WDFW police featured on Animal Planet’s ‘Rugged Justice’
Animal Planet’s new documentary series ‘Rugged Justice’ follows Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) police as they patrol mountains, coasts and city streets, protecting natural resources and serving the people of Washington.

The six-episode series premieres Sunday, Jan. 18, at 8 p.m. on Animal Planet.

“Our participation in the series provides an opportunity for WDFW’s Law Enforcement Program to promote the department and the dedicated professionals that carry out our mission of protecting our natural resources and the public we serve,” said WDFW deputy chief Mike Hobbs. “Policing the outdoors presents unique challenges, and this show helps to inform the public about our critical role in preserving, protecting and perpetuating fish, wildlife and ecosystems in Washington.”

WDFW officers enforce all state laws, including those related to fishing and hunting, licensing and protecting natural habitat. Officers also provide first response to incidents involving potentially dangerous wildlife, including bear and cougar, and other public safety issues.

“‘Rugged Justice’ provides a window into the vital, varied and sometimes harrowing work of officers as they protect nature and people in Washington,” said Steve Crown, WDFW enforcement chief.
The WDFW enforcement program has 144 officers deployed statewide.

Officers appearing in ‘Rugged Justice’ were not paid by the show’s producers or Animal Planet for their participation.

For broadcast schedules, interested viewers should visit http://www.animalplanet.com/schedule/.

Tough job. Almost everyone you contact and take enforcement action against is armed and the Lord knows how far away your back up is.

Yup. Back-up is not often measured in minutes for a field officer. Hours is often times the case.

Agreed! But there is always the exception such as the reported incident on the Edmonds FISHING PIER where an Edmonds PD officer and WDFW's Officer Kim were called to break up a disturbance. Seems one member of a large group of Christmas carolers on the FISHING PIER took exception to a squidder's generator and tried to turn it off.

With the overwhelming LE response saner heads prevailed apparently without bloodshed and neither party wanted to press charges. Guess that was the Christmas spirit prevailing.

I hope Officer Kim counseled the caroler that the caroler committed a violation of the law by interfering with a legal fishing activity. Not quite PETA but a violation none the less.

No, not all calls are high risk. Some are just people being people.

Most are people being people and if there was a ticket for being dumb in public, that would probably take care of most of the violations.

Not all calls are high risk but you prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

I'll have to watch this. A buddy of mine just became a WDFW officer last year.

Their job is just as dangerous as any police officer. They deal with the same stuff and more. Drugs, ignorance, self-entitlement (I'm above the law" poaching), drunk everything not just driving and so on. They have been killed in the line of duty just like regular law enforcement. It's one tough job and you're dealing not just on the streets but in the deep woods and desert and other remote locations. Throw in the fact that they are horribly undermanned and you have to wonder why they make the sacrifice. I take my hat off to them. For the most part it's a thankless job and they take far more sh!t from people than praise. I'm glad we have them I just wish we had a lot more of them. For those of you that despise them just think about the dirt bags and scum they have to deal with. It's amazing that they can keep a decent attitude. I would think that most people that despise them have probably been caught doing something wrong.

agree

I would prefer they do their jobs without the distraction of cameras. Yes, they have a tough job. No disagreement there.

As happened in Montana, a gentleman unfamiliar with Montana law got charged by an over zealous officer being filmed by the wardens program. He didn't tag his elk immediately. The elk died in a swamp, being the primary reason for them not tagging immediately. They were concerned about how to recover the animal. In the end all charges were dropped yet the man's elk meat had already be donated so he got a crap load of worry, a lot of expense, no meat and a lot of hassle over a tv show.

Cenci doesn't need another way to make himself famous.

Two game officers killed in Idaho +/- 30 years ago by Claude Dallas. Trial was held in the town I was living in.

http://murderpedia.org/male.D/d/dallas-claude.htm

A long time ago but George was killed in the line of duty however the killer/killers were never found....

Like I said on a post on another board..they won't be in
snohomish county cuz we're too
broke to enforce anything right? ?

Timber--I assume related? That is a honorable monument

I think it has more to do with only 144ish for the whole state. Most medium sized PDs have about that number of commissioned osssifers.

He said osssifer's!! that's a dui waiting to happen lol:)

The article I was referring to.

http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_2...v-camera-rolled

Cant wait to watch it, they spent a lot of time this fall out in Pacific County filming. One of my buddies, most likely to the star of one episode. He is a gill netter on Willipa Bay, he had an observer on board one night and put a huge Coho on board and the observer told him he could not keep it cause it was a King. My buddy told him he didn't know what the hell he was looking at and the observer called the Law on him. When he got to the dock to unload the Gamie's and film crew were waiting. Lets just say it did not turn out good for the observer that was on board. He got told many times he needed to go back to college to learn his fish species before he calls the law on someone and that he would not be allowed back on my buddies boat ever again as an observer. No citation was issued to the gill netter. I know my friend really well and I am sure that there will be a lot of Bleeps to cover his cussing.

After watching that news feed of Officer Kim trying to shoot a coyote at 20 yards a few years back that's a fortunate thing . After about 20 rounds the poor thing was like kill me already

Couple months ago I saw them in Elliot bay looking for poachers. They were in the dark in 3 boats with film crews. On the way out of saltys we saw them at the launch and told us they were filming for rugged justice. Looking forward to seeing it on the tube. No doubt a very dangerous job.