EASTERN DISTRICT
Officer Dean Wojcik responded to Groton Utilities Operations Complex for a report of a Bald Eagle injured and trapped down a thirty foot drainage bunker. Officer Wojcik successfully rescued the eagle, which was found to be dehydrated and mal-nourished. After ten days of rehabilitation at Officer Wojcik's residence the eagle was successfully released back into the wild at the Groton Complex on 4/29/2011 where it rejoined its mate in an active nest.
While on routine patrol on April 23rd, 2011, Officer Hans Danielson received a complaint through one of his informants that a person was hunting on Joshua Trust Property in the Town of Ashford. Upon arrival, Officer Danielson found the suspect vehicle which matched the description given by the complainant and called for Officer Williams to provide assistance. Officer Danielson entered the wooded area to locate the illegal turkey hunter. Upon finding the hunter and checking his license, it was determined the accused did not have turkey tags, nor did he have permission to hunt the Joshua Land Trust Property. The hunter was arrested and released on a promise to appear at Danielson Superior Court.
On April 27th, 2011, Officer Hans Danielson was operating his patrol truck while off-duty. He again received a complaint from one of his informants that there was illegal turkey hunting taking place in the Town of Union. Knowing he had been having trouble with illegal hunting in the area, and the fact that there were no other Officer’s in the immediate area, Officer Danielson responded and apprehended an illegal turkey hunter. The individual was arrested for hunting turkey on private land without written consent. The timely response of Officer Danielson was instrumental in apprehending the illegal hunter.
On April 30th, 2011, while on routine turkey hunting patrol in Chaplin, Officer Wojcik found an illegal turkey hunter that had shot two ‘Jake’ turkeys on part of the Pumpkin Hill Section of Natchaug State Forest. Upon interviewing the hunter it was determined by Officer Wojcik that the hunter had not tagged the birds immediately upon killing them, and that the hunter had not planned to utilize the 24 hour call in reporting system. The Hunter was arrested and released on a promise to appear in Danielson Superior Court .
MARINE DISTRICT
STRIPED BASS ENFORCEMENT
Marine Encon Officers started receiving Striped Bass complaints in April mostly in the Housatonic River Basin. Officer Hey found two individuals on the 1st in Stamford fishing the Mianus River who were found to be fishing without licenses and also in possession of short Striped Bass, and again he found three individuals in New Haven fishing the Quinnipiac River on the 2nd also fishing without licenses and in possession of short Striped Bass. On the 8th of April Officer Logiodice arrested an individual in Caswell Cove in Milford for possession of short Striped Bass, while on the 21st Officer Hey arrested an individual on the other side of the Housatonic in Stratford for short Striped Bass and overbagging beyond the daily limit of two fish. Officer Ulkus also found another individual on the Housatonic in Stratford with short Striped Bass and he was also over the limit of two fish per day on the 21st. He also found another individual in Milford on the 24th found to be in possession of short Striped Bass and fishing without a license.
FRESHWATER FISHING ENFORCEMENT
There was plenty of action in Ponds and Streams in the Marine District in April. Officer Hey cited an individual for fishing without license on the 6th in New Haven on the Quinnipiac River while Officer Stanko was busy on the Hammonassett River in Madison arresting three individuals on the 9th of April for fishing during the closed season. He also found individuals fishing without licenses on the Hammonassett River and the Branford Supply Pond on the 16th and the 20th respectively. Officer Samorajczyk found two individuals fishing preseason in the Branford Supply Pond on the 9th and also found two individuals fishing without license on the 16th and the 17th at the month at the Hammonassett River. In a case involving overbagging, Officer Logiodice arrested two individuals on Mohegan Lake in Fairfield in possession of trout over the daily creel limit on the 22nd.
BOAT LAUNCH ARREST
On the 24th of April, Officer Reilly arrested an aggressive, intoxicated individual at the Baldwin Bridge Boat Launch in Old Saybrook. On her approach to the launch she notice a man lying half on the grass and half on the pavement who appeared intoxicated during her initial contact. The individual threatened Officer Reilly with bodily harm. She then called for backup, with Officers from Old Saybrook and State PoliceTroopers from Troop “F” responding to her aid, assisting with the arrest. The person who was arrested for Breach of Peace and Interfering with an Officer is a convicted felon on probation. His Probation Officer was notified regarding the criminal arrest.
TACTICAL BOAT OPERATOR TRAINING
During the first week of April, thirteen EnCon Police Officers from the Marine and Inland Districts, along with seven Connecticut State Police Troopers from the Emergency Services Unit participated in a Tactical Boating Course for one week. The advanced course offered by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) taught tactical boat operating techniques that qualified the participants for a national certification with the Department of Homeland Security. The training familiarizes officers with standardized techniques for protecting marine and land based assets within the maritime law enforcement community. This training will prove to be invaluable considering the State’s responsibility in the ports of Bridgeport, New Haven, New London and the Millstone Nuclear Facility.
WESTERN DISTRICT
TRAPPING ARREST
On April 1st, EnCon Police Officers Keith Williams and Jeff Bruno responded to a complaint of illegal trapping in New Milford. The officers determined that someone had been trapping on private property in New Milford without permission using a combination of live box traps and conibear type traps. A number of the traps were set in the openings of several animal dens. The officers determined who the trapper was and seized 6 conibear traps, two box traps and a dead fox. The illegal trapper was arrested for Trapping during a closed season; Trapping on private land without written permission and 5 counts of Illegal Trap Sets.
ILLEGAL WOOD CUTTING IN STATE FOREST
On April 2nd EnCon Police Officer Holly Bernier received a complaint of ATV activity in Naugatuck State Forest in Naugatuck. Officer Bernier investigated and determined that two individuals from Naugatuck were illegally cutting wood on state owned property and transporting the illegally cut wood with ATVs. Officer Bernier located the subject cutting the wood and arrested him for illegally cutting wood on DEP property. She also took enforcement action against the two individuals for ATV violations on state land.
FATAL BOATING ACCIDENT
On April 26th, EnCon Police Sergeant Keith Schneider and Officers Paul Hilli, Tate Begley and Sean Buckley responded to a report of a boating accident at Woodridge Lake in Goshen. Officers arrived and determined that a passenger on a fishing boat had fallen overboard and was apparently suffering cardiac distress. Goshen EMS and Fire personnel were on scene and transported the victim to Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington where he was pronounced dead.
FISHING ENFORCEMENT
From April 1st to April 15th, EnCon Police officers in the Western District made 16 arrests and issued 7 written warnings for pre-season fishing violations. From Opening Day April 16th through April 30th Officers made 21 more arrests and issued 19 written warnings for fishing violations.
_________________
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
Connecticut State Environmental Conservation Police
Captain Raul Camejo
Officer Dean Wojcik responded to Groton Utilities Operations Complex for a report of a Bald Eagle injured and trapped down a thirty foot drainage bunker. Officer Wojcik successfully rescued the eagle, which was found to be dehydrated and mal-nourished. After ten days of rehabilitation at Officer Wojcik's residence the eagle was successfully released back into the wild at the Groton Complex on 4/29/2011 where it rejoined its mate in an active nest.
While on routine patrol on April 23rd, 2011, Officer Hans Danielson received a complaint through one of his informants that a person was hunting on Joshua Trust Property in the Town of Ashford. Upon arrival, Officer Danielson found the suspect vehicle which matched the description given by the complainant and called for Officer Williams to provide assistance. Officer Danielson entered the wooded area to locate the illegal turkey hunter. Upon finding the hunter and checking his license, it was determined the accused did not have turkey tags, nor did he have permission to hunt the Joshua Land Trust Property. The hunter was arrested and released on a promise to appear at Danielson Superior Court.
On April 27th, 2011, Officer Hans Danielson was operating his patrol truck while off-duty. He again received a complaint from one of his informants that there was illegal turkey hunting taking place in the Town of Union. Knowing he had been having trouble with illegal hunting in the area, and the fact that there were no other Officer’s in the immediate area, Officer Danielson responded and apprehended an illegal turkey hunter. The individual was arrested for hunting turkey on private land without written consent. The timely response of Officer Danielson was instrumental in apprehending the illegal hunter.
On April 30th, 2011, while on routine turkey hunting patrol in Chaplin, Officer Wojcik found an illegal turkey hunter that had shot two ‘Jake’ turkeys on part of the Pumpkin Hill Section of Natchaug State Forest. Upon interviewing the hunter it was determined by Officer Wojcik that the hunter had not tagged the birds immediately upon killing them, and that the hunter had not planned to utilize the 24 hour call in reporting system. The Hunter was arrested and released on a promise to appear in Danielson Superior Court .
MARINE DISTRICT
STRIPED BASS ENFORCEMENT
Marine Encon Officers started receiving Striped Bass complaints in April mostly in the Housatonic River Basin. Officer Hey found two individuals on the 1st in Stamford fishing the Mianus River who were found to be fishing without licenses and also in possession of short Striped Bass, and again he found three individuals in New Haven fishing the Quinnipiac River on the 2nd also fishing without licenses and in possession of short Striped Bass. On the 8th of April Officer Logiodice arrested an individual in Caswell Cove in Milford for possession of short Striped Bass, while on the 21st Officer Hey arrested an individual on the other side of the Housatonic in Stratford for short Striped Bass and overbagging beyond the daily limit of two fish. Officer Ulkus also found another individual on the Housatonic in Stratford with short Striped Bass and he was also over the limit of two fish per day on the 21st. He also found another individual in Milford on the 24th found to be in possession of short Striped Bass and fishing without a license.
FRESHWATER FISHING ENFORCEMENT
There was plenty of action in Ponds and Streams in the Marine District in April. Officer Hey cited an individual for fishing without license on the 6th in New Haven on the Quinnipiac River while Officer Stanko was busy on the Hammonassett River in Madison arresting three individuals on the 9th of April for fishing during the closed season. He also found individuals fishing without licenses on the Hammonassett River and the Branford Supply Pond on the 16th and the 20th respectively. Officer Samorajczyk found two individuals fishing preseason in the Branford Supply Pond on the 9th and also found two individuals fishing without license on the 16th and the 17th at the month at the Hammonassett River. In a case involving overbagging, Officer Logiodice arrested two individuals on Mohegan Lake in Fairfield in possession of trout over the daily creel limit on the 22nd.
BOAT LAUNCH ARREST
On the 24th of April, Officer Reilly arrested an aggressive, intoxicated individual at the Baldwin Bridge Boat Launch in Old Saybrook. On her approach to the launch she notice a man lying half on the grass and half on the pavement who appeared intoxicated during her initial contact. The individual threatened Officer Reilly with bodily harm. She then called for backup, with Officers from Old Saybrook and State PoliceTroopers from Troop “F” responding to her aid, assisting with the arrest. The person who was arrested for Breach of Peace and Interfering with an Officer is a convicted felon on probation. His Probation Officer was notified regarding the criminal arrest.
TACTICAL BOAT OPERATOR TRAINING
During the first week of April, thirteen EnCon Police Officers from the Marine and Inland Districts, along with seven Connecticut State Police Troopers from the Emergency Services Unit participated in a Tactical Boating Course for one week. The advanced course offered by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) taught tactical boat operating techniques that qualified the participants for a national certification with the Department of Homeland Security. The training familiarizes officers with standardized techniques for protecting marine and land based assets within the maritime law enforcement community. This training will prove to be invaluable considering the State’s responsibility in the ports of Bridgeport, New Haven, New London and the Millstone Nuclear Facility.
WESTERN DISTRICT
TRAPPING ARREST
On April 1st, EnCon Police Officers Keith Williams and Jeff Bruno responded to a complaint of illegal trapping in New Milford. The officers determined that someone had been trapping on private property in New Milford without permission using a combination of live box traps and conibear type traps. A number of the traps were set in the openings of several animal dens. The officers determined who the trapper was and seized 6 conibear traps, two box traps and a dead fox. The illegal trapper was arrested for Trapping during a closed season; Trapping on private land without written permission and 5 counts of Illegal Trap Sets.
ILLEGAL WOOD CUTTING IN STATE FOREST
On April 2nd EnCon Police Officer Holly Bernier received a complaint of ATV activity in Naugatuck State Forest in Naugatuck. Officer Bernier investigated and determined that two individuals from Naugatuck were illegally cutting wood on state owned property and transporting the illegally cut wood with ATVs. Officer Bernier located the subject cutting the wood and arrested him for illegally cutting wood on DEP property. She also took enforcement action against the two individuals for ATV violations on state land.
FATAL BOATING ACCIDENT
On April 26th, EnCon Police Sergeant Keith Schneider and Officers Paul Hilli, Tate Begley and Sean Buckley responded to a report of a boating accident at Woodridge Lake in Goshen. Officers arrived and determined that a passenger on a fishing boat had fallen overboard and was apparently suffering cardiac distress. Goshen EMS and Fire personnel were on scene and transported the victim to Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington where he was pronounced dead.
FISHING ENFORCEMENT
From April 1st to April 15th, EnCon Police officers in the Western District made 16 arrests and issued 7 written warnings for pre-season fishing violations. From Opening Day April 16th through April 30th Officers made 21 more arrests and issued 19 written warnings for fishing violations.
_________________
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
Connecticut State Environmental Conservation Police
Captain Raul Camejo