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,” 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.”

 

Summer School Fishing Outreach – St. Lawrence County

On July 10, ECOs Atwood, Canary, and Munn organized a fishing outreach event outside Colton Town Hall along the Raquette River in St. Lawrence County. The Officers educated a group of Colton-Pierrepont summer school students between the ages of 7 and 10 about New York’s fishing regulations, the different types of fish present in state waters, and common bait used by anglers to catch fish, including worms, leeches, baitfish, and crayfish. The young participants then grabbed their fishing poles and put their newly acquired skills to use with assistance from ECOs who helped them with baiting and casting. Some students caught their first-ever fish during the event and each participant received a bag full of fishing-related goodies to encourage future fishing adventures. The Officers also provided the students with ice cream bars following the fishing activities and explained their job duties as ECOs in protecting New York’s natural resources. The New York Conservation Officers Association provided funding for purchasing bait, ice cream, and a packet of rubber worms for the students.  

 

 

ECO Atwood hands student a bait worm during fishing event in St. Lawrence County (photo attached)

 

Hazardous Waste Checks – Schoharie County

On July 17, ECO Burgess conducted a series of inspections at licensed motor vehicle repair shops in Schoharie County to ensure adherence with State regulations regarding the proper handling of waste oil, lead-acid batteries, and other automotive waste materials. Officer Burgess inspected several facilities and identified multiple violations resulting in the issuance of seven tickets for offenses including failure to register waste oil tanks, failure to post required waste signage, improper storage of lead-acid batteries, failure to clean spilled waste oil, and failure to label waste oil containers.

 

All tickets will be addressed administratively by DEC, requiring corrective action by the responsible parties and submission of proof of compliance to DEC.

 

ECO Burgess’s work highlights continued efforts by DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement to ensure the proper handling and disposal of hazardous waste materials for the protection of the public and our environment.

 

Hawk Rescue – Nassau County

On July 22, ECO Dickson received a call from a wildlife rehabilitator reporting an injured hawk stuck in a well in Oyster Bay. Officer Dickson arrived at the location, observed the red-tailed hawk, retrieved the bird using a blanket, and placed it in the sun to dry. The hawk had flown into the well, which is about four feet deep, to catch frogs and was unable to spread its wings and fly out. After approximately 30 minutes in the sun, the bird’s feathers were still wet and stuck together. ECO Dickson contacted another wildlife rehabilitator for assistance and transported the bird to that rehabber’s facility for further examination. The wildlife rehabilitator inspected the hawk and determined it was likely dehydrated with some sort of coating on its feathers, causing them to remain stuck together. The rehabber provided the bird with fluids and a bath and is continuing to care for the hawk. DEC checked in with the wildlife rehabilitator and learned the bird is improving and will be released soon. For a list of certified rehabilitators across New York State, visit the DEC website: https://dec.ny.gov/nature/wildlife-health/rehabilitators 

 

Red-tailed hawk discovered stuck in a well in Nassau County (photo attached)

 

ECO Dickson rescues red-tailed hawk from a well in Nassau County (photo attached)

 

Trapped Cooper’s Hawk Rescued – Columbia County

On July 23, ECO Keegan received a report from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office about a hawk trapped inside a screened in porch in the town of Copake. Officer Keegan responded to the residence and observed a Cooper’s hawk inside the enclosed porch. The Officer safely captured the bird and took it outside. ECO Keegan freed the bird after determining it did not appear injured; it flew up to a nearby power wire before flying out of sight.

 

ECO Keegan rescues hawk found trapped inside enclosed porch in town of Copake, Columbia County (photo attached)

 

National Night Out – Statewide

On Aug. 5, ECOs participated in “National Night Out” events statewide. The annual community-building campaign events aim to enhance relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve, as well as promote safer neighborhoods. Celebratory activities vary based on location but often include neighborhood block parties and barbeques, giving residents the opportunities to interact with the local police officers, first responders, and firefighters who protect their neighborhoods. 

 

ECOs also use each year’s events to educate the public about their unique roles in law enforcement focused on protecting the people and natural resources of New York State. 

 

ECO Swart attends National Night Out event in Syracuse, Onondaga County (photo attached)

 

ECOs Layton (left) and Kaufherr (right) attend National Night Out event at Fireman’s Memorial Park in Ridge, Suffolk County (photo attached)

 

 

Persistent Deer Poacher Faces Felony Charges – Oswego County

On Aug 6., Lieutenants Burnell, Grogan, and ECO Hilton arrested a subject accused of widespread deer poaching in Oswego County following a lengthy investigation that began in late 2024 with a complaint about gunshots on posted, County-owned property. 

 

On Nov. 7, 2024, a concerned landowner called 911 after hearing gunshots on posted property near Rikers Beach Road in Scriba. ECO Wing first responded to the report and learned from New York State Police Trooper Shabazz that two subjects were reportedly target shooting at the location and had been removed from the property by the Trooper. Officer Wing forwarded the complaint to then-ECO Grogan for further investigation.  

 

While enroute to the location, ECO Grogan contacted the subjects by phone and both individuals admitted to shooting two rifles, claiming they had just been sighting in the rifles (adjusting the sight on a firearm to ensure the bullet impacts the target at the point of aim).  

 

ECO Grogan arrived at the location and observed the area was overgrown with waist-high brush, had no clear shooting lanes, and was not a place where any experienced shooter would choose to sight in rifles. He also located a heavily used deer trail and found a freshly killed and field-dressed, white-tailed buck. 

 

ECO Grogan secured the area and requested assistance from ECO Armstrong and K9 Falcon. With K9 Falcons assistance, the Officers located the original shooting location, the gut pile from field dressing the deer, and a spent casing from the same type of rifle one of the subjects admitted to shooting during the earlier admissions.   

 

Follow-up interviews with the subjects led to search warrants and further assistance from Bureau of Environmental Crimes (BECI) Investigators Malone and Johnson. In addition, a forensic analysis by State Police on one of the subject’s phones revealed a trove of incriminating photos, messages, and open admissions tying him to the illegal killing of more than 30 deer in the last five years. 

 

Given the scale of damage to the local deer population, Oswego County Assistant District Attorney Gleason brought the case before a grand jury, resulting in a grand jury indictment on multiple charges including grand larceny, criminal mischief, criminal possession of a weapon, and illegally taking protected wildlife.  

 

The subject was taken into custody without incident and the case will be heard in Oswego County Court. This outcome was the direct result of ECO Wing’s instincts that there was more to the story than initially thought, the disciplined and well-trained teamwork of ECO Armstrong and K9 Falcon, and the partnership between the New York State Police and DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement.  

 

Lieutenant Grogan, ECO Armstrong, and K9 Falcon with deer illegally taken in Oswego County (photo attached)

 

ECO Armstrong with K9 Falcon (photo attached)

 

ECO Fishing Compliance Checks – Statewide

Undersized and over the daily limit of fish were common themes in this week’s statewide ECO fishing compliance checks. Here are some of the more notable cases handled by our Officers:  

• On July 19, ECO Card responded to Basswood Pond in the town of Burlington, Otsego County, to follow up on a complaint from an angler who reported a group keeping short bass. The complainant advised the fish were being put into a blue cooler near the day use area. ECO Card arrived at the location and identified a group matching the caller’s description. Officer Card investigated and observed a blue cooler tucked behind a fireplace near where a family was set up. An angler with the group admitted to owning the cooler and catching the fish and ECO Card issued tickets for possessing undersized black bass and taking over the daily limit of five fish. 

 

• On July 20, ECO Day responded to a complaint about a group of anglers taking undersized blue crabs from the pier at Osprey Park in Mastic Beach, Suffolk County. Officer Day arrived at the location in time to see the group of four packing up and preparing to leave the area. As ECO Day approached the group, one of the individuals carrying a cooler walked behind a tree and then reemerged without the cooler. Officer Day checked the cooler and discovered several blue crabs less than the legal size of 4.5 inches. The Officer found additional undersized crabs inside a cooler and a backpack inside the angler’s vehicle, resulting in a total of 88 crabs with 77 of them less than the legal size limit. Fortunately, most of the crabs were alive and able to be released to the water. Each member of the group received a ticket for possession of undersized blue crabs. 

 

• On the evening of July 30, ECO Day conducted fishing compliance checks at a small village park in Northport, Suffolk County, and observed an individual pull a small boat up to a dock and offload a large cooler. Officer Day checked the cooler and discovered six striped bass all measuring greater than the maximum size allowed of 31 inches. The Officer issued the subject tickets for possession of out-of-slot striped bass, possession of over the daily limit of striped bass, and failure to have a valid marine registry. The fish were confiscated and donated to a local wildlife rehabilitation center for osprey and bald eagles.  

 

• On Aug. 3, ECO Scheer responded to a complaint about an individual taking fish with a cast net in a small creek in the city of Niagara Falls. Officer Scheer arrived at the location and observed a subject matching the description given by the complainant illegally using a cast net to take fish. An investigation also revealed the subject had not had a fishing license in three years. ECO Scheer issued two tickets to the individual: one for fishing without a fishing license and another for taking fish by means other than angling. Both tickets are returnable to the City of Niagara Falls Court.

 

Undersized bass confiscated during fishing compliance check in town of Burlington, Otsego County (photo attached)

 

Undersized blue crabs confiscated during fishing compliance check in Suffolk County (photo attached)

 

Illegally caught striped bass confiscated during fishing compliance check in Northport, Suffolk County (photo attached)

 

Fish caught illegally with cast net in Niagara County (photo attached)

 

To contact an ECO to report an environmental crime or to report an incident, call 1-844-DEC-ECOS for 24-hour dispatch or email (for non-urgent violations).