FWC Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report May 13 through May 19, 2016

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FWC

Division of Law Enforcement

Weekly Report

May 13 through May 19, 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

Officer Gore responded to a call concerning a subject who had caught and kept a three-foot alligator. Officer Gore arrived to find the subject walking the alligator around his yard on a dog leash and allowing children to pet it, even though the mouth wasn’t secured. A citation was issued and the alligator was returned to the wild.

Officer Brady was conducting checks on commercial oyster vessels when he found two harvesters commercially harvesting shell stock. One harvester didn’t possess a saltwater products license and was cited for the violation.

Officers Gore, Hoffman and Goodwin were working commercial oyster harvesters when they checked three harvesters returning to the dock. The vessel possessed ten overstuffed bags of oysters and when the shell stock was measured, it was found the harvesters actually possessed 15½ bags of shell stock. Citations were issued to the harvesters for the bag limit violations and the oysters were seized and returned to the waters. The next day, these same oystermen were found harvesting in a closed area. Additional citations were issued.

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

While working on Opal Beach in a shore bird nesting area, Officer Clark observed a red Dodge traveling above the posted speed limit. He initiated a traffic stop and asked the driver for his license. The driver provided a Michigan Identification Card. Officer Clark asked the driver if his license was suspended and he advised it was. While confirming the suspension, Officer Clark discovered the driver’s license had been suspended at least three times by the State of Michigan. He also discovered that the driver had an active warrant out of Santa Rosa County. The subject was issued traffic citations for excessive speed, tag expired more than six months and placed under arrest for driving on a suspended license (third or more convictions) and for the active warrant through Santa Rosa County for the violation of probation.

Officer Allgood was conducting resource inspections in state waters 17 miles east-southeast of Pensacola Pass. He observed an individual fishing, pulled his patrol vessel alongside the fishing vessel, and asked the boat owner if he had any luck. He failed to respond to the question and started throwing red snapper in the water. Officer Allgood told him to stop throwing fish, but the man failed to comply and continued throwing the red snapper in the water. The owner then grabbed three bags full of fillets and dumped them overboard as well. Officer Allgood positioned his patrol vessel alongside his vessel and boarded the vessel. During his inspection, he found the man in possession of two additional red snapper and two grey triggerfish. Officer Allgood arrested the subject for interference and over the bag limit of red snapper. This was the second time this subject has dumped fish when approached by Officer Allgood in the past three months.

OKALOOSA COUNTY

Officer Corbin investigated a boating accident involving two vessels that occurred in the Destin Harbor. One of the operators did not report the accident as required by statutes by notifying law enforcement officials. The operator left the scene and provided no contact information. The individual was later identified and was issued a notice to appear citation.

Officers Pifer and Molnar were on vessel patrol conducting state fisheries inspections in the Destin Pass when they observed a vessel returning from the Gulf of Mexico with fishing rods displayed. A fisheries inspection revealed an undersized greater amberjack and the operator was issued a notice to appear citation.

Officer Corbin was on land patrol conducting state fisheries/license inspections underneath the west end of the Marler Bridge. He observed an individual leave his fishing spot with a bucket and dump its contents in a high grass area. Officer Corbin made contact with several individuals who were actively engaged in fishing. He eventually spoke to the individual he observed dumping the bucket but the individual denied catching any fish. Officer Corbin went to the location where the contents were dumped from the bucket and observed a grossly undersized red drum. The red drum was cut in half and part of the middle section was removed. Officer Corbin cited the individual for possession of an undersized red drum, failure to land in whole condition and interference with an FWC officer.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officer Lewis was on forest patrol in Blackwater River State Forest when he observed a man and woman sitting in a truck together at a popular swimming hole. He observed litter around the truck and asked the man for his identification. A computer check for the man came back that he had a domestic violence injunction protection order imposed against him, and there was a protected person on the order that the man could not be with. Officer Lewis determined that the woman the man was with was the protected person on the order. Officer Lewis arrested the man for violation of the order and transported him to the Santa Rosa County Jail.

Officer Ramos was patrolling in the Escribano Point Wildlife Management Area (WMA) when he responded to a group of disruptive campers. While there, he discovered that one of the campers had intentionally placed an improper tag on a newly purchased RV. 

He issued the man a notice to appear for attaching a tag not assigned.

Officer Ramos and other members of the FWC Dive Team responded to the Escambia River at Fisher Landing to assist the Escambia County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office with a search for a shotgun that was used in an attempted murder. The search was unsuccessful, but the joint cooperation between the FWC, Alabama Sheriff’s Office, and North Bay Fire Department made the task much easier and they were able to rule out the possibility of the shotgun being in this area.

RESCUES

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officer Lewis was on water patrol on Blackwater River when he observed a woman in the water clinging to an overturned kayak. The woman had a dog with her and the dog was attempting to climb on her back, and the woman was unable to upright the kayak. Officer Lewis emptied water from the kayak and turned it upright. He helped the woman on board the kayak, but she was unable to maintain her balance because the kayak was still taking on water. Officer Lewis helped the woman and the dog onto his patrol vessel and transported them to a local boat ramp. Her kayak was towed in by a group of kayakers she was with.

DIRECTED CONSERVATION PATROLS

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officers Cushing, Land and Allgood conducted offshore fishery patrols aboard the FWC VesselFinCat. The officers inspected 30 vessels and found two to be in violation of marine fishery rules. The officers issued federal citations for undersized mingo snapper and for possession of red snapper during the closed season.

OKALOOSA COUNTY

Lieutenant Clark responded to a black bear complaint at the Commando Village community in Fort Walton Beach during the late evening hours. The complainant stated the black bear was inside his fenced backyard. Lieutenant Clark arrived and observed two white trash bags containing household debris torn open in an open area between apartments. He made contact with the complainant who had concerns about the safety of the children in the community. Near the complainant’s resident, Lieutenant Clark observed a knocked-over Waste Management garbage can with another white trash bag pulled out and torn open. He made contact with the homeowner and provided the homeowner with educational black bear pamphlets along with a non-compliance letter.

Officers Rockwell, Pifer, Corbin, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) Agent and US Coast Guard (USCG) officers participated in a joint operation in the enforcement of red snapper closure in federal waters. State waters for red snapper are open during the weekends in May. Officers conducted federal/state fisheries patrols on the FWC offshore patrol vessel Vigilance. The offshore patrol resulted in 10 federal citations issued for harvest/possession of red snapper during closed season and undersized gray triggerfish.

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

Officers from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties participated in the second annual lionfish removal and awareness day event. During the event, more than 8,000 lionfish were caught. Several vendors participated cooking the lionfish in an effort to bring awareness and interest to this invasive species. Officers handed out related information and spoke to some of the 7,000 people that attended the two-day event.

SANTA ROSA COUNTY

Officers Lewis and Jernigan spoke with Laurel Hill Elementary School third graders, parents and teachers at the Blackwater Fish Hatchery. The officers explained the role of FWC officers, the FWC Division of Law Enforcement mission, and how and why FWC officers patrol, protect, and preserve our natural resources.

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