Reminder for the week: Who are Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police?

DOVER – To achieve public compliance with laws and regulations through education and enforcement actions that help conserve Delaware’s fish and wildlife resources and ensure safe boating and public safety, DNREC’s Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers between Sept. 23-29 made 3,311 contacts with hunters, anglers, boaters, and the general public, issuing 22 citations. Officers responded to 57 complaints regarding possible violations of laws and regulations or requests to assist the public. An increased Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police presence continued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area and Michael N. Castle Trail.

Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police in the Community

• On Sept. 25 and 29, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers presented information on Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police careers, reviewed safe hunting, hunting laws, and what to expect when checked by an officer in the field at Hunter Education classes held at the Little Creek Hunter Education Training Center.

Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Actions

Citations issued by category, with the number of charges in parentheses, included:

Wildlife Conservation: Trespass to hunt (1).

Fisheries Conservation: Recreational: Possession of undersized striped bass (2), possession of undersized blue crabs (1), trespass to fish (2), unlicensed fishing (3), and no Fisherman Information Network (FIN) number (1).

Boating & Boating Safety: Failure to maintain a proper lookout (1), operating a vessel with insufficient number of life jackets (1), and no throwable life preserver aboard as required for vessels 16 feet long or longer (1).

Public Safety: Driving a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol (1), careless driving (1)*, contents protruding beyond limits of vehicle (1)*, and passenger failure to occupy seating position (1)*.

Other: Littering on a state wildlife area (1) and trespassing after hours on a state wildlife area (4).

*Includes citation(s) issued at the C&D Canal Conservation Area

DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife recognizes and thanks the majority of anglers, hunters, and boaters who comply with and support Delaware’s fishing, hunting, and boating laws and regulations. The Public are encouraged to report fish, wildlife, and boating violations to the Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police by calling 302-739-4580 or through the DENRP Tip app on a smartphone, which can be downloaded free of charge by searching “DENRP Tip” via the Google Play Store or the iTunes App Store. Wildlife violations may also be reported anonymously to Operation Game Theft by calling 800-292-3030, going online to http://de.gov/ogt, or using the DENRP Tip app. Verizon customers can connect to Operation Game Theft directly by dialing #OGT.

Are you AWARE?
You may not be familiar with the Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, our mission, and how we serve you and our natural resources.

Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers are certified police officers for the State of Delaware. We work in public service to conserve Delaware’s fish and wildlife resources and ensure safe boating and public safety by promoting compliance with laws and regulations through education and enforcement actions, achieved through collaborative community policing of hunting, fishing and boating laws, promoting boating education and safety, responding to boating emergencies, and partnering in Delaware’s Homeland Security maritime mission.

Examples of incidents to which Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers respond include boating violations, hunting violations, recreational and commercial fishing violations, trespassing to hunt or fish, wildlife area violations, search and rescues, and investigations of boating accidents and hunting incidents.

For more information, please contact 302-739-9086. To report violations, incidents, or accidents please call the Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police 24-hour dispatch line at: 302-739-4580 or 1-800-523-3336.

Follow Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/DEFWNRPolice/.

Follow Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police on Twitter, https://twitter.com/DE_FW_NRPolice.

Contact: Sgt. Brooke Mitchell, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-739-9913, or 302-382-7167.

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