Environmental Conservation Police officers across New York handled tens of thousands of complaints in 2025, leading to more than 15,000 tickets and arrests for violations ranging from illegal hunting to dumping and environmental pollution, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
The DEC says its Division of Law Enforcement fielded an estimated 101,169 calls last year, with officers responding to more than 35,575 complaints statewide as they enforced New York’s Environmental Conservation Law.
“These officers enforce New York’s Environmental Conservation Law to ensure the protection of public safety and our vast natural resources,” DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, calling the work essential to protecting air, water, wildlife, and outdoor spaces.
The agency highlighted several recent cases to show the scope of enforcement. In Nassau County, officers issued 19 tickets tied to the illegal sale of striped bass after uncovering a plan to sell more than 150 pounds of fish. Officials say striped bass are closely regulated due to population declines, and illegal sales threaten both the species and legal fisheries.
In Greene County, officers ticketed hunters for illegally taking deer, including cases involving untagged animals, hunting too close to homes, and shooting from roadways. In each case, DEC officers confiscated the deer and arranged for the meat to be donated.
Wildlife rescues also made the list. In Schoharie County, officers helped a trapper safely release a bear cub that had been accidentally caught in a foothold trap. In Ulster County, an officer freed a buck that had become entangled in rope, allowing the animal to run off alive.
The DEC also recognized individual and team efforts. Officer Fuerch received the 2025 Wildlife Officer of the Year award from the National Wild Turkey Federation for an 18-month investigation that led to the conviction of a serial deer poacher. The division also trained new defensive tactics instructors and assisted community groups during the holiday season.
Officials say environmental crimes can be reported around the clock by calling 1-844-DEC-ECOS.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.
