Environmental Conservation Police handled more than 101,000 calls last year, issuing 15,673 tickets or making arrests for violations across New York.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation said officers responded to 35,575 complaints in 2025, investigating cases ranging from deer poaching and illegal dumping to unlawful mining, illegal pet trade activity and excessive emissions.
“DEC Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) and Investigators enforce New York’s Environmental Conservation Law to ensure the protection of public safety and our vast natural resources, including air, water, wildlife, and New York’s one-of-a-kind outdoor spaces,” DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said.
Among the recent cases:
Illegal deer take in Columbia County
Officers charged a hunter after checking a trailer carrying four antlered deer Nov. 16 in the Town of Ghent.
ECOs Doroski and Keegan, along with Lt. Billotto, determined one individual killed all four deer and tagged them with tags belonging to other people. Officers charged the subject with four misdemeanors for illegally taking big game, along with lesser violations for improper tagging. They confiscated the deer as evidence.
The defendant later settled the misdemeanor charges in Ghent Town Court and paid a $1,200 civil penalty.
Vehicle recovery in Saratoga County
On Jan. 29, ECO Smith helped free a vehicle stuck in deep snow on a seasonal road in the Town of Providence.
A driver told the officer he tried to take a shortcut home when his vehicle became trapped. Smith determined it was unsafe to leave the vehicle overnight because of heavy snowmobile traffic. Snow conditions also prevented a traditional tow truck from reaching the area.
The officer used hand winching, reduced tire pressure and adjusted traction control settings to free the vehicle. The driver returned to a plowed roadway under the vehicle’s own power.
Seasonal limited-use highways are not plowed from Dec. 1 through April 1.
Owl rescued in Greene County
On Feb. 21, ECO Milliron responded to an antique store in the hamlet of East Durham after employees spotted what appeared to be a lifelike figure on a shelf.
A sleeping Eastern Screech Owl perched next to a chicken cookie jar. The officer removed the owl and released it into a wooded area, where it flew to a nearby tree.
The species is nocturnal and typically nests in tree cavities.
Residents can report environmental crimes or incidents through DEC’s 24-hour dispatch line.
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 [email protected].