January Highlights
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MARINE DISTRICT
Narcotics Arrest
On 1/18/2010, EnCon Police Officer Tavares was on patrol of Bluff Point State Park in Groton. Officer Tavares observed a vehicle parked near the entrance near the river. Officer Tavares saw the operator of the vehicle leaning out of the window and attempting to light a glass smoking pipe that Officer Tavares recognized as commonly used to smoke marijuana. Officer Tavares approached the vehicle and when the operator recognized him, immediately attempted to hide the pipe in the vehicle. Officer Tavares opened the vehicle door and saw the glass smoking pipe filled with suspected marijuana and a bag of suspected marijuana on the seat of the vehicle. The suspect was taken into custody and Officer Tavares conducted a field test on the suspected marijuana which yielded a positive result. The suspect was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia and issued a promise to appear and released.
Waterfowl Violation
On 1/21/ 2010, Officer Samorajczyk was contacted by the Norwalk Police Department’s Marine unit regarding a waterfowl violation. A waterfowl hunter observed another hunter shoot two Old Squaw ducks while his vessel was under power and called the Norwalk Police Department to report the violation. Officer Samorajczyk responded on the Norwalk Police vessel and met the complainant. The complainant stated that while he was hunting he observed a vessel under power with one person on board. He saw the operator fire two rounds from a shotgun at two Old Squaw, killing them both. Officer Samorajczyk approached the subject who admitted to killing the two ducks while his vessel was underway. The subject was issued a summons for the violation and released.
EASTERN DISTRIC
Narcotics Arrest
On 1/2/2010, EnCon Police Sgt. Dwyer performed a motor vehicle stop on a suspicious vehicle in Windham which evolved into a narcotics arrest with a handgun. The two occupants of the vehicle, a male and a female were arrested for numerous charges involving illegal possession and dealing of pharmaceutical pain killers. During this encounter the occupants of the vehicle responded numerous times that they were not in possession of any weapons only to have Sgt. Dwyer discover that the male occupant was in possession of a .32 caliber semi-automatic pistol. The narcotics and pistol were confiscated and the individuals were processed at Connecticut State Police Troop K in Colchester.
On 1/27/2010, Officer Lindo responded to a complaint of an intoxicated or passed out operator of a vehicle in Hurd State Park in East Hampton. The operator of the vehicle was charged with operation under suspension, unregistered motor vehicle, breach of peace and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Fishing Violations
Eastern District Officers were busy with fishing complaints in January. There were eight fishing arrests and ten written warnings for various charges including fishing without a license, too many tip ups, tip ups not marked, over bagging and minimum length violations. Officers involved and the waters patrolled included Officers Pettus, Vroman, Lindo, Ruggiero, Arsenault and Rose on the Connecticut River, Morey Pond, Crystal Lake, Lake Williams, Mashapaug Lake, Pachaug Pond, Norwich Harbor (Thames River), Black Pond (Middlefield) and Moodus Reservoir.
Vehicles through Ice
There were two complaints of vehicles falling through the ice on State waters in January. On the 16th a full size pickup truck fell through the ice on Mono Pond in Columbia and Officer Ruggiero handled that incident and on the 30th Officer Williams handled an incident at Pachaug Pond in Griswold, where an ATV also fell through the ice.
ATV Violations
There were numerous All Terrain Vehicle incidents in January on State waters and properties. Officer Pettus charged six individuals with operation unregistered in Shenipsit State Forest in Somers and she and Officer Danielson each arrested one individual apiece on Coventry Lake. Officer Vroman was responsible for three arrests in Nachaug State Forest and Quaddick State Park in Thompson. Officer Williams arrested two individuals in Pachaug State Forest and Officer Lindo one arrest in Lebanon and two written warnings on Lower Moodus Reservoir.
WESTERN DISTRICT
Timber Theft
On 1/20/2010, EnCon Police Officer Hill was contacted by a commercial logger who advised Officer Hill that someone was stealing wood at the Roraback Wildlife Management area. The logger had a permit from DEP to harvest timber and someone was going in to the area after his crew left for the day and began cutting up harvested logs for firewood and removing them. Officer Hill responded and located an individual in the act of cutting the wood. The subject was arrested by Officer Hill for Larceny in the 6th degree.
Illegal Trapping Arrest
On 1/29/2010, EnCon Police Officers Tomassone and Hilli arrested a suspect from Burlington, CT with an arrest warrant charging him with 16 counts of illegal trapping; violation of regulations for taking a wild quadruped; failure to carry written consent of the landowner while trapping; illegal trapping of a bobcat; 3 counts of criminal mischief 3rd degree; 2 counts of criminal trespass 3rd degree; and violation of regulations for hunting by a minor. This arrest is the culmination of an investigation Officers Tomassone and Hill began in early December 2009 after they received a report of a bobcat caught in an illegal snare trap in Winchester. Officer Tomassone tranquilized the bobcat and was able to release it back into the wild with no injuries.
Officers located a number of other illegal snare traps set on the property and began surveillance of the area. The next day the officers observed the suspect in the area where he began searching for the illegal snares. The officers seized a quantity of trapping equipment that the subject had in his possession. The investigation determined that besides using illegal traps, the suspect had allegedly been trapping on the property without permission of the property owner. Evidence seized at the scene and equipment seized from the suspect was brought to the State Police Forensic Laboratory in Meriden where forensic examination of the evidence positively linked the suspect to the illegal trapping activity.
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Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
Connecticut State Environmental Conservation Police
Captain Raul Camejo raul.camejo@ct.gov
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MARINE DISTRICT
Narcotics Arrest
On 1/18/2010, EnCon Police Officer Tavares was on patrol of Bluff Point State Park in Groton. Officer Tavares observed a vehicle parked near the entrance near the river. Officer Tavares saw the operator of the vehicle leaning out of the window and attempting to light a glass smoking pipe that Officer Tavares recognized as commonly used to smoke marijuana. Officer Tavares approached the vehicle and when the operator recognized him, immediately attempted to hide the pipe in the vehicle. Officer Tavares opened the vehicle door and saw the glass smoking pipe filled with suspected marijuana and a bag of suspected marijuana on the seat of the vehicle. The suspect was taken into custody and Officer Tavares conducted a field test on the suspected marijuana which yielded a positive result. The suspect was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia and issued a promise to appear and released.
Waterfowl Violation
On 1/21/ 2010, Officer Samorajczyk was contacted by the Norwalk Police Department’s Marine unit regarding a waterfowl violation. A waterfowl hunter observed another hunter shoot two Old Squaw ducks while his vessel was under power and called the Norwalk Police Department to report the violation. Officer Samorajczyk responded on the Norwalk Police vessel and met the complainant. The complainant stated that while he was hunting he observed a vessel under power with one person on board. He saw the operator fire two rounds from a shotgun at two Old Squaw, killing them both. Officer Samorajczyk approached the subject who admitted to killing the two ducks while his vessel was underway. The subject was issued a summons for the violation and released.
EASTERN DISTRIC
Narcotics Arrest
On 1/2/2010, EnCon Police Sgt. Dwyer performed a motor vehicle stop on a suspicious vehicle in Windham which evolved into a narcotics arrest with a handgun. The two occupants of the vehicle, a male and a female were arrested for numerous charges involving illegal possession and dealing of pharmaceutical pain killers. During this encounter the occupants of the vehicle responded numerous times that they were not in possession of any weapons only to have Sgt. Dwyer discover that the male occupant was in possession of a .32 caliber semi-automatic pistol. The narcotics and pistol were confiscated and the individuals were processed at Connecticut State Police Troop K in Colchester.
On 1/27/2010, Officer Lindo responded to a complaint of an intoxicated or passed out operator of a vehicle in Hurd State Park in East Hampton. The operator of the vehicle was charged with operation under suspension, unregistered motor vehicle, breach of peace and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Fishing Violations
Eastern District Officers were busy with fishing complaints in January. There were eight fishing arrests and ten written warnings for various charges including fishing without a license, too many tip ups, tip ups not marked, over bagging and minimum length violations. Officers involved and the waters patrolled included Officers Pettus, Vroman, Lindo, Ruggiero, Arsenault and Rose on the Connecticut River, Morey Pond, Crystal Lake, Lake Williams, Mashapaug Lake, Pachaug Pond, Norwich Harbor (Thames River), Black Pond (Middlefield) and Moodus Reservoir.
Vehicles through Ice
There were two complaints of vehicles falling through the ice on State waters in January. On the 16th a full size pickup truck fell through the ice on Mono Pond in Columbia and Officer Ruggiero handled that incident and on the 30th Officer Williams handled an incident at Pachaug Pond in Griswold, where an ATV also fell through the ice.
ATV Violations
There were numerous All Terrain Vehicle incidents in January on State waters and properties. Officer Pettus charged six individuals with operation unregistered in Shenipsit State Forest in Somers and she and Officer Danielson each arrested one individual apiece on Coventry Lake. Officer Vroman was responsible for three arrests in Nachaug State Forest and Quaddick State Park in Thompson. Officer Williams arrested two individuals in Pachaug State Forest and Officer Lindo one arrest in Lebanon and two written warnings on Lower Moodus Reservoir.
WESTERN DISTRICT
Timber Theft
On 1/20/2010, EnCon Police Officer Hill was contacted by a commercial logger who advised Officer Hill that someone was stealing wood at the Roraback Wildlife Management area. The logger had a permit from DEP to harvest timber and someone was going in to the area after his crew left for the day and began cutting up harvested logs for firewood and removing them. Officer Hill responded and located an individual in the act of cutting the wood. The subject was arrested by Officer Hill for Larceny in the 6th degree.
Illegal Trapping Arrest
On 1/29/2010, EnCon Police Officers Tomassone and Hilli arrested a suspect from Burlington, CT with an arrest warrant charging him with 16 counts of illegal trapping; violation of regulations for taking a wild quadruped; failure to carry written consent of the landowner while trapping; illegal trapping of a bobcat; 3 counts of criminal mischief 3rd degree; 2 counts of criminal trespass 3rd degree; and violation of regulations for hunting by a minor. This arrest is the culmination of an investigation Officers Tomassone and Hill began in early December 2009 after they received a report of a bobcat caught in an illegal snare trap in Winchester. Officer Tomassone tranquilized the bobcat and was able to release it back into the wild with no injuries.
Officers located a number of other illegal snare traps set on the property and began surveillance of the area. The next day the officers observed the suspect in the area where he began searching for the illegal snares. The officers seized a quantity of trapping equipment that the subject had in his possession. The investigation determined that besides using illegal traps, the suspect had allegedly been trapping on the property without permission of the property owner. Evidence seized at the scene and equipment seized from the suspect was brought to the State Police Forensic Laboratory in Meriden where forensic examination of the evidence positively linked the suspect to the illegal trapping activity.
__________________
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
Connecticut State Environmental Conservation Police
Captain Raul Camejo raul.camejo@ct.gov