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The mission of the Division of Law Enforcement is “To protect and enhance the environment and natural resources of the State of New York while also protecting the health and safety of its people through the enforcement of Environmental Conservation and related laws and public education.”

This mission is accomplished by over 330 sworn members of the Division of Law Enforcement. They focus their efforts on Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) enforcement although they are empowered to enforce all laws of the state. Their mission encompasses two broad enforcement areas: fish & wildlife and environmental quality. Fish & wildlife enforcement includes addressing complaints of poaching, the illegal sale of endangered species, and checking hunters, fishermen, trappers and commercial fishermen (lobsters, clams, bait fish, food fish) for compliance. Environmental quality enforcement includes investigating timber thefts, illegal water pollution, improper use or application of pesticides, commercial vehicles producing excessive emissions, freshwater and saltwater wetland degradation, illegal mining and almost any area that affects air, land or water quality law violations.

Enforcement is comprised of both proactive and reactive patrols in marked police vehicles. Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) investigate complaints and document their findings. When sufficient evidence is found, they prepare their case for a successful prosecution in court.

The majority of the division is comprised of uniformed ECOs, who are assigned patrol areas of one or two counties. The supervisory staff includes lieutenants, captains, majors and colonels. Complimenting the uniformed staff is the Bureau of Environmental Crimes Investigation, who investigate significant environmental crimes including misdemeanors and felonies. The division also has a full time dispatch center, a permanent training academy, a police K-9 unit and a marine enforcement unit. Overseeing the entire operation is a uniformed Director of the Division of Law Enforcement.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/2437.html

If I hadn’t read it myself....I would have thought it a Southpark episode up there with the “Man-Bear-Pig”.

Please tell me it can’t get this bad in the real world West of the Hudson......do I even need to ask?

http://www.dec.ny.gov/about/746.html Careers in Environmental Conservation‎ Information on how to become an environmental conservation officer including job description, qualifications, salary, promotional opportunities, and application ... Hey. I am joining the dark side...$52k to start and I get a nifty Crown Vic, a chick magnet uniform, a big(er) gun! and free reign to Taser Bambi killers between veggie sub breaks and Happy Hour at the Brown Stool cafe and bath house. Sweet!

Please tell me it can’t get this bad in the real world West of the Hudson......do I even need to ask?

Well, even in the realm of OffspringOfFormerEmperorCuomo, generally the further you are from the Hudson the more civilized the populace. Except of course in those areas where the population density rises to the 'city' level. There you will find most all of the, um, animals.

But then, where I grew up back in Ohio is now not as rational as it once was...

(Hint: I would be talking about certain areas that continue to commit suicide by reelecting DemOcrats..)

Yes.
Johnson ny 2007 or 08, the bridge over Rutgers creek that was built by the WPA in 1936 was about to drop into the creek at anytime the fire department drove over it.
During demolition of the bridge, the local envirowacky drove onto the partially demo’d bridge and almost got himself killed in his slobbering effort to personally serve papers.
Seems he complained to some agency or others and removal of the bridge stopped for awhile.
Envirowacky proceeded to search the creek for fish and frog parts.
End result: time lost, bridge replaced later than projected.
But no animals were harmed!

Laugh as you may, but most states, including the so-called free states have the equivalent of the NYS DEC Police. They may not be a separate police department with its own boated bureaucracy, but they do exist as a divison of the state police, department of wildlife, department of forestry, department of parks & recreation, whatever. Sometimes they are simply called "game wardens." In fact, there is a reality show on one of the granola cable stations called "Alaska State Troopers," which often features a division within the department that focuses on the enforcement of environmental laws like hunting, fishing, illegal dumping, etc. There's a similar show about game wardens in Maine. The NY DEC does just about the same thing.

The NYS DEC police are particularly visible this time of the year with the opening of the deer and black bear hunting season (for firearms) on November 16th. In addition to deploying in upstate NY where 99% of the hunting takes place, they are out in force checking tags and manning stations in NYC and Long Island where they are more likely to find evidence of illegal hunting activity.