FWC Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report April 22 through April 28, 2016

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FWC

Division of Law Enforcement

 

Weekly Report

April 22 through April 28, 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

Officers Hellett and Goodwin found a turkey bait site on a hunting lease near a shooting house. The bait (whole corn) was less than 50 yards away from the shooting house. The officers arrived early one morning and set up to observe the site. A subject arrived at daybreak and climbed into the shooting house. They observed the subject hold a turkey box call out the window of the shooting house attempting to call turkeys. They made contact with the subject and issued a citation for hunting turkey over bait and no turkey permit. The officers heard another shot near their location and located bait and turkey feathers consistent with a fresh harvest. Through investigative work, they located the other hunter and a freshly taken turkey. The subject admitted to taking the turkey over bait and was issued citations for the violation.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

Officers Land and Cushing patrolled both state and federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico aboard theFinCat, 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.

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.

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.

OKALOOSA COUNTY

Officers Brooks and H. Rockwell patrolled the shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico to ensure compliance with bag and size limit regulations for pompano.  The officers made contact with 36 subjects fishing and answered questions about license requirements and fish regulations. Three subjects were found to have license violations of which two were issued warnings and the other cited.

Officer Pifer was on vessel patrol in the area of the Destin Pass when he observed a 15‑foot vessel with six individuals on board being operated under the Marler Bridge. The vessel appeared overloaded because the rub rail was touching the water. As Officer Pifer got closer, he could see approximately two-four inches of water inside the vessel. Officer Pifer identified the operator and instructed him to take his vessel to shore. Once ashore, Officer Pifer determined from the vessel’s capacity plate that the vessel was rated for four people. Also, multiple empty alcoholic beverage containers were observed in the vessel. During a boating safety inspection, the operator did not have the required number of personal flotation devices (PFDs) and signs of impairment were observed. A BUI investigation was conducted and the operator was subsequently arrested for BUI. At the U.S. Coast Guard Station (USCG) Destin, the operator provided a breath sample of 0.129 and 0.127. The operator was charged with BUI, operating a vessel over capacity, and insufficient PFDs.

Officers P. Rockwell, Pifer and Corbin were on offshore patrol in federal and state waters on the patrol vessel Vigilance.  The officers conducted a fisheries inspection on a charter boat in state waters.  The fisheries inspection revealed two undersized gray triggerfish.  The Captain/operator was issued a notice to appear citation.

DIRECTED CONSERVATION PATROLS

OKALOOSA COUNTY

Officers Pifer and Corbin were dispatched to two bear complaints, one in the Niceville area and the other in the Fort Walton Beach area.  When the officers arrived at both locations, they observed garbage cans knocked over and household trash spread throughout the yard and into the wooded area behind the residences.  The officers observed black bears eating the household trash.  At one of the homes, the officers and an FWC bear biologist attempted to scare the bear into the wooded area, but were unsuccessful. The bear eventually climbed up a tree.  At the other house, the officers successfully scared the bear back into the woods.  Both homeowners were given educational brochures and issued a non-compliance notification.

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

Officer Barnard and Investigator Livesay attended the Annual Kid’s Fishing Clinic in Pensacola.  Over 1,500 people attended the event where kids were given free fishing gear and an opportunity to fish at the Vince Whibbs Sr. Maritime Park.  Officer Barnard and Investigator Livesay provided educational material and answered questions.  They also provided assistance to a member of the public who was later transported by EMS to a local hospital.

Officers Manning and Allgood attended the Annual Hunt Club Meeting hosted by Lafloresta Perdida for hunt club members.  Lafloresta Perdida, a timber company, leases several thousands of acres to several different hunting clubs.  Issues that arose last hunting season were discussed.

Lieutenant Lambert and Officer McHenry attended the Annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Event held at Marcus Point Baptist Church.  Several different local, state and federal agencies were in attendance.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officer Lewis received a complaint regarding a hunter possibly illegally turkey hunting on a private field adjacent to the complainant’s property.  He located and checked the hunter and found no violations.  He then spoke with the complainant and explained turkey hunting rules and regulations on private lands.  Officer Lewis was fortunate to meet a landowner he had not met before and have a positive conversation, building a relationship between FWC and landowners.

Over the weekend, officers performed vessel safety inspections at local boat ramps.  To inform boaters of problems before they were underway, the officers performed the inspections prior to the vessels entering the water.  Several boaters were educated on boating safety regulations.

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