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 the first half of 2025, DEC's Division of Law Enforcement fielded an estimated 45,000 calls, resulting in Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) and Investigators across the state responding to more than 18,934 complaints and working on cases that resulted in 9,440 tickets or arrests for violations ranging from deer poaching to solid waste dumping, illegal mining, the illegal pet trade, and excessive emissions violations.

In 2024, the Division fielded more than 105,717 calls, resulting in ECOs and Investigators across the state responding to more than 30,109 complaints and working on cases that resulted in 15,755 tickets or arrests for violations.

"DEC Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) and Investigators protect New York's air, water, wildlife, and public safety, while also working to connect New Yorkers with the outdoors," Commissioner Amanda Lefton said. "As we tackle environmental threats on all fronts, I applaud the critical work DEC's ECOs and Investigators are undertaking to enforce New York's Environmental Conservation Law and ensure a cleaner, greener, safer, and more resilient New York State."

Fishing Compliance Checks - Long Island

ECOs on Long Island conducted fishing compliance checks in recent weeks that resulted in tickets for undersized and over-the-limit fish. Here are some of the cases:

• On Aug. 23, ECO Day responded to reports of a group of people keeping undersized blue crabs at Mascot Dock in the village of Patchogue, Suffolk County. Officer Day arrived, observed four individuals moving crabs to the trunk of a nearby van, and approached the group to check their catches. The foursome first claimed to only be in possession of legal-sized crabs, but the driver of the vehicle eventually admitted to having more crabs in a cooler in the trunk after further questioning. ECO Day discovered the group in possession of 86 blue crabs, 51 of which were less than the legal minimum of 4.5 inches. Each member of the group received tickets for possession of undersized blue crabs.

Two additional individuals crabbing on the dock also received tickets for undersized crabs discovered hidden in a separate vehicle. In total, ECO Day confiscated 81 undersized crabs and returned them to the water. The tickets are returnable to Suffolk First District Court.

• On Sept. 1, ECO Day patrolled the Flax Pond Tidal Wetland Area in Setauket, Suffolk County, in response to numerous complaints about people parking without required permits and in prohibited areas. Officer Day arrived at approximately 9 p.m. and observed five vehicles at the access site and multiple groups returning to their vehicles from the beach. Officer Day conducted fishing compliance checks on the anglers and discovered several groups in possession of undersized sea bass and tautog. ECO Day issued eight tickets to four individuals for violations including possession of undersized fish, failure to carry a marine registry, and parking without a permit. All tickets are returnable to Suffolk First District Court.

• On Sept. 10, ECO Vandenbos conducted fishing compliance checks on anglers catching striped bass near the Ponquogue Bridge in the town of Southampton, Suffolk County. Officer Vandenbos responded to the location and contacted ECO DeRose and his newly graduated K9 partner, Finn, for assistance. K9 Finn is certified in striped bass detection. Officer DeRose arrived quickly, deployed K9 Finn, and the police dog alerted to multiple vehicles parked in the area. One vehicle contained a striped bass more than the legal-size limit of 28 to 31 inches in New York's marine waters, and over the daily catch limit of one fish. The angler received one ticket for each offense, returnable to Southampton Town Justice Court.

• In the early morning hours of Sept. 11, ECO Franz ticketed two individuals fishing from a vessel anchored under the Meadowbrook Drawbridge in the village of Freeport, Nassau County, following a fishing compliance check. Officer Franz first observed the vessel with no lights on at approximately 2:45 a.m. and conducted the check once the boat made its way back to the Albany Avenue boat ramp in Freeport a few hours later. The two subjects on board the vessel possessed 25 bluefish and one striped bass measuring in at 24.5 inches. Anglers possessing a New York Recreational Marine Fishing Registry are allowed three bluefish per person per day and striped bass must be between 28 and 31 inches to keep. ECO Franz ticketed the anglers for being over their limit of bluefish, possessing an undersized striped bass, and failing to possess a marine registry, returnable to Nassau First District Court.

• On Sept. 18, ECO Day conducted compliance checks on several vessels returning to a boat ramp in the town of Port Jefferson, Suffolk County, while on patrol. Officer Day identified that DEC previously issued one of the boat owners a ticket for undersized porgy at the same boat ramp back in June. The four people on board this time were in possession of 65 undersized porgy, six undersized black sea bass, and one undersized fluke. All anglers were issued multiple tickets for the undersized fish, returnable to Suffolk County First District Court. ECO Day confiscated the fish and donated them to Sweetbriar Nature Center to feed eagles and osprey being cared for at the facility.

Undersized blue crabs discovered in Suffolk County

Undersized fish discovered at Flax Pond Tidal Wetland Area in Suffolk County

K9 Finn with oversized striped bass confiscated in Suffolk County

Bluefish and striped bass unlawfully taken in the village of Freeport, Suffolk County

Undersized porgy discovered and confiscated in Port Jefferson, Suffolk County

Snake Rescue - Delaware County

On Sept. 23, ECOs Doig and Osborne responded to a call from a motorist who felt a snake slithering up her leg while she was driving on State Route 17 in the town of Hancock. The driver quickly and safely pulled over to the shoulder of the road, exited the vehicle, and called for help. The ECOs arrived at the location along with New York State Police Trooper Touw and began searching for the reptile. Officer Osborne located the two-foot-long garter snake inside the vehicle, removed it, and relocated it off the roadway to the nearby tree line. Garter snakes are common throughout New York State and can be found in a variety of habitats including woodlands, marshes, and backyards. They are not venomous and present no threat to people or pets.

From left to right: NYS Police Trooper Touw, ECO Doig, motorist, and ECO Osborne following a successful snake relocation in Delaware County

Learn How to Fish Event - Livingston County

On Sept. 23, ECOs in DEC Region 8 and fisheries employees hosted a learn-to-fish event for Holy Childhood, a Rochester not-for-profit serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. For at least 20 years, this annual event has taken place at the DEC Avon Headquarters. DEC employees and Holy Childhood participants came together to socialize and have fun as they learned how to cast, fish using a bobber, and properly handle fish.

ECO Michalet teaches a new angler how to cast at a fishing event in Avon

National Hunting and Fishing Day - Rockland County

On Sept. 27, ECO Falkenberg attended an event celebrating National Hunting and Fishing Day at Congers Lake Park in the hamlet of Valley Cottage. The family-friendly event, hosted by the United Sportsmen Association of Rockland County and co-sponsored by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), town of Clarkstown, and the New York State Conservation Council, drew hundreds of attendees of all ages. Participants learned about a variety of recreational outdoor activities available in New York State including foraging, outdoor wilderness skills, trapping, fishing, hunting, and the importance of being stewards of the environment to ensure the protection of all New Yorkers and our natural resources.

ECO Falkenberg with young attendee at National Hunting and Fishing Day event in Rockland County

Youth Hunts - Statewide

On the weekend of Sept. 27, ECOs participated in youth waterfowl and pheasant hunts statewide, giving young hunters hands-on experience afield after first providing them with important lessons about New York's hunting regulations and safety:

• Eleven youth hunters participated in a youth waterfowl hunt at the Tonawanda Wildlife Management Area located primarily in Niagara and Genessee counties. The young hunters had several successful harvests during the day and were assisted by ECOs Fuerch, Gill, Godson, Powers, Shea, Environmental Crimes Investigator Holzle, and Lieutenant Ver Hague, along with several mentors and volunteers. One week earlier, ECO Koepf, Environmental Crimes Investigator Holzle, and Lieutenant Ver Hague held a waterfowl identification course at the Hartland Conservation Club in the hamlet of Gasport, Niagara County, sponsored by the New York Conservation Officers Association (NYCOA). The students learned basic hunting and safety skills before heading afield and used the identification techniques they picked up the previous week to tell which waterfowl they saw on the morning of the hunt.

• ECOs in DEC Region 3 attended a youth pheasant hunt at Stewart State Forest funded by the Orange County Sportsman Federation. The ECOs, club members, and volunteers assisted youth hunters as they headed afield with trained hunting dogs. Many of the young hunters had successful harvests that day and credited the additional training and support from mentors and guides for their accomplishments.

• ECOs in Jefferson County accompanied 12 youth hunters afield for the 16^th Annual Jefferson County Youth Watefowl and Pheasant Hunt. The hunt was hosted by the Sackets Harbor Sportsman's Club and made possible by donations from NYCOA, National Wild Turkey Federation, and Ducks Unlimited. Local dog handlers also volunteered their time and K9 companions to assist the young hunters for the two-day event. Participants gathered at the Sackets Harbor Sportsman's Club the previous weekend to learn the rules and regulations of hunting waterfowl and pheasants in New York State, different hunting strategies involved for both types of birds, the use of decoys and dogs, calls and calling, waterfowl identification, a marksmanship course on the range, and general hunting safety. Youth hunters harvested a few birds during the actual hunt and wrapped up the day with a pizza lunch back at the Sackets Harbor Sportsman's Club.

• ECOs in St. Lawrence County participated in the St. Lawrence County Youth Watefowl and Pheasant Hunt hosted by the Massena Rod and Gun Club and sponsored by the National Wild Turkey Federation and NYCOA. The annual hunt was a two-day event which began with an education portion the previous weekend offered to youth aged 12 - 15. ECOs, mentors, volunteers, dog handlers, and their K9 companions accompanied the youth hunters afield as they put the lessons they learned to use. This year's hunt included 10 youth participants and assisting mentors.

For a list of mentored hunts being offered across the state, visit the DEC Mentored Hunt Program registration page regularly for upcoming events.

Youth hunters attend waterfowl identification course at the Hartland Conservation Club in Western New York

Youth hunters participate in waterfowl youth hunt at Tonawanda Wildlife Management Area

Youth hunters participate in the 16^th Annual Youth Waterfowl and Pheasant hunt in Jefferson County

Youth hunters participate in youth waterfowl and pheasant hunt in St. Lawrence County

Elevated Opacity - Washington County

On Oct. 1, ECO Krug was on patrol and observed a pickup truck in the town of Whitehall that was emitting heavy black exhaust. Officer Krug followed the pickup truck into the town of Hampton where it was safe to stop the vehicle and tested the black smoke coming from the exhaust with an opacity meter. The vehicle had an average opacity of 96.5-percent, one of the darkest the ECO had ever measured. For context, heavy-duty diesel vehicles that weigh more than 8,500lbs and are newer than 1991 cannot legally exceed more than 40-percent opacity. ECO Krug issued the driver a ticket for exhaust over opacity. ECO Krug is the lead air quality instructor in DEC's Division of Law Enforcement and plans to use this case to help train new ECOs at the next training academy.

K9 Graduation - Schoharie County

On Oct. 2, DEC's Division of Law Enforcement welcomed three new K9 Officers after an intensive, residential 12-week K9 Academy in the town of Summit. ECO Jankowski/K9 Shane (R8), ECO Kochanowski/K9 Brook (R6), and ECO Wozniak/K9 Sal (R9) will be returning to their assigned regions trained and certified in basic obedience, spent shell casing detection, venison/bear meat detection, and tracking. K9s Shane and Sal are named in honor of two fallen Division of Law Enforcement members, Lt. David McShane and Game Protector Martin Salway.

A special thank you to Technical Sergeant Schoonover and ECO LaCroix for their expertise and dedication in training the new officers.

Left to Right: ECO Wozniak/K9 Sal, ECO Kochanowski/K9 Brook, ECO Jankowski/K9 Shane

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).