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.”
Tiny Terrapins Relocated – Suffolk County
On Sept. 19, ECO Day observed newly hatched terrapin turtles heading for the parking lot while on patrol at the Cedar Beach boat ramp in the hamlet of Mt. Sinai. Officer Day quickly moved the young turtles to safety at the nearby beach to avoid any parking lot mishaps.
Terrapin turtle rescued from a parking lot at Cedar Beach boat ramp in Suffolk County
Injured Owl – Suffolk County
On Sept. 22, ECO Day responded to a report of a small owl behaving strangely in the backyard of a residence in Lake Grove. Officer Day arrived at the location and discovered the Eastern screech owl on the ground. ECO Day safely captured the owl, which then began exhibiting a behavior called thanatosis, or “playing dead.” Screech owls use this behavior as a last resort defense mechanism when they are unable to flee, and their camouflage isn’t enough to conceal them. The owl appeared to have a bad cut on one of its legs and was transported to the Save the Animals Rescue (STAR) Foundation in Middle Island for rehabilitation. DEC checked in with the foundation to get an update on the owl and learned that the bird made a full recovery at the facility and was released back into the wild on Oct. 15.
Injured Eastern screech owl rescued from the backyard of a residence in Lake Grove, Suffolk County
Shellfish Diggers Convicted – Nassau County
Two Long Island residents recently received penalties for illegally digging for clams in uncertified waters.
Earlier this year, on Feb. 5, ECOs Berketis, Franz, Kochanowski, and Pabes located a vessel occupied by two clammers actively digging in an uncertified area near the Execution Rocks Lighthouse in the town of North Hempstead, Nassau County. Harvesting shellfish in uncertified areas poses a health risk to consumers who eat shellfish.
The ECOs boarded the vessel and discovered nine bags of untagged clams. They escorted the clammers back into Hempstead Harbor, ticketed both individuals for taking shellfish from uncertified waters, and returned the clams back to the waters of the state.
On Sept. 23, one of the subjects, from Northport, pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor offense in Nassau County First District Court and paid a fine of $1,000. The second subject, from Huntington, was convicted after a jury trial in Nassau County First District Court, fined $900, and sentenced to 100 hours of community service.
Both defendants held New York shellfish digger permits which requires them to pass a test demonstrating knowledge of the certified and uncertified areas for shellfish digging.
ECOs Berketis, Franz, and Kochanowski with confiscated shellfish taken from uncertified waters in Nassau County
Fishing Compliance Checks
Fishing compliance checks in the New York City area and Long Island in recent weeks resulted in several anglers ticketed for illegally taking undersized fish:
On Sept. 29, ECO Day checked several vessels near a boat ramp in Port Jefferson on the north shore of Long Island to ensure anglers fishing from those vessels were complying with New York State’s fishing regulations. Officer Day encountered two boats during the patrol that had undersized porgy, black sea bass, and tautog on board. ECO Day ticketed multiple anglers for charges including possession of undersized fish, possession of tautog out of season, and failure to have a valid New York Marine Registry. The fish were confiscated and donated to Sweetbriar Nature Center where they were used to feed animals being cared for at the facility.
On Oct. 3, ECO Day checked a pair of anglers returning to the parking area at Fisherman’s Beach in the town of Huntington, Suffolk County, at approximately 11:30 p.m. The pair claimed to only have three porgy in their possession and showed the fish to Officer Day in a bucket. ECO Day checked a cooler the anglers were placing in their vehicle and discovered three undersized black sea bass and an undersized striped bass hidden under snacks and fishing gear. Both anglers received tickets for possession of undersized black sea bass and one of the subjects received an additional ticket for the out-of-slot striped bass.
On Oct. 6, ECOs Ableson, Baldwin, and Toomey checked anglers fishing recreationally on Orchard Beach in Bronx County. The day’s unusually warm weather drew several anglers to the area. The Officers issued five tickets and one written warning over the course of the afternoon for anglers possessing blackfish out of season and fishing without a Marine Registry.
Undersized porgy and black sea bass confiscated during fishing compliance checks in Port Jefferson, Suffolk County
Undersized bass discovered during fishing compliance patrol in the town of Huntington, Suffolk County
Brentwood Fire Department Open House – Suffolk County
On Oct. 4, ECO Dickson participated in the Brentwood Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Open House in Suffolk County. Hundreds of residents attended the event and learned about fire safety with live demonstrations, including puppet shows and smoke houses. Officer Dickson joined other law enforcement agencies to connect with the community and provide information about potential employment opportunities. ECO Dickson educated attendees about the responsibilities and duties of an Environmental Conservation Police Officer and the instrumental roles they play protecting New York’s natural resources. Kids who attended the open house enjoyed testing their skills with a rescue rope throw bag and looking through the ECO’s binoculars.
ECO Dickson attends Brentwood Fire Department Open House in Suffolk County
Bear Relocated – Westchester County
On Oct. 5, ECO Plows received a call from the Village of Pleasantville Police Department requesting assistance with a bear in a highly populated area. Officer Plows responded and attempted multiple techniques to encourage the bear to leave the area but was unsuccessful. ECOs Tompkins, Walraven, Wamsley, and Lieutenant Lattimer also responded to the location with appropriate gear to transport the animal, which eventually treed itself near the Saw Mill River Parkway. The bear exited the tree after being tranquilized by a Westchester County contractor and ran into a large swamp near the parkway, seemingly unaffected. The ECOs, along with Westchester County and Pleasantville Police Officers, tracked the bear and surveilled it until it could safely be sedated a second time, and the tranquilizer took effect. The responding ECOs quickly prepped the bear for transport, carried it to a transport trailer, and successfully relocated the bear to a more suitable area where it was released without incident within hours of the initial dart.
ECOs Tompkins and Wamsley ear tag a bear before release in a more suitable area
A bear relocated from Westchester County rests safely in a transport trailer with ice to regulate its body temperature before being released back into the wild
Youth Pheasant Hunt – Genesee County
On Oct. 12, ECOs in DEC Regions 8 and 9 coordinated with Pheasants on the Flats in Batavia for their 16th Annual Youth Pheasant Hunt. ECOs Fuerch, Shea, Investigator Holzle, and Lieutenant Ver Hague assisted the young hunters who took the opportunity to Get Offline, Get Outside, despite it being a damp and cool morning. All the youth participants, some of whom were hunting for the first time, harvested at least one pheasant. Breakfast and lunch were provided by donations from Knead the Dough in Ransomville, Verratti Farms, LLC, and the New York Conservation Officers Association (NYCOA). NYCOA and Sportsman’s Warehouse also provided hunting equipment and safety hats for all youth participants.
Youth hunters participate in 16th Annual Pheasant on the Flats youth pheasant hunt in Genesee County
Young hunters head afield during annual youth pheasant hunt in Genesee County
Vehicle and Hunting Compliance Checks – Hamilton County
On Oct. 19, ECOs stationed at a check point in Hamilton County checked more than 100 vehicles, including hunters. Officers found no hunting violations, firearms that were safe and unloaded during their inspections, and legally tagged deer. These routine checks help to ensure that all hunters are adhering to New York’s hunting regulations.
DEC thanks the public for their assistance during these inspections and acknowledges the successful compliance of hunters throughout the day.
For more information on legally and safely tagging and transporting big game, visit DEC’s website.
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).
