ALBANY, NY — New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) enforce the 71 Chapters of NY Environmental Conservation Law (ECL), protecting fish and wildlife and preserving environmental quality across New York.
In 2017, the 301 ECOs across the state responded to 26,400 calls and issued 22,150 tickets for crimes ranging from deer poaching to corporate toxic dumping and illegal mining, the black market pet trade, and excessive emissions violations.
If you witness an environmental crime or believe a violation of environmental law occurred, please call the DEC Division of Law Enforcement hotline at 1-844-DEC-ECOS (1-844-332-3267).
“From Montauk Point to Mount Marcy, from Brooklyn to Buffalo, the ECOs patrolling our state are the first line of defense in protecting New York’s environment and our natural resources, ensuring that they exist for future generations of New Yorkers,” said Commissioner Basil Seggos. “They work long and arduous hours, both deep in our remote wildernesses and in the tight confines of our urban landscapes. Although they don’t receive much public fanfare, the work of our ECOs is critical to achieving DEC’s mission to protect and enhance our environment.”
Recent missions carried out by ECOs include:Â
At approximately 12:30 a.m. on Oct. 7, ECO Tim Worden was on patrol when he heard several gunshots in the area of Old State Road and Resha Road in the town of Croghan. He located a pickup truck and a tractor stopped on a farm road. The occupants of the truck were an adult male and a 14-year-old boy. The pair was in possession of two rifles and one shotgun. The tractor was occupied by another adult male and a 15-year-old boy. The teens had been using the pickup truck to drive around looking for coyotes on the farm property. After getting the truck stuck and calling for help, the pair shot and killed a porcupine. One of the adults was charged with using artificial lights from a vehicle while possessing an unsecured firearm, and the other, who was responsible for the youths, was charged with two counts of using artificial lights from a vehicle while possessing an unsecured firearm and two counts of allowing a minor to hunt without supervision.
