New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's Division of Law Enforcement Protects Natural Resources and Enforces Environmental Laws

In a continued effort to safeguard the state's natural resources, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's Division of Law Enforcement has been actively enforcing the Environmental Conservation Law, resulting in numerous complaints and cases filed against violators. The Division's Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) and Investigators have been busy responding to calls, conducting inspections, and enforcing regulations to ensure the public and environment are protected. In the first half of 2025, the Division fielded an estimated 45,000 calls, leading to over 18,934 complaints and 9,440 tickets or arrests for various environmental violations.

Key Takeaways:

• In 1880, the first eight Game Protectors began serving to protect New York State's natural resources and people.
• The Division of Law Enforcement has 71 chapters of New York State's Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) to enforce, protecting fish and wildlife and preserving environmental quality across New York.
• In 2024, the Division fielded more than 105,717 calls, resulting in ECOs and Investigators across the state responding to over 30,109 complaints and working on cases that resulted in 15,755 tickets or arrests for violations.
• Commissioner Amanda Lefton stated that DEC ECOs and Investigators protect New York's air, water, wildlife, and public safety, while also working to connect New Yorkers with the outdoors.
• DEC's ECOs and Investigators are undertaking critical work to enforce New York's Environmental Conservation Law and ensure a cleaner, greener, safer, and more resilient New York State.
• Examples of enforcement efforts include a fishing outreach event in St. Lawrence County, where ECOs educated summer school students about New York's fishing regulations and the proper handling of waste oil in Schoharie County.
• The New York Conservation Officers Association provided funding for purchasing bait, ice cream, and other supplies for fishing outreach events.
• DEC ECOs also assisted in a hawk rescue in Nassau County, retrieving an injured hawk from a well and arranging for its rehabilitation.

Statistics:

• In the first half of 2025, the Division fielded an estimated 45,000 calls.
• Over 18,934 complaints were responded to, resulting in 9,440 tickets or arrests for environmental violations.
• In 2024, the Division fielded more than 105,717 calls.
• Over 30,109 complaints were responded to, resulting in 15,755 tickets or arrests for violations.
• The Division has 71 chapters of the New York State Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) to enforce.

Sources:

• New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's Division of Law Enforcement news release
• Statement by Commissioner Amanda Lefton