ECOs show Southern Tier kids what it’s like to do their job

VESTAL, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Division of Law Enforcement says it enforces the 71 chapters of New York State’s Environmental Conservation Law (ECL), protecting fish and wildlife and preserving environmental quality across New York. 

In 2022, environmental conservation police officers (ECOs) and investigators across the state responded to more than 25,600 calls and worked on cases resulting in nearly 13,800 tickets or arrests for various environmental violations. 

ECOs also conduct community outreach. ECOs across the state participated in a series of career fairs and educational programs over the past several weeks, introducing people to the job duties of an environmental conservation police officer and giving back to the communities they serve, the DEC said in a release.

On May 6, ECOs Armstrong, Eisenberg, and Wilson participated in an outreach program in the town of Vestal for the public to familiarize themselves with the various police agencies throughout Broome County, including ECOs. The officers’ display included a UTV, deer decoy, and animal pelts, “which are always a big hit with kids,” the release stated. ECO Armstrong also conducted a demonstration with his K9 partner “Falcon” and provided pamphlets to those interested in one day becoming an ECO.