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FWC Law Enforcement Report
May 3, 2016
The Florida FWC Division of Law Enforcement reported the following activity during the weekly period ending April 28 in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
ESCAMBIA COUNTY
Officers Land and Cushing patrolled both state and federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico aboard the FinCat, targeting illegal fishing activity. The officers conducted numerous fishing inspections resulting in resource cases for possession of gag grouper during the closed season, possession of undersized triggerfish, possession of undersized amberjack, and possession of red snapper during the closed season. All subjects were issued the appropriate paperwork for these violations.
Officers Land, Roberson, Cushing and USCG Boarding Officer Dziama patrolled both state and federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico, aboard the FinCat, targeting illegal fishing activity. The officers conducted numerous fishing inspections during the day, one of those resulting in several violations. Prior to the officers boarding a recreational fishing vessel to conduct a fisheries inspection, the operator stated that he had some triggerfish and red snapper on board. Additionally, he stated that he knew red snapper was closed, but he didn’t know what to do with the ones he was catching. During the inspection, Officer Land discovered three undersized gray triggerfish in a cooler and a bag of red snapper fillets in the bottom of a bucket of ice with fishing gear piled on top. The owner of this vessel was issued the appropriate citations for these violations.
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Officer Hutchinson received information about a group of people camping along the Escambia River and fishing illegally. He patrolled the river by vessel and made contact with three of the suspected violators. He conducted a vessel stop and discovered several untagged bush hooks in the vessel. While running the subjects’ information, he discovered that one of them had four outstanding warrants out of Escambia County. He issued two written warnings for the bush hook violations and arrested the subject who had the warrant.
Officers Lewis and Ramos were on forest patrol in Blackwater River State Forest when they observed a group recreating around a campfire. They observed the group cutting live vegetation and littering. The officers heard a truck’s engine revving in a nearby parking area. They observed the group around the campfire leave the area without extinguishing the campfire. The officers ran approximately a half mile toward the truck they heard. When the parking area was in sight, Officer Lewis observed a truck spinning its tires and a “rooster tail” of sand coming up from beneath the vehicle. He approached the truck and found a group a people around it. He observed that the truck was immobile and dug large ruts in the parking lot. Officer Lewis identified the truck’s driver. The driver admitted that he was showing off and intentionally spun his truck’s tires.
Meanwhile, Officer Ramos intercepted the group that was around the campfire as they were heading toward the parking area where the truck was revving its engine. The group around the campfire was with the group with the stuck vehicle. Officer Lewis charged the truck’s owner with destruction of state lands by motor vehicle. Both officers issued multiple citations for forestry violations including not extinguishing the campfire, cutting live vegetation, and littering.
Officer Hutchinson was patrolling in the Blackwater State Forest where he located a subject using a GPS to locate hunting dogs in the field trial area. He made contact with him and after further investigation discovered that he had six hunting dogs with him that were pursuing wildlife. While he was talking to him, he smelled the odor of cannabis and found him in possession of cannabis cigarettes. Officer Hutchinson charged him with hunting with dogs out of season and possession of not more than 20 grams of cannabis.
Over the course of the week, Officers Manning and Allgood conducted resource and boating safety inspections in state and federal waters. They documented several violations including four misdemeanor notices to appear for possession of undersized triggerfish, undersized amberjack, and red snapper out of season. They also documented several other boating safety-related violations.
While conducting resource inspections near the Pensacola Pass, Officers Allgood and Manning noticed several signs of impairment from the operator of one vessel. These signs included a strong smell of an alcoholic beverage on his breath, slurred speech, and glassy red eyes. The operator agreed to perform several field sobriety tasks and performed poorly on them. Officer Allgood placed the operator under arrest and transported him to the Escambia County Jail for boating under the influence (BUI). The operator refused to give a breath sample. This was the operator’s second arrest for BUI.
This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.
Comments
13 Responses to “FWC Law Enforcement Report”
@jeeperman- not sure, just going by what nwfl water management told me regarding Perdido River and banning alchohol at the public landings. By all means you can get a float, put a cooler full of beer in it, tie it to a stump in the river a foot from the landing and drink till your hearts content, not illegal. So you can still have drunk fools. More likely they just cross 30 feet to Alabama to drink and come back to cause trouble. Cant do anything about that but let’s make money off some nice guys having a quiet time with a few beers (not drunk) at a place their families reserved where nobody in the public is allowed to infringe on thus their behavior, while honorable, only reflects each other. Makes sense I guess in this new world.
@Dee- I agree LEO gets crapped on for crappier pay. Other than that, you seem like the type to line up for the chip before its made mandatory.
Chris, not at all. But in a republic you don’t voice your disapproval by breaking the law. This isn’t 1776. You voice your opinion by using your votes. If we lived in Mayberry maybe Barney would cut the guys some slack cause he plays horseshoes with them every weekend. Nowadays law enforcement officials are getting a raw deal. They are under a microscope and have been made out to be racist/corrupt by the media. I am completely ok with a LEO doing his job. They deserve far more respect than they routinely receive. Just my.02
Chris,
if drinking by adults was NOT the problem, why then did they outlaw it??
“their specific intent for the prohibition is so teenagers aren’t out there drinking,”
If it were only teenagers doing stupid stuff due to alcohol consumption, FWC already had the laws to use in regards to underage teens drinking.
Never said they knew. I know, they weren’t aware through their own negligence of not reading the fine print. That wasn’t my point anyway. My point being that FWC is incapable of using discretion because all they want to do is write tickets. It’s not about the animals or fish AT ALL it’s about the dollar. I know one of these officers personally and know many are a bunch of good guys Lt. Hahr included. The gold digging comes from the top.
Wow by the two responses I see my views of the people not being free anymore are correct. Like cattle the govt opens a gate and everyone pushes through regardless where it leads. No wonder the jews call us the goyim (sheep).
@ Chris….”technically,” Lt . Hahr has the law on his side. Is there an alternative? He is hired and required to enforce any laws that he has vowed to enforce. He is not involved in a personality contest judged by a bunch of people who want special treatment.
Chris, if the men knew that alcohol was prohibited, why were they upset when they received tickets for alcohol? You can’t pick and choose which laws you want to follow because you don’t agree with some of them.
>>>I love these reports and wish they were more frequent.
For well over a year, FWC would issue these (they come out as one statewide report) on Fridays, and we would run it on Saturday or sometimes Sunday.
But now it’s anytime Friday through Tuesday when FWC puts out the information. The report had been absent from NorthEscambia.com because Escambia and Santa Rosa counties had not been included by the FWC.
Mr. Wilson, William adds this “This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past week; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. Information provided by FWC.”. To the end of every single FWC article he posts.
I love these reports and wish they were more frequent.
It’s like “dumb crook lineup” meets Field and Stream. I really shouldn’t enjoy reading about the stupidity of others but we all have our vices.
I know locally, Perdido River was a source for trouble growing up. I can never recall any forrest fires from the innumerable fires much less ones that burned peoples homes. That being said, it has become a new kind of source, a source of revenue for FWC.
Ok, a few families reserve the Otto Hill camgrounds last weekend. Good folks who brought a couple of $20k boats, gear, wives, and lots of kids. Although alchohol is prohibited by NWFLWMD, their specific intent for the prohibition is so teenagers aren’t out there drinking, building bonfires, raising cain like Barrineau and Muscogee used to be. Sat. night with wives and children settling down, five men sat around a campfire drinking a few beers. Not breaking bottles hooting and hollering.
As he is so well at doing, Lt. Dan Hahr of FWC parked several hundred yards away, crept through the woods and admittedly watched like a predator for twenty minutes these mens relaxing time before stepping out to write all five tickets. Not warning them. He constantly doing this. While technically he has the law on his side, I find what he does disgusting. So sing praises all you like. Their money grubbing gold diggers. I have personally been stopped on the river for a “safety inspection” three times in one day finding no violations. Great job.
Mr. Wilson, FWC has many boats and many personel. You can see some of them that are not on patrol deployment at the 17th ave location near the graffiti bridge.
That said, they are spread thin, however, they seem to be very effective. I interact with the officers from time to time when my vessel is boarded, but never once has an FWC officer been less than respectful, patient, and professional.
This article is somewhat like that show Northwoods law (or whatever it’s called). Very interesting to watch violation enforcement and what such officers encounter. But is this it for two counties with large stretches of forest and river and water to patrol? 3-4 officers and one boat? If so, they need more resources. And they need to get the press to get on that story. A few more officers. TWO boats. Cmon. There should be no political qualms about funding those who make sure we have fish left to fish for. Forests that don’t burn down from drunk kids or stupid people who don’t bother putting out their fires which could spread and take out rural homes or even volunteer firefighters sent out to control any such blaze. Or to be around to rescue someone deep and lost. Such officers are there to protect preserve AND educate. Just a thought.
Good job! Thanks gentlemen for doing what you do. Be safe out there.