To Selected Media                                                                                        For Immediate Release

New enforcement initiatives putting more and better trained enforcement people into Ontario’s out of doors is being lauded by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters.

The move to increase training for Deputy Conservation Officers and put up to 500 new wildlife “Guardians” on patrol was announced Friday by Minister of Natural Resources John Snobelen at the O.F.A.H. 71st Annual Wildlife Conference in Niagara Falls.

The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters has expressed concern that conservation law enforcement levels have been too low. Efforts to lobby the government to increase enforcement of fish and game laws, develop volunteer-based enforcement programs and renew commitment to the Deputy Conservation Officer program, have paid off, said O.F.A.H. Executive Vice President Rick Morgan.

Snobelen said that the revamped Deputy Conservation Officer (D.C.O.) program will increase effectiveness of enforcement in the field, and provide a pool of trained officers. It’s expected that through retirement and attrition, as many as 40 to 50 percent of the province’s 281 Conservation Officers will retire in the next two to five years and they must be replaced.

Ministry Enforcement spokesman Steve Bowcott said the province currently has 281 fully accredited Conservation Officers, including instructors, canine unit officers, supervisors and special services. The Deputy Conservation Officer program which has lapsed in recent years, did, at one time, number about 500 individuals.

It’s anticipated that Conservation Officer numbers will be maintained and that the number of deputy officers will, initially, be around 56, putting at least two deputies in each of the 28 enforcement units in the province. Eventually, there should also be about 500 trained volunteer Guardians to round out enforcement levels, Bowcott explained.

Funding for conservation law enforcement will continue to come from the pool of ministry funding collected through fishing and hunting licence revenues as well as other fees and fines. Funds for training and paying Deputy Conservation Officers is to come from “sponsors.”  Some D.C.O. funding allocations may come from within the ministry, but outside sources such as conservation clubs may also help foot the bill. Covering the costs of training and equipping Guardians may also be through partnership arrangements between the ministry and nongoverment groups and organizations.

Full conservation officers have legal powers similar to a police officer.  After completing a rigorous four week training program, they are empowered to carry firearms, make arrests, search and seize property. D.C.O.s traditionally did not receive extensive training, nor were they allowed to carry firearms. Their job was to assist conservation officers, and, although they could lay criminal charges, they were not allowed to exercise search and seizure powers.

Under the new program, D.C.O.s will receive the same training as conservation officers. Similar to police academy training C.O.s and D.C.O.s will take the four-week program that includes, use of force training and firearms handling and safety. It costs about $2,000 to put a person through the training program and into a standard issue uniform. D.C.O.s will not, however, carry firearms in the field.

Until now,  volunteer enforcement was merely an informal, grassroots effort, most often undertaken by citizen’s groups. Volunteer enforcement efforts occur infrequently in small pocket areas in the province. The new Guardian program will put about 500 volunteers through a two day training program. Guardians will likely wear some enforcement identification such as a hat, crest or coat and they’ll be activated during peak enforcement periods or in emergency situations.

Strictly volunteers, the Guardians will by the eyes and ears of conservation officers. They will inform the public on fish and wildlife laws and restrictions, but they will not have any arrest or search and seizure powers, said Bowcott.

“The Guardians will be trained observers, offering assistance to the pubic and to the enforcement efforts in this province” Bowcott added.

The O.F.A.H. is looking forward to helping the Ministry in its new enforcement initiatives, Morgan concluded.

“Our clubs and individual members have always indicated a willingness to take part in these types of programs to ensure our natural resources are protected from criminal poachers or other abusers,” Morgan said.

For more information, please contact O.F.A.H. Communications Specialist Mark Holmes at 705-748-6324, fax 705-748-9577 or e-mail ofah@ofah.org