FWC Law Enforcement Weekly Report November 8, 2019 through November 21, 2019

(Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.) Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report Patrol, Protect, Preserve November 8, 2019 through November 21, 2019 This report represents some events the FWC handled over the past two weeks; however, it does not include all actions taken by the Division of Law Enforcement. NORTHWEST REGION CASES CALHOUN COUNTY Officer Burkhead received information about an individual that killed a large eight-point buck at night. He located a picture of the suspect with the deer on a social media site. Officers Burkhead and Humphrey found the suspect and conducted an interview. The suspect admitted to shooting the deer at night, produced the deer head, and a .243 rifle. The appropriate citations were issued. ESCAMBIA COUNTY Officers Brown and Land discovered five red snapper on a Florida vessel in state waters during an inspection. The red snapper season was currently closed; the appropriate citations were issued. JACKSON COUNTY Officer Forehand located a site within the Chipola Wildlife Management Area (WMA) baited with corn and “Acorn Rage” deer attractant. Officer Forehand returned to the site and found a hunter in a climbing tree stand with a bow, grunt call, and deer rattling antlers. The hunter admitted to placing the bait in the area. The appropriate citation was issued. OKALOOSA COUNTY Senior Officer Maltais was on patrol in the Eglin Wildlife Management Area (WMA) when he observed a vehicle parked and partially blocking a range gate. He waited for the subject to return and conducted a resource inspection. The subject was carrying a crossbow and did not possess a disabled persons crossbow permit, which is required to hunt on the Eglin WMA during archery season. A further inspection revealed that the area where the subject was hunting was baited with corn. The appropriate citations were issued. Officer Rockwell was on patrol in the Yellow River Wildlife Management Area (WMA) when he located a parked vehicle. He waited for the subject to return and determined the subject had placed corn in the management area. The appropriate citation was issued. Officer Brown and Lieutenant Molnar received a call from Rocky Bayou State Park regarding an intoxicated subject at the ranger station. Upon arrival, the subject was no longer at the ranger station, but was located at a camp site within the state park. The intoxicated subject was issued a non-expiring trespass warning in 2018 by Officer Wilkenson related to an incident that occurred within the state park. Officer Brown arrested the subject for trespass after warning and booked him into the Okaloosa County Jail. Officer Hicks and Lieutenant Molnar were working Blackwater State Forest and came across an occupied pickup truck that was parked on the side of the road. Contact was made with the subjects who stated they just finished archery hunting and were waiting to get back in the tree stand later in the afternoon. Both officers could smell a strong odor of cannabis coming from the vehicle. When questioned, the passenger stated there was marijuana in the vehicle and it belonged to him. A search of the vehicle revealed 1.9 grams of cannabis. The appropriate citation was issued. WASHINGTON COUNTY Officer Parrish and Lieutenant Walsingham were on patrol in Holmes County regarding several night hunting complaints. A truck came by and stopped in the middle of a paved roadway and shined two fields. Officer Parrish and Lieutenant Walsingham stopped the vehicle that contained two subjects. Three loaded firearms and a spot light were in the vehicle and the subjects did not have permission to hunt the properties. The firearms and spotlight were seized and the subjects were cited accordingly. COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING – EXPANDING PARTICIPATION IN CONSERVATION OKALOOSA COUNTY Officer Specialist Rockwell and Officers Brooks and Brown went to Crestview High School for Operation Adopt a School. The officers brought a vessel and conducted a vessel stop scenario with some of the students. The officers explained what they do when they conduct a vessel inspection and talked about the dangers involved. They also talked about the importance of safety equipment on the vessel. Officer Specialist Rockwell said that next month he would bring a wildlife biologist to talk about the importance of deer management and the new reporting system. There were 79 students in attendance. Lieutenant J. Molnar, Officer Specialist J. Rockwell, and Officer R. Hicks attended a Torch a Truck outreach event at the Destin Commons. FWC, USCG, EOD, EMS, Life Flight with their helicopter, Destin Fire Department, and OCSO were just a few of the organizations present. The officers brought a patrol vessel to the event for the kids to climb in and take pictures. There were approximately 2000 parents and kids, ages 2-13, in attendance.

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