxicants in a motor vehicle.
COs Mike
Drexler and Shane Webster were patrolling Belle Isle when they observed a
vehicle disregard two stop signs and driving recklessly. A traffic stop was conducted and the operator
was found to be driving on an expired license.
The vehicle was also occupied by three young children in car seats. After the strong odor of intoxicants was
detected and the driver’s speech was slurred, the COs conducted field sobriety
tests on the driver. The driver was
arrested for operating while intoxicated and lodged at the Detroit Detention
Center. CO Drexler obtained arrest
warrants through the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office which included third
offense felony operate while impaired and several other charges.
While
assigned to Belle Isle, CO Mike Drexler and a MSP trooper responded to a call
of a suicide in progress. CO Drexler and
the trooper arrived on scene within minutes of receiving the dispatch call and
found a female who had cut one of her wrists in an attempt to commit
suicide. First aid was rendered until
Emergency Medical Services (EM)S arrived on scene. The female was transported to the Detroit
Receiving Hospital.
While
patrolling Belle Isle, CO Mike Drexler observed a vehicle traveling at a high
rate of speed without a visible license plate.
A traffic stop was conducted and the operator was found to have a
suspended driver’s license, and open alcohol was found in the vehicle. The operator also had several outstanding
warrants for his arrest. The vehicle was impounded and both the operator and
passenger were issued tickets from CO Drexler and the MSP for open alcohol and
traffic offenses.
While
working a midnight shift on Belle Isle, COs Mike Drexler and Rich Nickols
assisted a MSP trooper who requested back up on a traffic stop. The vehicle had
four occupants and the strong odor of marijuana was detected coming from the
vehicle. Several open containers of
liquor were also found throughout the vehicle.
COs Drexler and Nickols arrested one occupant on an outstanding child
support warrant for $37,000 and several additional misdemeanor warrants.
CO Brandon
Kieft responded to a complaint of a permanent ice fishing shanty left on an
inland lake in Highland Township. Although there was no name or address
on the shanty as required by law, CO Kieft was able to find information that
provided the necessary clue. Using the dispatch center, CO Kieft traced
the information to a subject in the Milford Township area. After
interviewing that individual, he was able to track down the owner. The
subject was ticketed for failure to remove the shanty by the March 1st
deadline and verbal warnings were issued for no name and address on the shanty
and two additional ORV violations.
CO Brandon
Kieft followed up on a permanent ice shanty left on Walled Lake in the City of
Novi. The shanty was labeled with a name and address, but the owner had
also left three unattended tip-ups out for several days. A records check
also showed that the owner had not purchased a fishing license in about seven
years. Enforcement action was taken.
CO Brandon
Kieft located two unattended tip-ups frozen to the ice on Walled Lake in the
City of Novi. The tip-ups were labeled with a name and address and one of
them had a 20” Northern Pike still on the line. A follow up interview was
conducted with the owner and he admitted to setting them weeks ago.
Enforcement action was taken.
While
working a shift on Belle Isle, CO Brandon Kieft investigated a vehicle that was
stopped in the middle on the roadway.
The driver stopped in the roadway so his passenger could step out and
urinate. The vehicle was stopped for impeding traffic and the driver was
in possession of numerous open containers of alcohol. CO Damon Owens
assisted on this stop as well. Enforcement action was taken.
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Curious about how to become a conservation officer?
The Department of Natural Resources conservation officer training academy trains prospective conservation officers for 22 weeks, including 14 weeks of basic law enforcement training and 8 weeks of specialized conservation officer training. Candidates for the academy are selected after a thorough screening and interview process. Due to the focus on natural-resource and environmental protection, and the variety of issued equipment, Michigan COs are among the most highly trained and well-equipped law enforcement officers in the nation.
Learn more, and see the current group of recruits in training at www.michigan.gov/conservationofficers.
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