MARINE DISTRICT
Oyster Violation
On 6/8/09, EnCon Police Officer John Hey was on patrol of Long Island Sound off of Bridgeport. He observed a commercial oyster harvester working on natural beds. Only hand power is allowed to operate or hoist dredges on natural oyster beds. Officer Hey observed the subject using a hydraulic dredge on the natural beds. Over a period of thirty minutes, Officer Hey observed the subject pull the hydraulic dredge three separate times. Officer Hey then proceeded to the patrol vessel out of Fairfield and went to the area he saw the subject harvesting oysters. Officer Hey approached the subject’s vessel and obtained his commercial shellfish license. After interviewing the subject, the subject admitted to using the hydraulic dredge on the natural oyster bed. The subject was issued a citation for the violation and the oysters were returned to the water.
Training
During the month of June, EnCon Police Officer DeFelice attended the Marine Law Enforcement Training Program at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia. This comprehensive 28 day program consisted of class work and practical skills application. The participants in the program were from law enforcement agencies from across the nation. The participants were trained and tested in navigation rules, equipment requirements, chart reading and charting of courses. The officers that attended spent numerous hours on the water conducting operations that utilized the skills they learned in the class room to use during both day and night operations.
Fisheries Violations
On 6/24/09, EnCon Police Officer Chemacki was patrolling Madison in the area of Middle Beach where he saw four people fishing from a large rock a short distance from shore. Officer Chemacki watched the subjects for several hours and during that time period, observed them catch and keep what appeared to be short flounder, scup and blackfish. The season for blackfish was also closed. When the subjects came ashore with their catch, Officer Chemacki conducted an inspection. The subjects had twelve scup that were less than the minimum length, one winter flounder less than the minimum length and one blackfish that was less than the minimum length. One of the subjects also had an arrest warrant out on him from East Haven. The subject with the warrant was taken into custody and turned over to the East Haven Police Department. All of the subjects were issued infraction tickets for various marine fisheries violations and released.
Burglary Arrest
On 6/25/09, EnCon Police Capt. Overturf was off duty and travelling on I-691 on the Middlefield/Meriden town line when he saw a suspicious vehicle in a parking lot for hikers off of the highway. There had been several burglaries to vehicles at that parking lot and the parking lot for Millers Pond State Park in Durham during the last several weeks. Capt. Overturf turned around and as he was approaching the parking lot saw a male attempting to open the tailgate of a vehicle in the parking lot. As Capt. Overturf approached the subject and identified himself as a police officer, the subject dropped a spring loaded center punch he was holding in his hand onto the ground. Capt. Overturf placed the subject into handcuffs and called for assistance from CSP Troop F. A Middlefield constable and Officer Ruggiero responded to the scene. Officer Ruggiero identified the spring loaded center punch as the same make and model and one used in a burglary to a vehicle at Millers Pond. The subject was placed under arrest and transported to Troop F. He was charged with possession of burglary tools, criminal attempt to commit larceny and criminal attempt to commit criminal mischief.
EASTERN DISTRICT
Nuisance Bears
Eastern District Officers were experiencing an upturn in nuisance black bear complaints in June. There were a total of 12 complaints in the towns of Coventry, Durham, East Hartford, Haddam, Killingworth and Stafford. Most incidents were handled by hazing the bears, shooting them with non lethal rubber buckshot and beanbag rounds from the Officer’s 12 gauge shotguns.
Fishing Enforcement
Fishing enforcement in the Eastern District resulted in more than 20 arrests and 15 warnings for various violations ranging from fishing without a license, fish less than legal limit, over bagging and trespass. The bodies of water included Connecticut River, Cedar Lake, Billings Lake, Mansfield Hollow Reservoir, Quinnebaug River, Quaddick Reservoir, Horse Pond and Natchaug River.
Exotic Species and Explosives
On 6/23/09, EnCon Police Officer Williams handled two unusual incidents. In the first incident Officer Williams issued a written warning to a Thompson resident for possession of an exotic species. He was in possession of two alligators, about one foot in length. They were confiscated and turned over to a reptile rehabilitator in Massachusetts, and will be used for public educational purposes. In the other incident Officer Williams and Officer Rose responded to a report of a pipe bomb on D.E.P. property near the State Fish Hatchery in Plainfield. Working closely with the Plainfield Police and the Emergency Services Unit of the Connecticut State Police the live pipe bomb was deactivated and submitted to the Connecticut State Police Crime Lab for analysis and two suspects are currently being investigated.
Park and Forest
Officers in the Eastern District handled several medical assists on D.E.P. properties in June. One incident, on the 20th, included a 23 year old female who fell from the edge of the cliff at Devils Hopyard State Park in East Haddam. She lost her balance and fell approximately 75 feet to the base of the cliff. Officer Myers responded and assisted emergency personnel in getting the victim to Backus Hospital in Norwich. Weather was inclement and prevented Life Star from responding. A second incident on the 27th involved two cub scouts that were camping in the Youth Group Area in Wolf Den Campground in Pomfret. They were involved in horseplay with sharp sticks resulting in one individual being stuck in the eye resulting in blindness. Officer Johnson was the responding officer and assisted the family and emergency personnel to get the victim to UMass Medical Center in Worcester.
WESTERN DISTRICT
Skeletal Remains
On 6/6/09, a person was hiking along the ledge at the South Overlook at West Rock Ridge State Park in New Haven and observed what he believed to be a human skeleton approximately 100 feet below. The New Haven Police Dept notified the DEP and EnCon Police Officer Williams responded. A New Haven Fire Dept. Captain repelled down the cliff and confirmed from a distance what he believed to be a human skeleton. As it was late afternoon and darkness was approaching, a decision was made to attempt a recovery on 6/7/09 during full daylight conditions. On 6/7/09 EnCon Police Officer Williams returned along with members of the New Haven Fire Dept. and State Police Major Crime Unit to conduct the recovery operation. Specially trained members of the New Haven Fire Dept. repelled down to the location to recover the remains. It was ultimately determined the remains were that of a homemade mannequin that from a distance appeared to be human skeletal remains. The mannequin was recovered and turned over to State Police Detectives. The skeleton was constructed of bamboo (bones), tennis balls (joints) foam, towels, duct tape and wire consisting of arms, legs, feet, torso and head. The mannequin was dressed in blue jeans, sneakers, a short sleeved T-shirt with a long sleeved shirt over it and a gray baseball cap. Based on the condition of the clothing, the mannequin had been on the side of the cliff for an extended period of time. There was no information developed to determine who had left the mannequin at the location.
Boat Strikes Gazebo
On 6/28/09, EnCon Police Sergeant Shaw and Officers Buckley, Scatena and Williams responded to a report of a boating accident on Hitchcock Lake in Wolcott. The officers determined that a high powered jet drive boat was being operated on the lake at a high rate of speed when it caught a wake and the bow began to submerge. The five occupants of the boat, along with the operator, jumped out of the boat fearing that it was going underwater. The boat did not go under water but continued down the lake at full speed as the operator had neglected to attach the motor cutoff lanyard. The unoccupied boat struck another boat tied to a dock then struck the shoreline and became airborne. The boat continued on, landing on the lawn of a shoreline home and struck a gazebo attached to the house, stopping the boat. The operator of the boat was arrested for Reckless Boating 2nd degree.
__________________
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
Connecticut State Environmental Conservation Police
Captain Raul Camejo raul.camejo@ct.gov
Oyster Violation
On 6/8/09, EnCon Police Officer John Hey was on patrol of Long Island Sound off of Bridgeport. He observed a commercial oyster harvester working on natural beds. Only hand power is allowed to operate or hoist dredges on natural oyster beds. Officer Hey observed the subject using a hydraulic dredge on the natural beds. Over a period of thirty minutes, Officer Hey observed the subject pull the hydraulic dredge three separate times. Officer Hey then proceeded to the patrol vessel out of Fairfield and went to the area he saw the subject harvesting oysters. Officer Hey approached the subject’s vessel and obtained his commercial shellfish license. After interviewing the subject, the subject admitted to using the hydraulic dredge on the natural oyster bed. The subject was issued a citation for the violation and the oysters were returned to the water.
Training
During the month of June, EnCon Police Officer DeFelice attended the Marine Law Enforcement Training Program at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia. This comprehensive 28 day program consisted of class work and practical skills application. The participants in the program were from law enforcement agencies from across the nation. The participants were trained and tested in navigation rules, equipment requirements, chart reading and charting of courses. The officers that attended spent numerous hours on the water conducting operations that utilized the skills they learned in the class room to use during both day and night operations.
Fisheries Violations
On 6/24/09, EnCon Police Officer Chemacki was patrolling Madison in the area of Middle Beach where he saw four people fishing from a large rock a short distance from shore. Officer Chemacki watched the subjects for several hours and during that time period, observed them catch and keep what appeared to be short flounder, scup and blackfish. The season for blackfish was also closed. When the subjects came ashore with their catch, Officer Chemacki conducted an inspection. The subjects had twelve scup that were less than the minimum length, one winter flounder less than the minimum length and one blackfish that was less than the minimum length. One of the subjects also had an arrest warrant out on him from East Haven. The subject with the warrant was taken into custody and turned over to the East Haven Police Department. All of the subjects were issued infraction tickets for various marine fisheries violations and released.
Burglary Arrest
On 6/25/09, EnCon Police Capt. Overturf was off duty and travelling on I-691 on the Middlefield/Meriden town line when he saw a suspicious vehicle in a parking lot for hikers off of the highway. There had been several burglaries to vehicles at that parking lot and the parking lot for Millers Pond State Park in Durham during the last several weeks. Capt. Overturf turned around and as he was approaching the parking lot saw a male attempting to open the tailgate of a vehicle in the parking lot. As Capt. Overturf approached the subject and identified himself as a police officer, the subject dropped a spring loaded center punch he was holding in his hand onto the ground. Capt. Overturf placed the subject into handcuffs and called for assistance from CSP Troop F. A Middlefield constable and Officer Ruggiero responded to the scene. Officer Ruggiero identified the spring loaded center punch as the same make and model and one used in a burglary to a vehicle at Millers Pond. The subject was placed under arrest and transported to Troop F. He was charged with possession of burglary tools, criminal attempt to commit larceny and criminal attempt to commit criminal mischief.
EASTERN DISTRICT
Nuisance Bears
Eastern District Officers were experiencing an upturn in nuisance black bear complaints in June. There were a total of 12 complaints in the towns of Coventry, Durham, East Hartford, Haddam, Killingworth and Stafford. Most incidents were handled by hazing the bears, shooting them with non lethal rubber buckshot and beanbag rounds from the Officer’s 12 gauge shotguns.
Fishing Enforcement
Fishing enforcement in the Eastern District resulted in more than 20 arrests and 15 warnings for various violations ranging from fishing without a license, fish less than legal limit, over bagging and trespass. The bodies of water included Connecticut River, Cedar Lake, Billings Lake, Mansfield Hollow Reservoir, Quinnebaug River, Quaddick Reservoir, Horse Pond and Natchaug River.
Exotic Species and Explosives
On 6/23/09, EnCon Police Officer Williams handled two unusual incidents. In the first incident Officer Williams issued a written warning to a Thompson resident for possession of an exotic species. He was in possession of two alligators, about one foot in length. They were confiscated and turned over to a reptile rehabilitator in Massachusetts, and will be used for public educational purposes. In the other incident Officer Williams and Officer Rose responded to a report of a pipe bomb on D.E.P. property near the State Fish Hatchery in Plainfield. Working closely with the Plainfield Police and the Emergency Services Unit of the Connecticut State Police the live pipe bomb was deactivated and submitted to the Connecticut State Police Crime Lab for analysis and two suspects are currently being investigated.
Park and Forest
Officers in the Eastern District handled several medical assists on D.E.P. properties in June. One incident, on the 20th, included a 23 year old female who fell from the edge of the cliff at Devils Hopyard State Park in East Haddam. She lost her balance and fell approximately 75 feet to the base of the cliff. Officer Myers responded and assisted emergency personnel in getting the victim to Backus Hospital in Norwich. Weather was inclement and prevented Life Star from responding. A second incident on the 27th involved two cub scouts that were camping in the Youth Group Area in Wolf Den Campground in Pomfret. They were involved in horseplay with sharp sticks resulting in one individual being stuck in the eye resulting in blindness. Officer Johnson was the responding officer and assisted the family and emergency personnel to get the victim to UMass Medical Center in Worcester.
WESTERN DISTRICT
Skeletal Remains
On 6/6/09, a person was hiking along the ledge at the South Overlook at West Rock Ridge State Park in New Haven and observed what he believed to be a human skeleton approximately 100 feet below. The New Haven Police Dept notified the DEP and EnCon Police Officer Williams responded. A New Haven Fire Dept. Captain repelled down the cliff and confirmed from a distance what he believed to be a human skeleton. As it was late afternoon and darkness was approaching, a decision was made to attempt a recovery on 6/7/09 during full daylight conditions. On 6/7/09 EnCon Police Officer Williams returned along with members of the New Haven Fire Dept. and State Police Major Crime Unit to conduct the recovery operation. Specially trained members of the New Haven Fire Dept. repelled down to the location to recover the remains. It was ultimately determined the remains were that of a homemade mannequin that from a distance appeared to be human skeletal remains. The mannequin was recovered and turned over to State Police Detectives. The skeleton was constructed of bamboo (bones), tennis balls (joints) foam, towels, duct tape and wire consisting of arms, legs, feet, torso and head. The mannequin was dressed in blue jeans, sneakers, a short sleeved T-shirt with a long sleeved shirt over it and a gray baseball cap. Based on the condition of the clothing, the mannequin had been on the side of the cliff for an extended period of time. There was no information developed to determine who had left the mannequin at the location.
Boat Strikes Gazebo
On 6/28/09, EnCon Police Sergeant Shaw and Officers Buckley, Scatena and Williams responded to a report of a boating accident on Hitchcock Lake in Wolcott. The officers determined that a high powered jet drive boat was being operated on the lake at a high rate of speed when it caught a wake and the bow began to submerge. The five occupants of the boat, along with the operator, jumped out of the boat fearing that it was going underwater. The boat did not go under water but continued down the lake at full speed as the operator had neglected to attach the motor cutoff lanyard. The unoccupied boat struck another boat tied to a dock then struck the shoreline and became airborne. The boat continued on, landing on the lawn of a shoreline home and struck a gazebo attached to the house, stopping the boat. The operator of the boat was arrested for Reckless Boating 2nd degree.
__________________
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
Connecticut State Environmental Conservation Police
Captain Raul Camejo raul.camejo@ct.gov