The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Division of Law Enforcement enforces the 71 chapters of New York State’s Environmental Conservation Law (ECL), protecting fish and wildlife and preserving environmental quality across New York. In 1880, the first eight Game Protectors proudly began serving to protect the natural resources and people of New York State. 

In the first half of 2025, DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement fielded an estimated 45,000 calls, resulting in Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) and Investigators across the state responding to more than 18,934 complaints and working on cases that resulted in 9,440 tickets or arrests for violations ranging from deer poaching to solid waste dumping, illegal mining, the illegal pet trade, and excessive emissions violations. 

In 2024, the Division fielded more than 105,717 calls, resulting in ECOs and Investigators across the state responding to more than 30,109 complaints and working on cases that resulted in 15,755 tickets or arrests for violations. 

“DEC Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) and Investigators protect New York’s air, water, wildlife, and public safety, while also working to connect New Yorkers with the outdoors,” DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said. “As we tackle environmental threats on all fronts, I applaud the critical work DEC’s ECOs and Investigators are undertaking to enforce New York’s Environmental Conservation Law and ensure a cleaner, greener, safer, and more resilient New York State.” 

Two Plead Guilty for Stealing from DEC Facility – Schuyler County

Two subjects recently pleaded guilty and paid fines to settle charges related to the theft of items from a DEC facility in Schuyler County earlier this year.   

In January 2025, Investigators from DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement Bureau of Environmental Crimes Investigation (BECI) Unit responded to a report of ongoing vandalism at the DEC facility. BECI Investigators Gross and Wojtkowiak met with DEC Operations employees at the location and observed fresh footprints in the snowy ground, indicating items were recently removed from buildings on the property.  

Based on the preliminary investigation, Investigators shifted their focus to the nearest scrap metal recycling facility approximately 10 miles away and learned two vehicle occupants attempted to sell copper and brass items matching items taken from the DEC facility.   

Investigators approached the truck, which was still on a scale at the scrap yard, and interviewed two subjects who admitted to stealing copper wire and a brass fixture from a DEC building earlier in the day. The items were valued at $190.57, according to sales receipts provided by the scrap yard.  

Both subjects were charged with one count each of burglary in the third degree, a felony, and petit larceny, a misdemeanor.  

On September 11, one subject pleaded guilty to felony attempted burglary and was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay fees totaling $375.  

On October 23, the second subject pleaded guilty to misdemeanor petit larceny and was sentenced to three years’ probation and ordered to pay fees totaling $75.   

Copper wire taken illegally from a DEC facility in Schuyler County (photo attached)  

Illegal Deer Take – Saratoga County

On October 29, ECO Smith responded to a call requesting assistance with an injured whitetail deer in the backyard of a residence in the town of Stillwater. Officer Smith arrived at the residence and located the now-deceased nine-point buck on the edge of the wood line. An investigation revealed the animal was shot with a bow on an adjoining property. ECO Smith located and interviewed the hunter who took the buck and discovered the subject did not have an archery season tag or bowhunting endorsement as required. Officer Smith issued tickets to the individual for the illegal take, returnable to the Town of Stillwater Court. The buck was confiscated as evidence and donated to the organization Venison for Veterans and Seniors of Fulton and Montgomery counties.   

ECO Smith prepares to donate buck illegally taken in Saratoga County (photo attached) 

Traffic Stop Leads to Poaching Charges – Steuben County

On November 3 near midnight, ECOs received a call from New York State Police requesting assistance with a traffic stop. State Police advised that while conducting the stop they observed a deer still moving around in the cargo area of the vehicle. ECOs arrived at the location, observed a cocked crossbow inside the vehicle and two deer in the rear cargo area still warm to the touch. The Stueben County Sheriff’s Office assisted. The two occupants initially stated they shot the deer about six hours earlier during legal hunting hours but eventually admitted to illegally taking both animals with crossbows much later in the day from a nearby field illuminated with their vehicle lights. The Officers checked both subjects’ hunting licenses and discovered neither one possessed the required privileges to use a crossbow in New York State, including a bowhunting education course. ECOs charged both the driver and the passenger with the illegal take of deer, taking deer with the aid of an artificial light, hunting deer after permitted hours, hunting without the proper privilege, failing to tag deer as required, failure to carry license/tags, and possessing a cocked crossbow in a motor vehicle. New York State Troopers ticketed the driver for applicable traffic law violations.   

Suffolk County Community College Outreach – Suffolk County

On November 5, ECOs DeRose and DeVito attended an outreach event at Suffolk County Community College. The event focused on students with criminal justice majors and included Officers from a variety of law enforcement agencies, including the Suffolk County, Riverhead, and Southold police departments. Officers DeRose and DeVito connected with students, explained their job duties and responsibilities to protect New York State residents and natural resources, and provided additional background on the steps required to become an Environmental Conservation Police Officer. 

ECOs DeVito (left) and DeRose (right) attend an outreach event at Suffolk County Community College (photo attached) 

Deer Rescue – Niagara County

On November 6, ECOs assisted the Lewiston Police Department following a report of an antlered deer that fell into a 10-foot-deep dry well and became trapped off Upper Mountain Road in the town of Lewiston. ECO Scheer, along with a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, and the Niagara County Tech Rescue Team were able to hoist the deer from the well and release it safely without incident. The well was covered as a preventative measure.  

Deer trapped down a 10-foot-deep dry well in Niagara County (photo attached) 

Emergency crews rescue deer trapped down 10-foot-deep dry well in Niagara County (photo attached) 

Women in Law Enforcement – Onondaga County

DEC Division of Law Enforcement (DLE) Director Przyklek and several DLE members attended the annual New York Women in Law Enforcement training conference in Syracuse from November 5–7. The event featured criminal justice professionals from across the nation offering training and guidance to hundreds of their law enforcement colleagues in attendance. The goal of the yearly conference is to educate attendees on the importance of balancing their professional careers and personal lives through training and networking opportunities. The DLE Honor Guard and Pipe and Drum band participated in the opening ceremonies.   

From left, ECO Anderson, Captain Townley, Lieutenant Bello, Director Przyklek, T/Sgt Nielsen, T/Sgt Carpenter, ECO Gates, Lt. Reynolds, ECO Scalisi, ECO Francis (photo attached) 

Traffic Stop Leads to Charges – Steuben County

On November 8 at approximately 2:30 a.m., ECO Parker received a call from the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office regarding a shot fired near a residence in the town of Erwin. Steuben County Deputies located and stopped the suspect’s vehicle and spoke to the driver who stated he was attempting to take a fox. ECO Parker arrived at the location, determined the individual did not possess a hunting license, and charged the subject with possessing a loaded gun in a motor vehicle, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a residence, hunting without a license, and attempting to take small game in an unlawful manner. The driver also received a host of additional unrelated charges from Steuben County Deputies. DEC K9 Officer Shane and handler ECO Jankowski assisted with the investigation.   

Illegal Road Hunting and Venison Donation – Saratoga County

On November 8, ECO Shaw responded to a report of a deer possibly shot from the roadway in the town of Edinburg. The complainant reported hearing a single gunshot and witnessing a white pickup truck parked on the roadway. The caller managed to get a plate number from the vehicle before it drove away. Officer Shaw arrived at the location and discovered the deceased antlered deer approximately 75 feet from the road. He then located and interviewed two individuals suspected in the shooting within hours of the initial report. The passenger admitted to shooting the deer from the vehicle. Officer Shaw charged the passenger with the illegal take of a deer, possessing a loaded firearm in a motor vehicle, discharging a firearm from a public highway, and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a residence. The driver of the vehicle also received four tickets as an accessory to the crimes. All charges are pending in the Town of Edinburg Court.   

ECO Shaw donated the deer to Venison for Veterans and Seniors of Fulton and Montgomery counties, an organization that feeds veterans and their families through donations. In 2024, approximately 4,200 pounds of venison was donated to the organization by hunters, ECOs, New York State Police, and members of the Fulton and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Departments.    

Deer taken illegally in Saratoga County is donated to Venison for Veterans and Seniors of Fulton and Montgomery counties (photo attached) 

Trapped Bears Released Safely – Sullivan County

On November 18, a trapper notified ECOs about two yearling bears stuck in foothold traps within a few feet of each other in the town of Rockland. ECO Johnson and Lieutenant Lattimer responded to the location and met with the licensed trapper who was legally trapping bobcats when he accidentally trapped the bears. Each bear had a front paw trapped in the footholds and was unable to escape. ECO Johnson carefully pinned one bear down using a catchpole while Lieutenant Lattimer used a piece of plywood as a shield, allowing the trapper to safely access the bear’s front paw and free it. They successfully repeated the process with the second bear and both animals ran off into the woods without incident. 

New York State trapping regulations require trappers to check their traps at least once every 24 hours, reducing the amount of time an animal remains in a trap.   

ECO Fishing Compliance Checks – New York Bight and Brooklyn

ECOs in the New York City area partnered with federal police and patrolled in Brooklyn during last month’s ECO fishing compliance checks:  

• On October 10, ECOs Baldwin, Toomey, and Lieutenant Auguscinski joined federal police with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and a special agent for boat patrols in the New York Bight area of the Atlantic Ocean focused on Highly Migratory Species (HMS). NOAA manages HMS fisheries, including tuna, shark, swordfish, and billfish in the U.S. Atlantic Ocean and waters off of coastal Florida, and Caribbean waters. The Officers inspected several vessels and observed violations on one boat in Rockaway Reef that contained 38 tautog, 22 of which were undersized. Tautog harvested commercially in New York State waters via food fish license must have a minimum length of 15 inches and there is a daily harvest limit of 25 tautog per vessel. A Notice of Violation was issued to the boat captain. A food fish license, which is required in this situation, allows a license holder to take and land food fish harvested from State waters.   

• On October 18, ECOs Baldwin and Bieber conducted fishing compliance checks on waterbodies in and around Brooklyn, Kings County. The Officers ticketed one angler during their first stop at Plumb Beach for unlawfully possessing 28 hard-shell clams. The subject received a ticket for taking shellfish from uncertified waters, too polluted for safe shellfish consumption.   

Officers Baldwin and Bieber next visited the Floyd Bennet Field boat launch to interview a kayaker returning to shore. The kayaker showed the Officers his cooler containing seven tautog, three of which were undersized. The subject also had more than the daily possession limit of four tautog per person. He received one ticket for taking tautog more than the allowed bag limit and another ticket for taking undersized tautog.  

The ECOs’ final stop at Brooklyn Army Terminal resulted in one additional ticket to an angler for taking an undersized striped bass, measuring only 18 inches. Legal striped bass must be between 28 and 31 inches.  

ECO Toomey and NOAA Officer Lepre conduct boat patrols in the Atlantic Ocean (photo attached) 

ECO Reunites Lost Dog with Owner – Fulton County

ECO Pasciak recently observed a dog running loose in the roadway while on patrol in the town of Johnstown. Fearing for the dog’s safety and potential traffic hazards, Officer Pasciak stopped and safely secured the German shorthaired pointer in his patrol vehicle and drove around in search of the dog’s owner. After a short time, ECO Pasciak located and reunited the dog, named Jack, with its owner, without incident. 

Lost dog reunited with owner in the town of Johnstown (photo attached)