GFC's Oops FWC's Case of the month

Why is it that I never see a huge felony bust of illegal lobster tails as a case of the month? Instead someone up there in Tallahassee still has a soft spot for GFC. Check it out from the DLE web page: Officer received a complaint that a subject dressed in camouflage and carrying a gun entered Hillsborough County. Officer responded and located the subject’s vehicle. While conducting surveillance on the vehicle, he heard four shots fired after legal turkey hunting hours. At approximately 9:30 p.m., the subject emerged from the woods. At the time, he was not in possession of the gun or any game. When questioned, the subject stated he was looking for artifacts. Officer and K-9 were called to the scene to assist and a search turned up a shotgun, two male turkeys and a camouflage fanny pack which was found hidden under the CSX railroad tracks. The fanny pack contained a cell phone and other articles belonging to the subject. Several days later, the subject requested to meet with Officer . Officer and Officer met with the subject who admitted to turkey hunting, killing the two turkeys, trespassing and hiding the gun and turkeys to keep from being arrested. After meeting with the assistant state attorney, Officer direct filed and charged the subject with two counts of armed trespass, taking over the daily bag limit of turkeys, taking turkeys after legal hunting hours, willful and wanton waste of wildlife, resisting without violence, hunting without a license and no turkey stamp. A warrant was obtained to be served on the subject.
This is such a GFC case it is ridiculous. Turkey hunting?? Case of the month? Come on!!!

Why is it that I never see a huge felony bust of illegal lobster tails as a case of the month? Instead someone up there in Tallahassee still has a soft spot for GFC. Check it out from the DLE web page: Officer received a complaint that a subject dressed in camouflage and carrying a gun entered Hillsborough County. Officer responded and located the subject’s vehicle. While conducting surveillance on the vehicle, he heard four shots fired after legal turkey hunting hours. At approximately 9:30 p.m., the subject emerged from the woods. At the time, he was not in possession of the gun or any game. When questioned, the subject stated he was looking for artifacts. Officer and K-9 were called to the scene to assist and a search turned up a shotgun, two male turkeys and a camouflage fanny pack which was found hidden under the CSX railroad tracks. The fanny pack contained a cell phone and other articles belonging to the subject. Several days later, the subject requested to meet with Officer . Officer and Officer met with the subject who admitted to turkey hunting, killing the two turkeys, trespassing and hiding the gun and turkeys to keep from being arrested. After meeting with the assistant state attorney, Officer direct filed and charged the subject with two counts of armed trespass, taking over the daily bag limit of turkeys, taking turkeys after legal hunting hours, willful and wanton waste of wildlife, resisting without violence, hunting without a license and no turkey stamp. A warrant was obtained to be served on the subject.
This is such a GFC case it is ridiculous. Turkey hunting?? Case of the month? Come on!!!

WTF! Where have you been? You could have left out the "Oops FWC" part, everyone knows this is just a bigger GFC. They don't even try to hide it. Water patrol - not a priorority, Boating Safety - not a priorority, Marine resource enforcement - not a priorority.
Hell, alot of the long time marine units have moved to inland positions. The work and hours are easer,less equipment to maintain and 5 cases a year makes you a star, all for the same pay. I guess if you Can't beat'em then join'em.

Not where I am. It's all water patrol, by-God don't miss your water patrol mandate, I'm sorry I mean "goal". First week of hunting season, "you need to be on the water because one year there was a mullet run this time". Up here no one cares about hunting or inland issues. We keep waiting on someone to figure out how to catch a deer in a gill net so we can work them. I wish we would go to an inland and a marine division within the agency and let officers migrate to where they are comfortable and return to being experts in their fields. This would also let officers move between divisions to vary their work.

The "CASE OF THE MONTH" comes from information submitted for the weekly report. If you know of a good case made, make sure it gets included in the weekly. A lot of cases, such a Federal Fisheries cases can not be put into the weekly until the case id closed...a request from the Feds. I agree that there is a lot going on out there that does not make it to the weekly. Just take a look at it and you will see that some regions submitt the bare minimum on a regular basis, while others have 2 or mare pages.

Again...If you make a good case or know of a good case make sure it has a good write-up and make sure it gets in the weekly.

Poster 1, I think you just described a really good case and a good use of one our agency's specialized units. This guy would have walked away if the dog wouldn't have found all of that, plus everyone is always complaining how we write tickets for crimes we didn't witness. This time the officer did it the RIGHT way and direct filed. Whoever made it great case. Inland or not, these types of cases require investigative skills on the officer's part. As for the agency not caring about marine enforcement, where do you think 90% of our money comes from for operations. Congrats to whoever made this and to those complaining, keep doing your thing and you'll get your recognition. Remember, promotions come to those who F$#@ UP alot.

Hey poster #1,

I have walked into the "woods" looking for a subject who I know is armed to enforce the Wildlife laws of our state- have you? I have known GFC officers who were killed while doing the same- have you? I have worked both game and marine- have you? I am sick of hearing how " great and hard" it is to check people who are armed with a tickle stick and wearing a bikini from a group of a** holes who are not man enough to carrying the jock strap of whom ever made the turkey case. Great job to that officer!

Please, do not turn it into an FMP vs GFC vs FWC thing.This case was made by two really good officers : B.C.... who unfortunately left us last week for the Hills Co. SO, and K-9 Officer J.W. This case was a great effort by the two of them and K9-MOJO. This was simply two good officers working hard and the fruits of their efforts paid off. And just a little hint... the K9 officer used to be from the FMP, he is extrememly well rounded and still makes cases in both environments, it can happen. I am proud to have both of them work with me!!

So no matter the case, in either environment, call a spade a spade and tell the officers a good job if they did a good job. Stay Safe out there!!

This was also the very first "CASE of the Month" post. It is probably still a little too early to judge how much weight is given to one type of case over another. Don't jump to conclusions so quick. Give it a few months and then evaluate it.

Hey poster #1,

I have walked into the "woods" looking for a subject who I know is armed to enforce the Wildlife laws of our state- have you? I have known GFC officers who were killed while doing the same- have you? I have worked both game and marine- have you? I am sick of hearing how " great and hard" it is to check people who are armed with a tickle stick and wearing a bikini from a group of a** holes who are not man enough to carrying the jock strap of whom ever made the turkey case. Great job to that officer!

Wow! You are one angry Game warden. You Game Wardens carry each other’s jock straps? That isn't something I would want to do, but whatever blows your skirt up. Anyway, I think the point is the Boating and Marine industries contribute considerably more money to the states economy than hunting. I am not sugesting the agency shouldn't enforce hunting laws. However, we (FWC) should pay more attention to Boating and Marine interests than we are. There was a reason GFC was a dying agency and we seem to be trying to follow the same path.

Old Florida Marine Patrol and GFC are Extinct, Dead, Gone, Nada. Who cares anyway as long as good cases are made. Quit *****in