Another ODNR black eye...WTF

[jagermeister]

does it just seem to be an abnormally high incident rates with wildlife officers? I mean there are a lot of police officers on the streets and I don' think we hear that many stories of them doing stuff like this or morally "irresponsible" behavior like I seem to be seeing in ohio. theoretically there are FAR fewer wildlife officers than police officers so one would think would be more of these behavior issue with police.

I think the WO's have a lot of "old school" unwritten policies and what-not that are still being implemented... Things that were probably the norm back in the day, but shouldn't be today. Hunting while on the clock, "looking the other way" when a fellow out-of-state WO comes into town, etc etc etc... Like, it's ok to do this but don't tell anybody you're doing it types of things. And once the media gets ahold of ONE incident or allegation, they keep digging for more... pretty soon you have a domino effect. I would be willing to bet that police departments do the same type of shit, maybe even more, but they're so spread out and segregated that things are swept under the rug more easily. The Division of Wildlife WO's are basically one big police department... The eyes of the ENTIRE STATE are on them, not just one community here or there.

They should be augmented to the county sheriff department.. The sheriffs department has, drug investigators, bomb squads, swat, murder, etc.. Augmenting a wildlife officer into the command should be very easy. They still take orders and directive from the state division of wildlife, but their supervisor, radio checks, and place of duty is the county sheriffs office.

I don't really understand the point of this or what it would accomplish. The DOW's law enforcement divisions are much more complex than I think you realize. Trust me, these WO's have plenty of supervision...

 

[Beentown]

I think the WO's have a lot of "old school" unwritten policies and what-not that are still being implemented... Things that were probably the norm back in the day, but shouldn't be today. Hunting while on the clock, "looking the other way" when a fellow out-of-state WO comes into town, etc etc etc... Like, it's ok to do this but don't tell anybody you're doing it types of things. And once the media gets ahold of ONE incident or allegation, they keep digging for more... pretty soon you have a domino effect. I would be willing to bet that police departments do the same type of shit, maybe even more, but they're so spread out and segregated that things are swept under the rug more easily. The Division of Wildlife WO's are basically one big police department... The eyes of the ENTIRE STATE are on them, not just one community here or there.



I don't really understand the point of this or what it would accomplish. The DOW's law enforcement divisions are much more complex than I think you realize. Trust me, these WO's have plenty of supervision...

Tried to bold last line on phone but doesn't work. AG seems to think they need more supervision...

 

[jagermeister]

Tried to bold last line on phone but doesn't work. AG seems to think they need more supervision...

I just don't think the solution is more supervision. What are they going to do?... Send a supervisor into the field with every single county or at-large wildlife officer? No way! They don't have the funds available to double or triple their payroll. The solution is to hire in guys with more integrity, and give them the proper foundation from day one.

 

[Ohiosam]

Wright was in Brown County..

As for the new guys.. There we're 11 not 15

• Jeffrey Berry, 44, Zanesville, state wildlife officer assigned to Muskingum County
• Aaron Brown, 31, Wellington, state wildlife officer assigned to Summit County
• Joshua Elster, 30, Williamsport, state wildlife officer assigned to Pickaway County
• Jesse Janosik, 21, Warren, state wildlife officer assigned to Cuyahoga County
• Augustus Kiebel, 23, Alexandria, state wildlife officer assigned to Clermont County
• Justus Nethero, 22, Dublin, state wildlife officer assigned to Delaware County
• Craig Porter II, 23, Cadiz, state wildlife officer assigned to Jefferson County
• Markus Schemmel II, 22, St. Marys, state wildlife officer assigned to Adams County
• Ryan Schock, 24, Beavercreek, state wildlife officer assigned to Hamilton County
• Vincent Untied, 23, Granville, state wildlife officer assigned to Morrow County
• Eric VonAlmen, 26, Columbus Grove, state wildlife officer assigned to Lucas County

I believe 2 of the above have father's that are Wildlife Officers.

A few years ago the WO for a county in the northern part of the state left his job after it turned out he was "guiding" pro athletes will supposedly on the clock for the ODNR.

 

[Ohiosam]

Tried to bold last line on phone but doesn't work. AG seems to think they need more supervision...

Of course the supervisors will need some supervision.

 

[Jackalope]

I just don't think the solution is more supervision. What are they going to do?... Send a supervisor into the field with every single county or at-large wildlife officer? No way! They don't have the funds available to double or triple their payroll. The solution is to hire in guys with more integrity, and give them the proper foundation from day one.

It wouldn't be difficult at all to place them under the county sheriffs dispatch logs.. Ever listen to a police scanner before they were encrypted.. Every single thing they do is called back to dispatch constantly. Their whereabouts and actions are accounted for at all times. They constantly check in. Adding the Wardens to the dispatch tracking logs would be one policy and another name in the system. That's all.

 

[finelyshedded]

IMO, years of abusive work practices and "I'm above the law" attitudes among ALL law officers and our government officials has gotten out of hand. I agree with Jim though, they all need to hire people with more integrity and morals. Tough to do these days.

 

[Jackalope]

IMO, years of abusive work practices and "I'm above the law" attitudes among ALL law officers and our government officials has gotten out of hand. I agree with Jim though, they all need to hire people with more integrity and morals. Tough to do these days.

Give anyone enough power and little supervision and they will all turn bad in time.. It's human nature.

 

[Beentown]

Of course the supervisors will need some supervision.

Yeah, no doubt

If the current crop would just hold the employees accountable then it wouldn't be an issue. Having them dispatched and call into dispatch is a great idea IMHO.

 

[Lundy]

I don't really know why so many of you seem so surprised.

These are just people doing a job, and as such some percentage are going to make bad choices just like people do in every walk of life, law enforcement or not.

Certianly doesn't appear to me to be any higher incident rate here than any other Law enforcement community. I do however think that so many have a personal axe to grind with the DOW that you certainly focus more of your attention on these occurrences

 

[huntn2]

I don't really know why so many of you seem so surprised.

These are just people doing a job, and as such some percentage are going to make bad choices just like people do in every walk of life, law enforcement or not.

Certianly doesn't appear to me to be any higher incident rate here than any other Law enforcement community. I do however think that so many have a personal axe to grind with the DOW that you certainly focus more of your attention on these occurrences

Not really suprised as it seems it is becoming human nature to be lazy. However, it bothers they hell out of me when one is compensated for their time/results and they provide neither. It bothers me more when it is a position funded by all of us.

Each year we hear instances where landowners/hunters are unable to get a timely response from a WO and here, some of these (not all) aren't responding because it would take away precious seat time pursuing wildlife...

 

[hickslawns]

Lundy- I don't know that I would go so far as saying there is an axe to grind. I would imagine as a percentage there are probably similar percentages of employees abusing their jobs in nearly any job sector. However, I will also agree with Huntn2 in that many of us get a little less forgiving when they are doing it on the taxpayer's nickel. I can't stand seeing the road crew guys hanging out reading the paper or the police officers hanging out at the gas station/donut shop. I can't stand seeing the frivolous waste in Washington either or even the city water department guys when they are driving around instead of reading meters or making repairs. I am not so sure the DNR guys are getting singled out here. It is an outdoor website. That is what we have to discuss. If it was a road department website I am sure it would be perceived as the members picking on road crew guys.

 

[Beentown]

I would have to say the trend seems to be more Wildlife officials doing dumb things than let's say County Sherrifs (similar numbers). Maybe it is because we have an interest in WO's. But to excuse them of it because we are aware is assinine.

 

[Jackalope]

I don't really know why so many of you seem so surprised.

These are just people doing a job, and as such some percentage are going to make bad choices just like people do in every walk of life, law enforcement or not.

Certianly doesn't appear to me to be any higher incident rate here than any other Law enforcement community. I do however think that so many have a personal axe to grind with the DOW that you certainly focus more of your attention on these occurrences

Maybe you think we have an axe to grind, that's your observation. While we're making observations, Let me tell you mine. To me It appears you have your lips on their ass and choose to make excuses for them at every turn no matter the subject.

 

[Shoulder Blade]

Nice pants

 

[Jackalope]

Nice pants

lmao. Dumb fucker even has his name on the garage.

 

[Shoulder Blade]

I don't want to be controversial but it sucks that these guys can do this then a few minutes later borderline harass someone in an attempt to flush out a violation.

Makes me wonder what other shady things these guys do.

I also wonder who was the ringleader, how the others became involved, and how they felt the first time they hunted on the clock.

 

[Jackalope]

Nothing new. Remember in 2008 when Jason Snyder Miami County wildlife officer got busted for baiting a field and then giving tickets to Dove hunters for hunting over bait.

George foreman of Athens County resigned during an investigation into his involvement in a private hunting operation there.

Ryan Peterson of Union County resigned during investigation of his using a company vehicle for personal use.

They just got another officer last week during the investigation into Wright who had gotten his out of state buddy a resident fishing license.

Here is the thing guys, there are only at most maybe a 150 of these officers in the state.

I will agree however that the vast majority of these officers are awesome individuals. My County wildlife officer is great. He goes after the big poaching problems. Really doesn't sweat the small stuff and typically just leaves people alone. Rarely will he get out of his truck and if he does he never goes more than 100 yards. I have never once seen him out on the road when I'm out coon hunting at night. I think he's just flat out awesome, basically he tackles the big problems and leaves everybody else the hell alone. Not that I'm ever out doing anything illegal I just don't like getting harassed constantly. Some game wardens just have a tendency to make everybody's life miserable. Some might call that doing their job. I think they're just being buttholes. Mine balances that quite well

 

[camofry]

does it just seem to be an abnormally high incident rates with wildlife officers? I mean there are a lot of police officers on the streets and I don' think we hear that many stories of them doing stuff like this or morally "irresponsible" behavior like I seem to be seeing in ohio. theoretically there are FAR fewer wildlife officers than police officers so one would think would be more of these behavior issue with police.

It goes on with the ALL LAW OFFICERS.

 

[jagermeister]

It goes on with the ALL LAW OFFICERS.

Yep...