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Highlights: February 2010

Northern Region Highlights

Lieutenant Applegate and CO Kuechler investigated a complaint of an individual who was attempting to sell a monocle cobra in Union City. The officers, along with the municipal police, responded to the individuals’ residence and were granted access to the individuals’ bedroom by his mother. The officers located the venomous snake in a container 4 feet away from the individual’s 4 month old daughter’s crib. The snake was seized and the officers later contacted the individual who admitted to possessing and attempting to sell the snake for $3,000. The appropriate complaints were signed.

While inspecting ice fishermen on Monksville Reservoir, CO Hutchinson found two fishermen to be in possession of several sub-legal black crappies. Upon further inspection of their tip ups, he found that all were baited with sub-legal crappies and largemouth bass. The fishermen admitted to using the fish as muskellunge bait. Both individuals received summonses for possessing the undersized fish.

Lieutenant Panico and CO Ziegler inspected a taxidermist who had just recently opened his business. Upon inspecting the deer heads and seals he had on the premises, the officers observed three mounts that the taxidermist claimed to have killed and registered in Illinois. Illinois Conservation Officers were contacted who advised the officers the deer were killed and registered in their state unlawfully. The officers charged the individual with possessing the deer unlawfully and charges are pending from the state of Illinois.

CO Kuechler attended the Essex County Sportsmen’s Federation monthly meeting.

CO Nestel investigated a complaint of an individual shooting a deer with a muzzleloader during the winter bow season. The officer responded to the area and was able to locate a set of footprints in the snow. The officer followed the prints to a tree stand and then to a fresh gut pile. The officer then observed and followed “drag” marks through woods to the back of a residence. The officer made contact with the resident who admitted to taking a deer with a muzzleloader during the closed season. The untagged deer was seized and donated to NORWESCAP and summonses for all the violations were issued.

Lieutenant Applegate and CO Paul responded to a call for assistance from the NJSP concerning a group of hunters that allegedly were involved in a 450 foot violation. The officers arrived at the scene and found a group of six hunters and two freshly killed deer. Although the individuals were not forthcoming at first, the officers were able to determine one deer had been killed within 450 feet of an occupied dwelling. The individual who tagged the deer eventually admitted to discharging his firearm within the safety zone and was issued a summons for the violation. The officers were then able to determine the second deer had been shot by an individual who did not possess a firearm when they arrived. An interview caused questions regarding his ability to legally possess the firearm, which he had hidden before any law enforcement officers arrived at the scene. The individual was issued a summons for interfering with the duties of a Conservation Officer and his status to possess firearms is being reviewed by the NJSP. The appropriate complaints were signed for the first individual.

      

Central Region Highlights

Lieutenant Lacroix responded to a request for assistance from State Police at 0130 hours in Upper Freehold Township, regarding illegal deer hunting.  The State Police had received a call from a resident who reported seeing someone spotlighting a nearby field and hearing several shots.  The troopers located and stopped the vehicle and questioned the two occupants.  Inside the vehicle, they located two shotguns, many spent shells, two spotlights, a dead female deer and a bag containing what appeared to be cocaine.  Based on an examination of physical characteristics of the deer, Lieutenant Lacroix was able to determine that the deer had been killed within the last several hours.  Charges for hunting with a motor vehicle, spotlighting with a weapon in the vehicle, illegal possession of a deer and failing to tag a deer were issued for both individuals.  Charges for illegal possession of a weapon, certain persons not to possess a weapon and CDS were filed by State Police. 

In the aftermath of the recent snow storms, officers from the Central Region have been patrolling the wildlife management areas for off road vehicle usage.  COs Mutone and Szalaj and Lieutenant Lacroix patrolled the Caruso Village area of Greenwood Forest WMA and apprehended two ATVs and one motor vehicle doing “donuts” in the middle of a blind intersection.  Summonses for off-road vehicles without a permit, unregistered vehicles, operating off the established road and careless driving were issued.  CO Mascio and Lieutenant Lacroix also patrolled the Colliers Mills WMA.  Four snowmobile operators were charged with operating an off-road vehicle on a WMA. 

CO Martiak responded to a request for assistance by Atlantic Highlands Police Department.  The police department had gone to a local residence to serve a restraining order when they encountered a four foot alligator in the home.  CO Martiak arrived on scene and secured the alligator with help from the local animal control.  The owner was charged with possession of a potentially dangerous species.  This was the second time that the owner of the residence had been found in possession of an alligator.  In July 2008, COs Martiak and Mascio seized an alligator and issued a warning to the same individual.

CO O’Rourke found an increasing number of violations during the latter part of the permit shotgun season in the Central Burlington County area. In one incident, he received a complaint of trespass in Springfield Township.  The hunters had fled the scene when the police department arrived, but CO O’Rourke located a dead antlered deer and hid nearby.  CO Szalaj assisted with the surveillance. A short time later, one of the hunters came back for the dead buck and began to gut it.  CO O’Rourke announced his presence and issued a summons for failing to tag a deer immediately upon killing. 

CO O’Rourke was notified by Deer Project personnel that a hunter had checked in an antlered deer during the permit muzzleloader season and used a muzzleloader permit that was purchased at 4:58pm on the day the deer was killed.  Hunting hours on that date ended at 5:11pm.  It seemed impossible that the hunter had time to leave the license agent drive several towns away and kill a deer in 13 minutes.  CO O’Rourke had attempted several times to reach the hunter by telephone and going to his residence, but the man never returned the calls.  CO O’Rourke, assisted by Lieutenant Lacroix, went to the residence again and finally made contact with the man who admitted that he had shot the deer around 4:00pm and then went and bought his muzzleloader permit and rifle permit.  The appropriate summons was issued.

Southern Region Highlights

While on routine patrol CO Fox noticed a truck pass him travelling in the opposite direction that was occupied by two individuals that were dressed in hunting clothes.  CO Fox watched in his rearview mirror and noticed the truck stop.  A passenger got out and ran into the woods.  CO Fox quickly turned around and found the individual standing less than two hundred feet from two homes with a loaded firearm. The appropriate summons was issued.

CO Fox responded to a complaint of hunters taking over their limit of geese, locating three hunters in a corn field in Elk Township in Gloucester County. After inspecting the individuals and finding no violations, they were allowed to leave. CO Fox checked around the snow covered field and located four geese and a mallard duck hidden under the snow.  All the birds appeared to have been freshly killed.  CO Fox with the assistance of CO Stites immediately went and interviewed two of the hunters at their homes.  Both individuals admitted to killing over their limit of geese and shooting a mallard out of its legal season.   CO Fox also found that one of the hunters had kept all of the birds without having them tagged, as required by law.  CO Fox and CO Ely interviewed the third hunter the next day with similar results.  All three hunters have been issued numerous summonses.

CO Toppin attended a week long Methods of Instruction course at the Gloucester County Police Academy. This is the first step in becoming a certified instructor.

During the report period, both Conservation Officer Risher and Conservation Officer Kille filed charges against two individuals for violations of the Hunter Harassment statute in two separate incidents. In both cases, the judge found that the actions of the accused were premeditated and directly aimed at preventing the lawful taking of wildlife, imposing the maximum penalty allowed by law.

While on routine patrol CO Risher and Lt Tonnesen observed a vehicle towing a small boat loaded with traps. The trailer was missing a license plate and the lights were not operational. They watched the vehicle turn down a small lane to a location where trappers launch their boats. CO Risher followed the vehicle to the launch and performed an inspection of the trapper. He determined that the traps had recently been used and noted a number of them without tags. A closer inspection revealed that the individual had twenty four untagged traps along with traps from three other trappers. The trapper explained that he had purchased the traps from one of the trappers but, never changed the tags. He could not explain why he had the traps belonging to the other two trappers. One of the two other trappers had reported earlier that he had three dozen traps stolen from him. CO Risher seized the suspected stolen traps and issued the appropriate summons.

                                                           

Marine Region Highlights

CO Scott did some research and developed a seafood market inspection route concentrating on the enforcement of the live fish market. He determined that the prime areas to conduct these inspections would be in the municipalities of Palisades Park, Fort Lee and surrounding towns. On 2/13/10, CO Scott assisted by Lieutenant Fresco, conducted eight inspections of markets and restaurants in the above municipalities and also in the towns of Englewood and Hackensack. This logical approach used by CO Scott resulted in quality inspections. No violations were observed and compliance was very good. 

Information was received in reference to depuration clammers harvesting shellfish in prohibited waters off of the Borough of Atlantic Highlands in Sandy Hook Bay. On 2/23/10 CO Jones set up a surveillance of this area which is known to contain a large concentration of clams. He observed four individuals harvesting within the prohibited area. CO Jones utilizing the USCG Sandy Hook, conducted boardings of these individual’s vessels.  Aside from the harvesting in prohibited waters violations, CO Jones also found some of these individuals not exhibiting their commercial clam licenses and depuration permits. One of the clammers did not display a placard with his name and depuration plant affiliation, a violation of the depuration program. CO Jones ordered these clammers to immediately dump all of their clams into the water. Summonses are pending and the clammers will immediately be suspended from the depuration program. Convictions will mandate a three year suspension of their commercial shellfish licenses.

On 2/23/10 CO Soell was conducting inspections of commercial vessels at Viking Village in Barnegat Light. CO Soell boarded the FV Karen L, a commercial hook and line vessel returning from a black sea bass trip. The vessel possessed 113 pounds of black sea bass in excess of the 1000 pound landing limit. The overage was seized and sold to the fish dealer with a check to be held by the Division. Summonses will be issued to the captain and owner of the vessel. A conviction will result in a 60 day suspension of the vessel’s black sea bass directed fishing permit.

Training Unit Highlights

Quarterly Firearms qualifications and training was recently conducted for all Bureau Law Enforcement Personnel.  This session consisted of training with the service handgun and shotgun.  Several Regional Firearms Instructors assisted with the training.