The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Division of Law Enforcement...
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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Division of Law Enforcement Weekly Report from Aug. 18 - Aug. 24 includes incidents in the Lake Okeechobee area.
• Officer Watson was on patrol when he observed a parked vehicle near private property and a group of five individuals on the property near the canal. Suspecting the group was trespassing, Officer Watson contacted the group and found they were in possession of several fish. It was confirmed the subjects did not have permission to be on the property. Officer Naules and Lieutenant Kleis went to the scene to assist. The group was found to be in possession of four undersized and out of season snook as well as several freshwater gamefish. All the fish were caught by a cast net, which is an illegal method for catching these species. The property owner was contacted and said he did not wish to press trespass charges but wanted the group to be formally issued a trespass warning. The subjects were placed under arrest for the fisheries violations and all were issued trespass warnings.
• Officer Watson and Lieutenant Kleis responded to a complaint within the Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest, regarding ongoing issues state forest rangers were having with a group of about 30 people who refused to move their RVs from the primitive only camping area. The ranger asked officers to have them leave the forest. When the officers arrived, they found the group moved the RVs and confirmed they did not have a reservation for the campsites. The officers issued seven people citations for camping without a reservation and issued them trespass warnings on behalf of the forest ranger. While conducting this investigation, one of the subjects called 911 to complain about the officers. The subject was told that was a misuse of 911 and to stop calling 911 for a nonemergency matter. The subject continued to call 911 and the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office 911 dispatcher asked the officers to arrest the subject for misuse of the 911 emergency system. The subject was placed under arrest and turned over to the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office for transport to the jail.
