Environmental Conservation Police on Patrol

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) Division of Law Enforcement enforces the 71 chapters of New York State's Environmental Conservation Law (ECL), protecting fish and wildlife and preserving environmental quality across New York. In 1880, the first eight Game Protectors proudly began serving to protect the natural resources and people of New York State. In 2022, Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) and Investigators across the state responded to more than 25,600 calls and worked on cases that resulted in nearly 13,800 tickets or arrests for violations ranging from deer poaching to solid waste dumping, illegal mining, the illegal pet trade, and excessive emissions violations.
    
"DEC Environmental Conservation Police Officers and Investigators work hard each day to serve their communities, protect our precious natural resources, and safeguard public health, while ensuring those who break the state's stringent Environmental Conservation Laws are held accountable," DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said. "In partnership with local, state, and federal law enforcement, DEC looks forward to continuing to support the work our ECOs perform in every corner of New York."

Storm Drain Recording - Nassau County

A man in Nassau County recently admitted to the unlawful disposal of solid waste and paid fines and surcharges related to a case dating back to Jan.18. In January, ECOs Pabes and Smith received video of an unknown subject dumping an oily substance into a storm drain. The Officers arrived at the location and approached an individual matching the description of the person observed in the video. The ECOs confronted the subject with the video. He claimed the liquid was muddy water suctioned from a jet ski being repaired. Nassau County Fire Marshals tested the substance and confirmed it contained petroleum products. ECOs ticketed the subject for polluting the waters of the marine district, throwing gas/tar into public waters, and depositing a noisome or wholesome substance on/near a highway. After months of appearances and ECO Pabes testifying at a pretrial hearing, the subject entered a plea and paid the penalties.

Subject captured on video pouring liquid down a storm drain in Nassau County

Petroleum substance discovered in storm drain

Liar, Liar - Suffolk County

On Oct. 3, ECO Cacciola responded to a complaint of hunters trespassing in Suffolk County. Unsure of the hunters' location in the woods, Officer Cacciola contacted ECO DeRose and K9 Cramer for assistance. ECO Cacciola spotted two hunters walking out of the woods soon after making the call and waited for ECO DeRose to arrive to question the pair. Both subjects denied accessing State land through private property but failed to give the Officers any details about where they had been hunting all morning. With no evidence of trespassing, the ECOs ticketed the hunters for not properly displaying their back tags. The Officers continued their investigation by deploying K9 Cramer to locate the subjects' hunting location. K9 Cramer quickly cut into the woods and led Officer DeRose to a scent wick and bow hanger in a tree, trail camera, and obvious marks from a climbing tree stand. ECOs checked the camera photos and recognized one of the hunters interviewed earlier. Confronted with the evidence, the identified hunter apologized for lying and received additional summonses for trespassing and failing to possess his daily access permit, which is required when hunting State land. All tickets were made returnable to Suffolk County First District Court.

Suspected trespasser caught on trail camera in Suffolk County

K9 Cramer is rewarded with favorite toy for tracking a suspected trespasser

Bait Bust - Southampton, Suffolk County

On Oct. 19, ECO DeVito received a complaint about a hunter baiting for deer. Officer DeVito walked through the woods and observed a mineral block being recorded by a trail camera. The ECO relayed the information to fellow Officers stationed along the east end of the county so they could begin surveillance of the property. On Oct. 27, ECO DeVito received information about a hunter entering the woods in the baited area with a backpack and tree stand. She and Officer Della Rocco entered the woods and discovered the hunter in a tree stand near the mineral block with an empty bag of deer feed at the base of the tree. The subject admitted to baiting and received tickets for hunting over a preestablished bait pile. ECO DeVito confiscated a compound bow and trail camera at the scene as evidence.

ECO DeVito with seized compound bow and empty bag of deer feed

Bunches of Blackfish - Queens County

On Oct. 26, ECOs Clinger and Traynor investigated a complaint of illegal charter boats operating in Jamaica Bay. Utilizing an unmarked ECO vessel, the Officers observed five subjects aboard a boat taking large quantities of blackfish (tautog). The ECOs continued surveillance on the vessel and followed it back to a marina in Brooklyn where Officers Milliron and Keegan waited. The ECOs discovered the five anglers aboard the vessel possessed more than 60 blackfish and charged each subject with taking undersized and over-the-limit fish.

ECOs Keegan and Milliron with seized blackfish in Queens County

Accidental Trap - Allegany County

On Nov. 4, ECO Powers was notified by DEC Central Dispatch that an individual checking coyote traps in the town of Cuba discovered a bear caught in one of the foothold traps. Officer Powers contacted his brother, also an ECO, and Officer Bobseine for assistance. The three ECOs met at the property and approached the trapped bear. Officer Bobseine brought a large piece of plywood and used a saw to cut an opening in the bottom of the plywood to place around the trapped bear paw. Bobseine and Powers then held the plywood against the bear while the third ECO released the bear's paw from the trap. The bear immediately ran away healthy and relatively unharmed. Video of the release is available to view here: https://fb.watch/ot-GF_xs1j/

New York City Marathon Security - Richmond County

On Nov. 5, ECOs provided security for the New York City Marathon. Lieutenant Auguscinski led the ground detail, which included ECOs Parmelee, Goonan, and Swart. These Officers are highly trained in identifying radiological materials and helped to protect runners and spectators at the start of the race at Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island. At sea, ECO Veloski captained a vessel assigned to monitor for Unmanned Aerial Systems around the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge. Lieutenant Levanway and ECOs Keegan and Farner crewed the vessel. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Blaising provided coordination at the Joint Operations Center, working closely with the team to help ensure radiological or aerial assaults or accidents did not occur before, during, and after the marathon.

Early morning sunrise before New York City Marathon

Two Illegal Deer - Otsego County

On Nov. 7, ECO Vencak responded to a location in Otsego County after receiving information that a subject took two bucks during the archery season. The hunter became uncooperative during questioning, even threating Officer Vencak. Lieutenant Terrell, New York State Police, and Forest Ranger Laymon responded to the location to assist. Officers determined the subject never purchased archery privileges and charged him with hunting without a big game license and for taking two deer other than as permitted by law. The case is pending in the Town of Milford Court.

ECO Vencak with recovered deer taken illegally in Otsego County

Smashing Pumpkins - Erie County

On Nov. 9, ECO Damrath received a tip about a subject hunting deer over bait in the town of Evans. The Officer trekked one-half mile into the woods with only one hour of daylight left and arrived at the location to find a hunter in a tree stand surrounded by three piles of freshly smashed pumpkins. The defiant subject claimed he had not placed the pumpkins in front of the tree stand and did not own the stand. He then accused Officer Damrath of ruining his hunt. The hunter eventually came down from the tree and took Officer Damrath to his girlfriend's residence. The girlfriend proclaimed the hunter's innocence, claiming her son had smashed the pumpkins. She even showed the Officer cell phone video of her son smashing the pumpkins to prove it. ECO Damrath ticketed the subject for hunting over bait, gave the son a written warning for placing the bait, and provided the woman with DEC's hunting rules and regulations guide.

Smashed pumpkins discovered at baiting location in Erie County

Patriarch Poacher - Franklin County

On Nov. 12, ECOs Okonuk and Garrand received a complaint of a hunter illegally taking a deer from a rural road in the town of Malone. The Officers responded to the location and stopped a vehicle matching the description provided by the caller. Inside the vehicle, a man covered in blood who was accompanied by his son, told the ECOs the pair had a three-point buck in the trunk of the car. During the interview, the Officers witnessed the son feverishly trying to fill out a tag for the deer. Meanwhile, the father's story about where, how, and who took the deer began to change. Upon further questioning the father admitted to shooting the deer four times while standing in the road and leaning over the hood of his vehicle. ECOs ticketed the hunter for five misdemeanors and one violation, including the illegal take of deer, possessing a loaded firearm in/on a motor vehicle, and discharging from a roadway, among others.

ECOs Okonuk (left) and Garrand (right) with deer seized during
poaching investigation in Franklin County

Barn Garbage Burner Pleads Guilty - Chautauqua County

On Nov. 15, a subject pleaded guilty and paid $575 in fines and surcharges in the Town of Hanover Justice Court for setting garbage on fire on his property in September. ECO Damrath responded to the unlawful burn of solid waste after receiving a complaint about thick smoke creating a foul odor. Officer Damrath arrived to find household garbage, plastics, insulation, and a mattress burning in a large fire in the subject's backyard. The individual told the ECO he was cleaning out his barn.

Remains of solid waste illegally burned in Chautauqua County

BOLO for Deer Poachers - Greene County
ECOs are looking for the public's help in identifying the vehicle and subjects involved in a deer poaching incident in Greene County. On Nov. 22, Officers responded to a home in the town of Lexington in search of a deer taken illegally in the front yard of another residence. Fortunately, no one was home at the time of the shooting, but the poaching incident was captured on a ring camera. Any information related to this complaint should be sent to ECO Palmateer at 518-478-1698, ECO Smith at 518-703-3529, or the New York State ECO 24-hour dispatch at 518-408-5852. All callers may remain anonymous.

Surveillance photos of subjects wanted in a deer poaching incident in Greene County

Truck being sought by ECOs in connection with a deer poaching incident in Greene County

Ladies Lead - Saratoga County

Learning invaluable lessons through leadership was the focus of a Women's Leadership Panel in Saratoga Springs recently attended by DEC Division of Law Enforcement Director Karen Pryzklek. The International Association of Chiefs of Police organized the event in partnership with Buffalo State University. The program shares leadership theories to help the Police Chiefs in attendance inspire their officers and staff and achieve organizational goals while providing a better understanding of the challenges women face in the workplace.

DEC Division of Law Enforcement Director Pryzklek (second from left) attends Women's Leadership Panel, organized by International Association of Chiefs of Police in partnership with Buffalo State in Saratoga County

To contact an ECO to report an environmental crime or to report an incident, call 1-844-DEC-ECOS for 24-hour dispatch or email (for non-urgent violations). 

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