Don't want to start a pi$$ing match here, but time after time I hear the same people saying;" there's not enough enforcement....there's not enough enforcement"

Well, does anyone know "what enough" is? How many more to do you want to have? Do you have any idea what hiring just one new enforcement officer costs the state a year (us)?

Could that same amount of money be better used elsewhere in the department or other law enforcement areas? Funds are always limited in any government or public service, so how many new enforcement officers can you justify hiring. And if you can come up with that figure, what would the cost of doing so be, and for what county or area do you propose to assign them to? Since most of the heavy poaching and snagging only occurs for a short time, (2-3) months is it worth spending what little funds WDFW has for extra enforcement officers?

I hear lots of people talking and complaining, but not very many people are being realistic about who in the department really needs what. Please don't come back and say the same old things, i.e. WDFW needs more funding (hell, we need that)! If you want more enforcement, you need to show the reason for its need and justify its needs just like all other enforcement divisions must do.

Would it not be better to train a group of "specially trained officers" that could be used by the state for both public safety and game enforcement? That way, when the big push or need for game enforcement was low, they could be used for other law needs of the state.

It's Just a thought, but it's one more thought then most of you have suggested. So do you have any better ideas?


Cowlitzfisherman