Monthly highlights April
Western District Highlights – April 2012
Osprey Shot
On April 6, 2012 EnCon Police Officer Paul Hilli responded to a report that someone had shot and injured an Osprey in Granby. Officer Hilli determined that employees at a nearby manufacturing facility in East Granby had been shooting at hawks with a BB gun. The investigation is ongoing at this point in cooperation with the US Fish & Wildlife Special Agent.
Theft of State vehicle
On April 17, 2012 EnCon Police Officer Erin Crossman was assigned to investigate the theft of a stolen DEEP pickup truck from the DEEP garage in Thomaston. The vehicle had been recovered in the middle of the night by the Bristol Police Department when it was located unoccupied and damaged behind the Bristol High School. The investigation is ongoing at this point.
Assault in State Park
On April 20, 2012 EnCon Police Officer John Hey received a complaint of an assault at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport. Officer Hey investigated and arrested a male subject who had assaulted a former girlfriend who was in the park. The subject was arrested for Breach of Peace.
Hunting under the Influence
On Wednesday, April 25, 2012, the first day of spring turkey hunting season –EnCon Police Officers Sean Buckley and Keith Williams were on patrol on Kuhne Road, Southbury when they observed a vehicle parked in an area adjacent to a section of private land that borders Aldo Leopold Wildlife Management Area. The officers checked the area and located a subject hunting on state land. The subject was hunting from a popup blind and as officers approached the blind they smelled what they believed to be a strong odor of burning marijuana. The officers looked into the blind and observed the subject smoking what appeared to be a marijuana cigarette. Officers seized a quantity of suspected marijuana and conducted a field sobriety test on the subject, which he failed.
The subject did have a hunting license and the necessary permits to turkey hunt. He was arrested and released on a written promise to appear in Superior Court in Waterbury on May 9.
Fishing Enforcement
During the month of April Western District Officers handled 192 Inland Fishing complaints which resulted in 35 arrests and 48 written warnings. Officers also handled 19 striped bass complaints resulting in 16 arrests and 1 written warning.
Marine District Monthly Highlights – April 2012
Fishing
Central Marine officers kept busy responding to numerous pre-season and in-season fishing complaints throughout the Marine District, answering over thirty incidents resulting in nine (9) tickets and twenty-one (21) written warnings for various violations, including fishing without a license, over creel and fishing during the closed season . Officers also monitored increased marine fishing activity, including citations for blackfish (tautog) under the legal length and over the creel limit.
Trespassing
On April 15, 2012 Officer Karen Reilly was called out in the early morning hours to assist Officer Chickos and Portland police officers with a report of numerous individuals with 3 to 4 vehicles, ATVs and a bonfire in Wangunk Meadows Wildlife Management Area along the Connecticut River in Portland. En-Con Police officers cited seven individuals for trespass and fishing violations while Portland police dealt with others in the group. The fire was put out and the area cleaned up prior to the officers’ departure.
Homeowner Shoots Fox
On April 30, 2012 Officer DeFelice received a complaint from a Westbrook resident that her neighbor had killed a mother fox the day before and that the shooting was close to her house. Officer DeFelice and Sgt. Lundin found that the suspect had shot the fox which had a den in his backyard due to recent reports of rabid foxes in Connecticut, though it had not shown any aggressive behavior. They also determined the houses to be less than two hundred feet apart. The incident remains under investigation pending court action. Officers DeFelice and Wojcik were attempting to trap and rehabilitate the two young kits from the den.
Eastern District Monthly Highlights - April 2012
Boating
On Saturday, April 21, 2012, opening day of fishing season at approximately 11:30 PM two men were in a 17’ bass boat when it crashed into the shore of Mashapaug Lake in Union. Both men were taken by ambulance to Johnson Memorial Hospital in Stafford. The operator was later released with minor injuries. The victim was transported to St. Francis Hospital in Hartford due to the extent of his injuries. Officers Pettus, Vroman, and Persico responded to the scene with Sgt. Lundin. The investigation is continuing by State EnCon Police with the assistance of State Police Major Crimes.
Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection
Connecticut State Environmental Conservation Police
Captain Raul Camejo raul.camejo@ct.gov
Western District Highlights – April 2012
Osprey Shot
On April 6, 2012 EnCon Police Officer Paul Hilli responded to a report that someone had shot and injured an Osprey in Granby. Officer Hilli determined that employees at a nearby manufacturing facility in East Granby had been shooting at hawks with a BB gun. The investigation is ongoing at this point in cooperation with the US Fish & Wildlife Special Agent.
Theft of State vehicle
On April 17, 2012 EnCon Police Officer Erin Crossman was assigned to investigate the theft of a stolen DEEP pickup truck from the DEEP garage in Thomaston. The vehicle had been recovered in the middle of the night by the Bristol Police Department when it was located unoccupied and damaged behind the Bristol High School. The investigation is ongoing at this point.
Assault in State Park
On April 20, 2012 EnCon Police Officer John Hey received a complaint of an assault at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport. Officer Hey investigated and arrested a male subject who had assaulted a former girlfriend who was in the park. The subject was arrested for Breach of Peace.
Hunting under the Influence
On Wednesday, April 25, 2012, the first day of spring turkey hunting season –EnCon Police Officers Sean Buckley and Keith Williams were on patrol on Kuhne Road, Southbury when they observed a vehicle parked in an area adjacent to a section of private land that borders Aldo Leopold Wildlife Management Area. The officers checked the area and located a subject hunting on state land. The subject was hunting from a popup blind and as officers approached the blind they smelled what they believed to be a strong odor of burning marijuana. The officers looked into the blind and observed the subject smoking what appeared to be a marijuana cigarette. Officers seized a quantity of suspected marijuana and conducted a field sobriety test on the subject, which he failed.
The subject did have a hunting license and the necessary permits to turkey hunt. He was arrested and released on a written promise to appear in Superior Court in Waterbury on May 9.
Fishing Enforcement
During the month of April Western District Officers handled 192 Inland Fishing complaints which resulted in 35 arrests and 48 written warnings. Officers also handled 19 striped bass complaints resulting in 16 arrests and 1 written warning.
Marine District Monthly Highlights – April 2012
Fishing
Central Marine officers kept busy responding to numerous pre-season and in-season fishing complaints throughout the Marine District, answering over thirty incidents resulting in nine (9) tickets and twenty-one (21) written warnings for various violations, including fishing without a license, over creel and fishing during the closed season . Officers also monitored increased marine fishing activity, including citations for blackfish (tautog) under the legal length and over the creel limit.
Trespassing
On April 15, 2012 Officer Karen Reilly was called out in the early morning hours to assist Officer Chickos and Portland police officers with a report of numerous individuals with 3 to 4 vehicles, ATVs and a bonfire in Wangunk Meadows Wildlife Management Area along the Connecticut River in Portland. En-Con Police officers cited seven individuals for trespass and fishing violations while Portland police dealt with others in the group. The fire was put out and the area cleaned up prior to the officers’ departure.
Homeowner Shoots Fox
On April 30, 2012 Officer DeFelice received a complaint from a Westbrook resident that her neighbor had killed a mother fox the day before and that the shooting was close to her house. Officer DeFelice and Sgt. Lundin found that the suspect had shot the fox which had a den in his backyard due to recent reports of rabid foxes in Connecticut, though it had not shown any aggressive behavior. They also determined the houses to be less than two hundred feet apart. The incident remains under investigation pending court action. Officers DeFelice and Wojcik were attempting to trap and rehabilitate the two young kits from the den.
Eastern District Monthly Highlights - April 2012
Boating
On Saturday, April 21, 2012, opening day of fishing season at approximately 11:30 PM two men were in a 17’ bass boat when it crashed into the shore of Mashapaug Lake in Union. Both men were taken by ambulance to Johnson Memorial Hospital in Stafford. The operator was later released with minor injuries. The victim was transported to St. Francis Hospital in Hartford due to the extent of his injuries. Officers Pettus, Vroman, and Persico responded to the scene with Sgt. Lundin. The investigation is continuing by State EnCon Police with the assistance of State Police Major Crimes.
Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection
Connecticut State Environmental Conservation Police
Captain Raul Camejo raul.camejo@ct.gov