FWC Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report April 1 through April 7, 2016

FWC

Division of Law Enforcement

 

Weekly Report

April 1 through April 7, 2016

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.

Patrol, Protect, Preserve

NORTHWEST REGION

CASES

BAY COUNTY

While conducting night patrol at St. Andrews State Park, Officers Hellett and Letcher observed a vessel coming into the boat ramp. Officer Letcher asked the occupants of the vessel if they had any luck and one of the subjects stated the redfish were biting great. He asked how many redfish they had and one of the subjects stated five. The officers conducted a resource inspection and found three redfish in a cooler. Two of the three redfish were oversized, measuring 28.5 inches. They asked the subjects again if they had any more redfish on board because one of the subjects stated earlier that they had five. The subjects gave conflicting statements of how many redfish were on board. The officers then searched the compartments of the vessel and found another redfish measuring 29 inches hidden under a seat compartment. Citations were issued for harvesting oversized red fish and interference with an FWC officer.

OKALOOSA COUNTY

Officers Pifer and Corbin were on vessel patrol conducting boating safety inspections in the Destin Pass/Destin Harbor/Crab Island area.  The officers observed a personal watercraft (PWC) in violation of the restricted idle speed/no wake zone at Crab Island.  During the vessel stop, the officers determined the operator rented a PWC from a local livery in Destin Harbor.  Due to the operator’s age, he was required to possess a boater safety card.  The officers asked the operator if he was given a boater safety exam at the livery location.  The operator replied that he was not. The officers conducted a livery inspection and determined the company did not have any more test exams.  The livery was issued a notice to appear citation for knowingly renting a PWC to an individual required to possess a boater safety card.

Officers Pifer and Corbin observed an individual on shore underneath the Marler Bridge leaving very quickly to the adjacent parking area with what appeared to be an oversized red drum.  Officer Jarvis observed the individual enter the parking area still in possession of the oversized red drum.  When the individual saw Officer Jarvis, he attempted to hide the fish.  The individual was issued a notice to appear citation for the oversized red drum.

Officer Corbin conducted a registration inspection of a parasail boat he observed earlier in the day.  The parasail boat was not displaying a Florida registration decal.  The officer determined the parasail boat was purchased in 2013 and the owner never titled/registered the boat.  The owner was issued a notice to appear citation.

Over the last few months, Officer Rockwell organized details regarding a suspect who was trespassing and night hunting. The details were organized after a landowner repeatedly had game cameras destroyed or stolen, fences cut, and trespass signs torn down. The suspect destroyed or stole the game cameras to avoid being identified when he illegally hunted on the property. The details provided additional intelligence and a photo of the suspect was captured in the act of trespassing and night hunting. Officers H. Rockwell and Arnette recently interviewed the suspect which resulted in a written confession. He has been charged with attempting to take deer at night and trespassing.

RESCUES

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

Officer Cushing responded to a report of an overdue sailboat with one person on board traveling from Gulf Shores, Alabama to Port St. Joe. The vessel was three days overdue. The last known location of the vessel was Ft. McRee near Pensacola Pass. Officer Cushing located the vessel anchored in the safe harbor at Ft. McRee with no one on board.  Officer Manning, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)-Pensacola and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene, but failed to locate the captain/owner of the vessel.  Due to the vessel being anchored within the boundary of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, the investigation is being handled by National Park Service law enforcement personnel.

OKALOOSA COUNTY

Officer Corbin assisted emergency medical personnel regarding an individual on a sailboat requesting medical assistance.  Officer Corbin launched a patrol vessel and transported the medical personnel to the sailboat in Destin Harbor.  The individual was removed from the sailboat, placed in the officer’s patrol vessel, and taken to the USCG Station where he was then transported to a local hospital.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officer Miller responded and assisted two subjects whose rental sailboat broke loose due to rough sea conditions, and put them aground along the Gulf Islands National Seashore.  Officer Miller contacted the rental company and got the occupants back to safe ground.

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officers Roberson and Hoomes instructed the law portion of a Hunter Safety course at the Avalon Middle School.  The officers talked with and answered questions from approximately 20 hunters who were in attendance.

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