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Main Page Enviromental Police Staffing at low levels
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Posted by: rg1283

Apr 16, 2006

ORV infractions keep environmental police busy

By Bradford L. Miner TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
bminer@telegram.com

“Summer time, and the livin’ is easy.”

“I wish,” said Lt. John S. Pajak of the state environmental police, wistfully.

Acknowledging the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s efforts to establish a sustained trail system for motorized off-road vehicle use, Lt. Pajak said, “I would certainly hope they would find a place that is suitable … because this would do a great deal to stem the continuing problems we are having with illegal off-road operation. http://[img]http://adx.telegram....NEWS[/img]

“The way things are starting to shape up, however, it’s going to be an interesting summer everywhere. Not only are we getting a lot of ORV trespass complaints, but complaints as well about illegal street operation,” he said.

As an example, Lt. Pajak cited Winchendon, which has had a “tolerable level” of illegal riding complaints.

“Police up there had things pretty much under control, but that’s exploded this spring,” he said.

Lt. Pajak said he foresees this being the worst summer in the past five years, from a staffing perspective, as a result of the retirement of one sergeant and two officers who are out indefinitely recovering from injuries. Also, he noted, there is no overtime in the budget for additional staffing.

“We have fishing season, spring turkey season, the start of the boating season, the start of the camping and day-use season at the state parks, boat registrations, and beyond that, the continuing problems we have to address with illegal ATV and dirt bike operation,” he said.

“The Legislature needs to address the personnel levels of the state environmental police. … We will literally be spending days at a time driving back and forth answering calls and handling our administrative responsibilities,” he said.

Lt. Pajak said there are more recruits in the state police training class at the New Braintree academy than the entire complement of state environmental police officers.

This fact, he said, prompts the question of whether it makes more sense to combine environmental and state police, rather than maintaining the environmental police as a stand-alone law enforcement agency.

Posted by: PBC FL Cop

Quote:

Originally Posted by rg1283

This fact, he said, prompts the question of whether it makes more sense to combine environmental and state police, rather than maintaining the environmental police as a stand-alone law enforcement agency.

Another merger for the MSP, can the sheriff's be far behind

Posted by: k9sheriff

I have a friend who is a sergeant on the Enviromentsl police.If i'm correcrt there are only aroud 300 on the force.I know he was hoping that the MSP would merge with them a few years ago.I don't know how the MSP feel about this, but I think it would be a good thing as long as the the problems with rank and so forth could be worked out in a civil manner.I'm assuming there is a good relationship between the two departments.

Posted by: BrickCop

Why would the merge in this case be a good idea? They're not going to pull Troopers off the road or out of specialized units and reassign them to EPO duty. If the EPOs are going to perform the exact same function as they're doing now- why do they need to be Troopers?I don't get it.....

Posted by: k9sheriff

The money allocated for the EPA would now be put into the MSP budget, It would increase the operations of the MSP and ultimately give Troopers an avenue to get into a specialized unit and do different things.I'm obviously not a Trooper, so I could be way off base here.for all I know they want nothing to do with any of it.It just seems like it would be a benefit for them.Just my opinion.

Posted by: Macop

I think the EPO staffing is more like just over 100. At least thats what Pajak told me a few years ago, and if I am correct, there has not been a lot of hiring.

Posted by: rg1283

Aren't they part of the Executive Department of Public Safety Umbrella now? Similar to the Massachusetts State Police? I know the EPOs were pushing for this to happen so they would have better leadership. I can't think of one State (off of the top of my head) that has a merged Fish and Game (or EPO type dept.) with a State Police dept sucessfully.

Posted by: dh18

No, MEP is still under Exec. Office of Environmental Affairs.

Probably the only successful merger of a conservation agency and a state police agency would be Alaska. The have one agency with two sperate divsions, seperate uniforms, but there is transfers between the two and pay is the same.

best solution in my mind would be a change of leadership, and an increase of the budget. It's been level funded for longer then one can remember. At $10.5 million even doubling it still wouldn't have a huge effect on the state's overall budget but would have an incredible effect on MEP.

Posted by: Killjoy

Quote:

Another merger for the MSP, can the sheriff's be far behind

Bite your tongue!

Posted by: MSP75

I would say that the merger would be a good idea if managed properly. History shows that would not be the case. There is a poor MSP presence on DCR property/roads since consolidation. As a kid, I couldn't move 5 feet w/o running into a Met. Now, the usual desk and two covers every interstate and DCR property in the barracks area. I am booking a crash for two knuckleheads who can't drive between two lines on the Big Road; Then I have to rush to investigate a disturbance at a DCR pool due to unparented kids. Staffing is a little better at the moment with a desk and three or more. But how long will that last before road troopers disappear (transfer) into those black holes.

Posted by: Macop

Good point

Posted by: HousingCop

If they had a decent test that didn't have questions about Red Tailed Herrings and if they liked to nest in;
a) Rocky outcroppings
b) Hollow logs
c) Dense underbrush with sparse treecover
d) Sparse underbrush with dense treecover
e) None of the above
Then maybe qualified Law Enforcement types would get these jobs instead of Jeff Corwin / Crocodile Dundee types who eat bugs while out naturehiking and know these questions. I took the test with a guy who typically scored 100% on both the C.S. and McCann 100 tests and even he got up & walked out in disgust with me after spending $40. We just answering A,B,C,D on the way down the list. We went to a bar and laughed how foolish the test to become an EPO is.

Great job, good benefits. Where else in LE do you get issued 2 guns, a jet ski, bass boat, 4X4 truck, snowmobile with full state wide jurisdiction and you get to go out and lock up bad guys?

I'd trade the bricks for the sticks anyday.

Posted by: rg1283

Which leads me to wonder where all the new Troopers from the Academy are going too? Maybe add an extra patrol every shift or so. More then likely these new Troopers are replacing retired, injured, etc. Troopers.

Posted by: sylvester

how many troopers want to measure lobsters to see if they are too short.... get realistic...

Posted by: Sgt Jack

Like Dh18 said..it would be better if they funded the agency more and reorganized the leadership... maybe rewrite the exam to be more Law Enforcement oriented....people with environmental and wilderness experience could still be given consideration....I think merging them would just cause a decline in service and coverage as it did with the Mets etc...

Posted by: dh18

The exam is because of the agency formerly being under the control of Fish & Game, the past influence from above believed that anyone could be trained to be a cop so they geared the exam to find the biologist types.

I'm sure there's a few Troopers who wouldn't mind doing the EPO's job, just like I'm sure there's a few EPOs that wouldn't mind being a Trooper either.

Personally I don't think a merger would fix the problems. I think the only solution is fund the dept properly to allow at least the full staffing levels they currently plan on and then add additional positions to allow for better coverage (covering vacations, days off, IODs, etc.). Also change the management mentality to allow the field troops to do their job.

Posted by: Piper

I was an EPO for almost 4 years before I left for a PD. Pay/benefits sucked and the State Gov. crapped all over them. I miss the guys, and to a lesser extent hanging out in the woods, but not much else.

Posted by: RPD931

I think you need to fix the agency before you dump the broken agency on to MSP's lap. If it's already broken, it wouldn't get much better via MSP.

Posted by: dh18

I believe that's why a merger is a bad idea right now, it's too easy for a weakened / broken agency to be merged with a stronger and have it's original mission either diluted or disappear after awhile. Adding a hundred or so officers to MSP with it's 2000+, it would be easy to get lost in the political shuffle, and the EPO function could simply become a side function of a road Trooper.

I believe the reason EPOs dream of a merger is not only from the economic gains but also the opportunity to do police work without fear of repercussions. Up until recently officers had to submit a to from to the Lt Col to justify the reason for each motor vehicle stop they made, this was in addition to and narratives or reports made for prosecution. They were trusted to carry a gun but not to made a judgement call to stop a vehicle. There's also issues like the ticket books (Senate No. 1338 ), some court houses trying to seize officer's weapons when the enter the building, etc.. .

Posted by: SP880

As far as the EPO's go, it's a great job. None that I met seemed to be the cocky type. As for their test, of course they would have questions about nature and animal facts. Environmental Police Officer, I don't believe that they are doing raids on meth labs or responding to shootings. The only drugs they would investigate I'm sure would be someone growing pot in fields/woods. Shootings would maybe be when Cheney goes hunting and shoots his "friend". I give them credit, I personally wouldn't want to do it.

Posted by: HousingCop

Quote:

Originally Posted by SP880

As far as the EPO's go, it's a great job. None that I met seemed to be the cocky type. As for their test, of course they would have questions about nature and animal facts. Environmental Police Officer, I don't believe that they are doing raids on meth labs or responding to shootings. The only drugs they would investigate I'm sure would be someone growing pot in fields/woods. Shootings would maybe be when Cheney goes hunting and shoots his "friend". I give them credit, I personally wouldn't want to do it.

SP880,
I got to ask you, what rock did you come out from under? The EPO's deal with HUNTERS, who are obviously armed with LONG RIFLES / SHOTGUNS and sometimes HANDGUNS as well as bow & arrows. These instruments of death are used in killing various species of woodland creatures along with Law Enforcement professionals. I guess you don't have the stones to do the job of an EPO. Walking up to an individual in the middle of nowhere who you actually know is armed is very dangerous work indeed.

People who grow marijuana in fields & woods often boobytrap the paths leading up to their crop with traps and punji sticks. They've also been known to kill cops who stumble across their stashes. These are crazed people who live isolated lives and have no qualms about shooting anybody who dares trespass upon their cash crops.

Ever meet guys who dig clams for a living? They are some of the most unsavory characters on the planet. There are no CORI checks to have this job and many an ex-con drifts to this profession. The EPO's regularly check these people who take small clams and clam at night. You ever wonder why this is a felony? Fishermen and lobstermen are a whole different thread........

Oh, plus the fact that some people on the run from charges such as MURDER camp out in the woods lest their Visa card they use at Motel 6 give the cops a lead on their whereabouts. The exact same beat the EPO's patrol. Yup, I guess they just do mundane tasks such as people catching fish without a license. HC

Posted by: Delta784

Quote:

Originally Posted by HousingCop

I got to ask you, what rock did you come out from under? The EPO's deal with HUNTERS, who are obviously armed with LONG RIFLES / SHOTGUNS and sometimes HANDGUNS as well as bow & arrows. These instruments of death are used in killing various species of woodland creatures along with Law Enforcement professionals. I guess you don't have the stones to do the job of an EPO. Walking up to an individual in the middle of nowhere who you actually know is armed is very dangerous work indeed.

My brother is a cop in Maine, and the Maine Warden Service (their EP) regularly backs-up local & state police on calls, out of necessity, since there are so few cops up there. The warden service also has had more people killed in the line of duty than any other law enforcement agency in Maine.

Posted by: stm4710

They do got a tough job. HC brought up good points.

I was talking to a MSP the other day at a detail. You guys a got a huge area to cover now. He said the problem is that the special units take 5 guys here 6 guys there and then are left with no regular patrol coverage.

Posted by: USMCTrooper

The EPO's have a HUGE area to cover and get called for various reasons. I too don't think a merger is right partly because we do different jobs partly because I don't want another one. I think the EPO's are great guys and disbanding them into something else wouldn't be right. The guys out here know their stuff and without sounding arrogant, they know their place. I've been called by them when something looked "criminal" not involving an environmental issue. Likewise, I've called them when something looked fishy environmentally (no pun intended)!

Posted by: FRPDConstable

My father runs a golf course and has a large amount of problems with people hunting and riding ATV's on the golf course all day long. If you call the local police they can not catch guys on ATV's ypu need the EPA's... they have been helpful catching them when they are avalible.. If they merged with the state police i can see the state laughing well u call in an ATV problem.

Posted by: dh18

One of the problems facing the MEP right now is the issue with ATV enforcement. If senate bill 1338 doesn't get straighten out then you will be referred to your local barracks or PD for enforcement. All ATV and snowmobile violations get written in the RMV book, so if the EPOs can't get more books, no more enforcement. And I don't think SP Middleboro is going to send a car to chase ATV's during the evening commute....

Posted by: RPD931

WOW

That bill better get cleared up! Granted, there are only a few EPO's, but that is one area where we rely on them heavily. It is total crap that EPO's can't get RMV books. Not only should the have books, but those guys damn well deserve it!

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