WESTERN DISTRICT
Suicide
On 3/7/09, EnCon Police officers along with members of the State Police responded to Southford Falls State Park in Southbury where a park visitor found a male who appeared to be dead in the park pavilion. EnCon Police Officer Keith Williams was assigned to the investigation and determined that a 58 year old male from Oxford had committed suicide by hanging himself with a rope from the pavilion rafter. There was evidence at the scene to indicate that the death was self inflicted and no foul play was involved.
Illegal Possession of Piranhas
On 3/11/09, EnCon Police Officer Concepcion was assigned to investigate a report of an advertisement in the “Bargain News” offering to sell Red Bellied Piranhas by a subject in Winchester. Officer Concepcion, acting as an interested buyer, contacted the individual by phone and determined that in fact he had piranhas for sale and was still in possession of them. Officer Concepcion determined where the individual lived and made arrangements to meet him at his home. When Officer Concepcion arrived he advised the individual that he was the person who called and advised him that possession of Piranhas was illegal in Connecticut. The individual turned over the Piranhas to Officer Concepcion voluntarily. The individual was issued a written warning for the illegal possession of the Piranhas. The Piranhas were transported to the Beardsley Park Zoo in Bridgeport, which has the required permits to possess exotic species, where they will be added to the zoo’s collection.
Preseason Fishing Enforcement
During the month of March EnCon Police officers in the Western District handled 65 incidents involving preseason fishing. Of these incidents a number of complaints were determined to be legal activity in areas where fishing is open year round. The other complaints resulted in 24 arrests and 14 written warnings being issued for fishing violations.
EASTERN DISTRICT
Narcotics Arrests
On 3/17/09, EnCon Police Officer Johnson was patrolling Ross Pond State Park in Killingly where he observed a truck being operated in the park after legal hours. After stopping the vehicle and its two occupants, Officer Johnson detected the odor of burning marijuana and questioned the individuals, which led to their arrest on trespass and the possession of a small amount of marijuana that was found in the truck.
On 3/20/09, EnCon Police Officer Johnson was on patrol in Quaddick State Park in Thompson and noticed furtive movement from the occupants of a Massachusetts registered car. Upon further investigation Officer Johnson was able to develop probable cause for arrest when the individuals admitted they were about to smoke a “blunt” (marijuana cigar). One of the individuals admitted to selling $30.00 of the marijuana to the other individual and they were both processed for possession and one was charged with narcotics sales.
On 3/31/09, EnCon Police Officer Johnson was on patrol in Mansfield Hollow Dam State Park when he encountered two individuals in a vehicle after legal hours. After detecting the odor of marijuana in the vehicle, Officer Johnson’s subsequent investigation resulted in the arrest of the parties for possession of narcotics, paraphernalia and trespass charges.
Illegal Fishing
On 3/3/09, EnCon Police Officer Myers received a complaint of an illegally set 500 foot commercial fishing gill net in Essex in the Connecticut River. Officer Myers was able to track down the owner of the net and he was charged with illegally setting the net in a navigation channel or “fairway”. The owner of the net was attempting to catch white perch. The net was confiscated and subsequently turned over to the State of Connecticut.
There were numerous other arrests for illegal fishing in the Eastern District. Officer Lindo was able to apprehend violators for fishing without licenses in the Thames and Connecticut Rivers and preseason trout fishing in the Jeremy River, Colchester. Officers Johnson and Golet were able to apprehend two individuals fishing pre-season at Day Pond, Colchester and Officer Vroman cited two individuals fishing the fly-fishing only area on the Willimantic River with spin gear.
All Terrain Vehicles
There were over thirty ATV arrests made by EnCon Police Officers in the Eastern District in March. Officer Chickos was able to arrest nine individuals in the Franklin/Windham area while patrolling with Officer Dwyer during his Field Training. Officer Ruggiero was able to apprehend eight individuals at Wangunk Meadows Wildlife Management Area, Portland and Officer Myers was able to cite four individuals in Cockaponsett State Forest in Haddam.
Wildlife
On 3/30/09, EnCon Police Officers Lindo, Sgt. Wolfe and Capt. O’Connell responded to a report of an injured seal in the Thames River in Norwich Harbor. The affected animal was a Harp seal that appeared to be underweight and injured and was subsequently turned over to the Mystic Marine Life Aquarium for rehabilitation.
Two alligators were taken into possession by the EnCon Police in March. On the 3/11, a 3 ½ foot alligator was found in a swamp in South Windsor, just days after Officers were alerted to the possibility of a same sized reptile being illegally possessed by an individual who worked nearby. On 3/23, a one foot alligator was seized in Brooklyn.
MARINE DISTRICT
Illegal Shell fishing Activity
On 3/4/09, EnCon Police Officer Esteban was dispatched to Darien on a complaint of illegal shell fishing activity. Upon arriving, Officer Esteban met with the complainant who stated that a commercial oyster vessel was harvesting oysters on his lot. The boundary of the area was clearly marked by flags and Officer Esteban observed the suspect vessel cross into the complainant’s area with the dredges down harvesting oysters. The complainant gave a written statement to the fact that he had witnessed the vessel harvesting oysters on his area prior to Officer Esteban’s arrival. The captain of the vessel was contacted and met Officer Esteban on shore. The captain was issued a summons for violation of his shell fishing license and the oyster product returned to the area from which it was taken.
Short Stripers
On 3/22/09, EnCon Police Officers Logiodice and Samorajczyk were dispatched to the Pequonnock River in Bridgeport on a complaint that an individual was taking short striped bass. Upon arriving in the area, the officers observed two subjects fishing from a dock. The officers observed the fishermen for about five minutes when they observed one of the fishermen catch a striped bass. After catching the fish, the subject went to the dock ramp and retrieved a bag from underneath the ramp. The fish was placed in the bag and the fishermen packed up their equipment and left the dock. The officers met the subjects at the end of the dock and inspected the contents of the bag that the fisherman was carrying. Inside the bag were two striped bass carcasses and one whole striped bass. The whole fish measured seventeen inches and the carcasses measured fourteen inches. The minimum length for striped bass is twenty-eight inches. The subject was issued a summons for the violation and released. The fish were seized.
Public Outreach
On 3/28/09, EnCon Police Sgt. Healy, Officer Chemacki and marine fisheries biologist Colleen Giannini conducted the annual recreational lobster seminar at Old Lyme Headquarters. Over eighty people signed up for the seminar which was held in two sessions. Personal use lobster license holders learned about the laws and regulations pertaining to lobstering. They were shown the proper way to gauge a lobster, how to tell if it is bearing eggs and how to tell if it was “v-notched.” Sgt. Healy, who was a commercial lobsterman, gave instruction on the proper methods of setting lobster pots along with suggestions on baiting, putting in escape panels and securing their lobster gear.
[IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/rcamejo/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif[/IMG]
__________________
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
Connecticut State Environmental Conservation Police
Captain Raul Camejo
raul.camejo@po.state.ct.us
Suicide
On 3/7/09, EnCon Police officers along with members of the State Police responded to Southford Falls State Park in Southbury where a park visitor found a male who appeared to be dead in the park pavilion. EnCon Police Officer Keith Williams was assigned to the investigation and determined that a 58 year old male from Oxford had committed suicide by hanging himself with a rope from the pavilion rafter. There was evidence at the scene to indicate that the death was self inflicted and no foul play was involved.
Illegal Possession of Piranhas
On 3/11/09, EnCon Police Officer Concepcion was assigned to investigate a report of an advertisement in the “Bargain News” offering to sell Red Bellied Piranhas by a subject in Winchester. Officer Concepcion, acting as an interested buyer, contacted the individual by phone and determined that in fact he had piranhas for sale and was still in possession of them. Officer Concepcion determined where the individual lived and made arrangements to meet him at his home. When Officer Concepcion arrived he advised the individual that he was the person who called and advised him that possession of Piranhas was illegal in Connecticut. The individual turned over the Piranhas to Officer Concepcion voluntarily. The individual was issued a written warning for the illegal possession of the Piranhas. The Piranhas were transported to the Beardsley Park Zoo in Bridgeport, which has the required permits to possess exotic species, where they will be added to the zoo’s collection.
Preseason Fishing Enforcement
During the month of March EnCon Police officers in the Western District handled 65 incidents involving preseason fishing. Of these incidents a number of complaints were determined to be legal activity in areas where fishing is open year round. The other complaints resulted in 24 arrests and 14 written warnings being issued for fishing violations.
EASTERN DISTRICT
Narcotics Arrests
On 3/17/09, EnCon Police Officer Johnson was patrolling Ross Pond State Park in Killingly where he observed a truck being operated in the park after legal hours. After stopping the vehicle and its two occupants, Officer Johnson detected the odor of burning marijuana and questioned the individuals, which led to their arrest on trespass and the possession of a small amount of marijuana that was found in the truck.
On 3/20/09, EnCon Police Officer Johnson was on patrol in Quaddick State Park in Thompson and noticed furtive movement from the occupants of a Massachusetts registered car. Upon further investigation Officer Johnson was able to develop probable cause for arrest when the individuals admitted they were about to smoke a “blunt” (marijuana cigar). One of the individuals admitted to selling $30.00 of the marijuana to the other individual and they were both processed for possession and one was charged with narcotics sales.
On 3/31/09, EnCon Police Officer Johnson was on patrol in Mansfield Hollow Dam State Park when he encountered two individuals in a vehicle after legal hours. After detecting the odor of marijuana in the vehicle, Officer Johnson’s subsequent investigation resulted in the arrest of the parties for possession of narcotics, paraphernalia and trespass charges.
Illegal Fishing
On 3/3/09, EnCon Police Officer Myers received a complaint of an illegally set 500 foot commercial fishing gill net in Essex in the Connecticut River. Officer Myers was able to track down the owner of the net and he was charged with illegally setting the net in a navigation channel or “fairway”. The owner of the net was attempting to catch white perch. The net was confiscated and subsequently turned over to the State of Connecticut.
There were numerous other arrests for illegal fishing in the Eastern District. Officer Lindo was able to apprehend violators for fishing without licenses in the Thames and Connecticut Rivers and preseason trout fishing in the Jeremy River, Colchester. Officers Johnson and Golet were able to apprehend two individuals fishing pre-season at Day Pond, Colchester and Officer Vroman cited two individuals fishing the fly-fishing only area on the Willimantic River with spin gear.
All Terrain Vehicles
There were over thirty ATV arrests made by EnCon Police Officers in the Eastern District in March. Officer Chickos was able to arrest nine individuals in the Franklin/Windham area while patrolling with Officer Dwyer during his Field Training. Officer Ruggiero was able to apprehend eight individuals at Wangunk Meadows Wildlife Management Area, Portland and Officer Myers was able to cite four individuals in Cockaponsett State Forest in Haddam.
Wildlife
On 3/30/09, EnCon Police Officers Lindo, Sgt. Wolfe and Capt. O’Connell responded to a report of an injured seal in the Thames River in Norwich Harbor. The affected animal was a Harp seal that appeared to be underweight and injured and was subsequently turned over to the Mystic Marine Life Aquarium for rehabilitation.
Two alligators were taken into possession by the EnCon Police in March. On the 3/11, a 3 ½ foot alligator was found in a swamp in South Windsor, just days after Officers were alerted to the possibility of a same sized reptile being illegally possessed by an individual who worked nearby. On 3/23, a one foot alligator was seized in Brooklyn.
MARINE DISTRICT
Illegal Shell fishing Activity
On 3/4/09, EnCon Police Officer Esteban was dispatched to Darien on a complaint of illegal shell fishing activity. Upon arriving, Officer Esteban met with the complainant who stated that a commercial oyster vessel was harvesting oysters on his lot. The boundary of the area was clearly marked by flags and Officer Esteban observed the suspect vessel cross into the complainant’s area with the dredges down harvesting oysters. The complainant gave a written statement to the fact that he had witnessed the vessel harvesting oysters on his area prior to Officer Esteban’s arrival. The captain of the vessel was contacted and met Officer Esteban on shore. The captain was issued a summons for violation of his shell fishing license and the oyster product returned to the area from which it was taken.
Short Stripers
On 3/22/09, EnCon Police Officers Logiodice and Samorajczyk were dispatched to the Pequonnock River in Bridgeport on a complaint that an individual was taking short striped bass. Upon arriving in the area, the officers observed two subjects fishing from a dock. The officers observed the fishermen for about five minutes when they observed one of the fishermen catch a striped bass. After catching the fish, the subject went to the dock ramp and retrieved a bag from underneath the ramp. The fish was placed in the bag and the fishermen packed up their equipment and left the dock. The officers met the subjects at the end of the dock and inspected the contents of the bag that the fisherman was carrying. Inside the bag were two striped bass carcasses and one whole striped bass. The whole fish measured seventeen inches and the carcasses measured fourteen inches. The minimum length for striped bass is twenty-eight inches. The subject was issued a summons for the violation and released. The fish were seized.
Public Outreach
On 3/28/09, EnCon Police Sgt. Healy, Officer Chemacki and marine fisheries biologist Colleen Giannini conducted the annual recreational lobster seminar at Old Lyme Headquarters. Over eighty people signed up for the seminar which was held in two sessions. Personal use lobster license holders learned about the laws and regulations pertaining to lobstering. They were shown the proper way to gauge a lobster, how to tell if it is bearing eggs and how to tell if it was “v-notched.” Sgt. Healy, who was a commercial lobsterman, gave instruction on the proper methods of setting lobster pots along with suggestions on baiting, putting in escape panels and securing their lobster gear.
[IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/rcamejo/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif[/IMG]
__________________
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
Connecticut State Environmental Conservation Police
Captain Raul Camejo
raul.camejo@po.state.ct.us