Pennsylvania Game News - January 2012 - 19

professionalism and technical competence of PGC officers as measured by our enforcement statistics. Officers encountered 18,435 violations during this fiscal year through high visibility patrol, selective enforcement operations, overt and covert investigations, surveillance operations and complaint response. The enforcement action taken by officers encountering those violations resulted in 12,246 warnings and 6,189 citations being issued. Of the violations cited, the conviction rate was 96 percent and attests not only to the discreWCO JASON FARABAUGH presenting a certificate of appreciation to State Police tion, but also the technical competence Sgt. GREG KEEFER, who was instrumental and professionalism of Game Commission in the successful prosecution of a game officers. Only six complaints were received law violation. against officers this year, none of which were sustained. Ensuring that our officers have the proper training and equipment to perform their duties is an on-going priority. As an agency we stress the importance of safety, which cannot be stressed enough as so unfortunately was made most evident in November 2010, when WCO David Grove was shot and killed in the line of duty by a convicted felon who had lost his right to possess a firearm. The top ten violations prosecuted this year indicate that officers are focusing their efforts on violations with the most impact to the wildlife resource. They are: 1. Unlawful taking or possession of Game or Wildlife — 574 prosecutions. 2. Operating vehicles on State Game Lands in areas closed to travel, primarily ATV violations — 396 prosecutions. 3. Hunt or take wildlife through the use of bait or enticement — 340 prosecutions. 4. Possession of a loaded firearm in a stationary vehicle — 279 prosecutions. 5. Cast a light after 11 p.m. — 183 prosecutions 6. Safety Zone violations — 180 prosecutions. 7. Big game tagging violations — 178 prosecutions 8. Hunt or take wildlife through use of a motor vehicle — 177 prosecutions 9. Possession of a loaded firearm in a moving motor vehicle — 142 prosecutions 10. Unlawful use of lights while hunting — 108 prosecutions The Turn-In-A-Poacher (TIP) Hotline program was placed online in March 2008, and continues to grow and develop each year from information provided by concerned citizens. Last fiscal year 636 calls and emails (a 38 percent increase from the prior fiscal year) were relayed to the appropriate region. The number of successful prosecutions increased, along with the number of reward payments. Twenty-four payments totaling $6,000 were paid to people who provided information that lead to the successful prosecutions of specific charges. A computer aided dispatch center (CAD) has been purchased and the pilot project went live in the fall of 2011. The full implementation of the CAD system will provide more detailed incident data.

JANUARY 2012

Pennsylvania Game News - January 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Game News - January 2012