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.

Funny stuff. I almost got to pop a coyote on the streets.

I know mistakes are made but they are human and again they deal with a lot of really bad people. I could NEVER muster the patience they have! People have to remember that the majority of them hunt and fish too. They are protecting their right to the resources as well.

90% of the officers I've dealt with have been really reasonable individuals who are certainly interested in the protection of ALL of our resources. That being said I have had 5 or 10 run-ins with certain officers whose actions have been totally out of line and in 3 or 4 the officer's actions were NOT in the interests of conservation. Now remember, that is in 40 years of being a license holder, never issued a ticket or warning, prob. involved in 20 or 30 encounters with wdfw officers. That is significantly more then 15 % ,not a good number. As my wife Melanie quoted (and she has been there on more then one of these ocassions!), "Absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Bob R

Run-ins hmm. VI've fished this state since 1959 and not had more than 8 contacts with them. That's a lot of fishing. I'm wondering why you would have that many run-ins.

Well, I'll tell you, my wife and I have been married 10 years this summer, together 15, and with her we've had at least 7 contacts,she can attest to every one of them.and recall approx. dates. No tickets, no infractions. 3 were VERY negative. She can attest to this stuff, anyone who saw her repeatedly speak at grey's harbor salmon mang. meetings knows she don't lie. The problem is that we not only fish a lot, I have hair halfway down my back for 47 of 62 years, law enforcement in general are prone to profiling ,anyone who doesn't believe that is either dense or bald (lol). The rest of my fishing in this state (which is total 46 years) had more contacts per year then lately, for some reason they are not so much redneck acting, prob. has to do with the fact that more of them out of state transplants. Oh, and pot has been legal (medically for almost 10 years now) so colatteral busts are less common. It's all points to them, wether justified or not. ( the percentage of "corrupted ones" vs. majority of reasonable officers is still a minority). Don't take many bad apples to stink up a barrel. Oh, and I've never had wdfw smell or find pot so I must be livin' right. (more lol) With major surgery for me last week they won't see us on the water for a bit.Bob R
P.S. With my luck lately ($2000 medical dedutable!) I'll prob. be on that show! I'll be the guy blurred out prob. yelling with bleeps (more yucks for you guys).

I must say that in 50+ years of fishing I have only been approached a few times, and most have been very pleasant, none have been rude.

There was one that patrolled the Sky years ago that had a very bad rep though, Abrams I believe his name was. Stories of him pulling a gun on a guy at Reiter, then the guy taking the gun away from him and reporting him. Stuff like that was common. I never ran into him, but friends did, almost every encounter was a bad one.

Have not seen it. I like a show were they get the bad guy. Not were they ticket some poor sob that made a small mistake. Be nice to see them try to educate. With all the law changes going on with our rivers its hard to stay on it unless you get the wdfw emails....and hope like crazy you are in a area were you will have service when they make these changes...oooh wait. We are suppose to be commenting on the show. I will have to check it out. Its windy enough to duck hunting. What am I doing here.

Totally agree! And anyone who thinks that having a camera crew or the boss at your side doesn't affect how one responds is more than a bit naive.

After reading the article Dogfish linked it was apparent to me that the Prosecutor couldn't publicly disagree with the issuance of the ticket both because of liability issues as well as his working relationship with the F&W agency's LE. I suspect that the Prosecutor also was aware that his decision to not prosecute precluded a trial which probably would not have gone well for him and the State. Returning the head was a peace offering.

FYI..On right now

I probably talk with WDFW officers 3-5 times a year. Depends on where you hunt and fish and how often you fish. I also volunteer with WDFW on a regular basis so if I include those interaction my contacts go up even more.

I do have to say I haven't had a bad interaction with a WDFW officer in years. I can think of two that stand out, but as a percentage of total interactions, bad ones are certainly not the norm.

I enjoyed the show...

but hope I'm never on it!

Bad tactics and attitudes are not the norm, never said it was, but the 20 % percent or so certainly needed better training or a new job not involving making decisions on law or enforcement or conservation. Let me give you just one example occurring 13 to 15 years back.
While digging razor clams on the North coast area,(north of Copalis) we had dug out limits along with a sizable crowd. During the week so it wasn't lots of folks, but prob. a couple of hundred within sight. It was a tough dig, west winds and pretty good surf. We decided to try for larger clams so took us longer. We got pretty wet and it was a tiring and trying day. We limited, upon reaching driveout were approuched by WFDW officer (who WATCHED us and everyone else drive in by entrance) who informed us that season was closed that day, it was a middle day of a 5 day dig, I believe(long time ago).We pulled press release out and showed him, he pointed out another area on another page where it pointed out the one day closure. When I said that contradicts other area on 3 page report he said it was a "typo". He said that he was confiscating clams
but we were lucky to not get a ticket. I got in his face and vigourously encouraged him to go ahead and right a ticket as we had paperwork and if he wanted to waste taxpayer $ on Bullsh** I was happy to "waste my time and embaress him in court. He wouldn't play no matter how much I pushed him, but said if I didn't not only surrender limits but not place them in HIS bucket (i "threatened" to dump them next to his bucket and make him pick them up since I had already put them in my bucket , that doing so made me gag. rather then voluntarily "contribute to his bucket heading for the jail (aprox. 4 gallons of clams already there). I was told that he would imm. take me to jail if I did no comply, by dumping clams directly into his bucket. After telling him once more what I thought of him letting ALL these folks dig clams in tough conditions only to confiscate them rather then stopping them at entrance (if this really was about "conserving clams" that's pretty blatent waste for license holders) he came up with lame excuse about "not getting everyone if he did that and that it "was more work to do that". I implied he'd undoubtably would give clams to all his cronies in corrections and law enforcement rather then the jail inmates as he alluded to.I was like "why not food banks?"As my girlfriend (future wife Melanie) really didn't want to go bail me out on principle (her cooler head has kept me out of jail for shooting off my mouth lots!) I dumped clams in bucket continuing to tell him what I thought of officers of his "ilk" and rubbing my nose with middle finger during session.I have another 4 or five stories like that in 36 years of fishing in WA.
While most law enforement officers are well meaning individuals with good hearts and families there is a sizable minority with bad attitudes and worse personal ethics that need to find another career not involving power over others. Bob R

What anyone working with and in this case for the public needs to remember is the principle that one "Oh [Bleeeeep!]" moment undoes a hundred "Atta Boys" especially in this day of cell phone video and social media.

I have often wondered why "getting in his face" , yelling, make threats would be helpful. You have the right to remain silent, why not use it?

Why would I try to be helpful to a T.B.G.(Thug with Badge and Gun)?I was never advised of my right to be silent, I have a right (and an obligation in this instance) to NOT be silent, I wasn't under arrest, I never "Threaterned "him in the 1st place, if you think that telling him I would "embarass him in court" is a threat you really are uneducated in what constitutes a "threat" and shouldn't engage in conversations asserting your rights with law enforcement types as you will wind up with your silly ass in jail.Oh, and by the way, I've never been in an altercation with law enforcement that has resulted in me being arrested as a result of that talk. You talk to someone like that respectfully? That's your right, don't infringe mine by suggesting it is an illegal activity (you know, like actually threatening cops?) Bob R

Cenci Is an asshole......Yep I said it ! He could have me killed and cover it up because of my attitude for the Brass at the dept. They dont walk in the boots of the wardens and they are wardens not cops !
They dont listen to the field guys, they dont care about the field guys and that jackass needs to go !
If he wants to drop his gun and badge I'm all in and I bet the field guys would have my back !

Peace Fly

And I thought I was the newest candidate for Egos Gone Wild!! (yucks out loud!) Bob R

If you think they have power over you, you should probably do research and learn you constitutional rights. LEO'S have the power to enforce laws but must operate in accordance with federal law, state law, and agency policy.

A more intelligent argument present while being confronted would probably benefit you a lot more than itching your nose.

I rather fight ignorance with knowledge and not sink to someone else's level. that's my 2 cents.

We spent close to 10 minutes "reasonably arguing" but he started to get all bent out of shape hoping to intimidate us but that just put me into a higher gear (but not the highest I can go!) When intimidation is the only answer to a reasonable argument don't back down! Just my 2 1/2 cents worth. Bob R

Scary officer safety practices displayed on this show.. glad no one got injured.

I know who you are Bob. I've seen you out there in many different scenarios. One question I have. What can you possibly be doing with all of the fish that you catch? Do you honestly eat all of them? I'm sad to see fish kept in Lake Quinault. Wouldn't it be better to let all Dollies and Cutthroat go? Put-and-take lakes are one thing but a pristine resource like Lake Quinault should be treated with utmost care. It doesn't matter if it's legal. The Indians make the rules there and that should tell you right away that it's cockeyed management. I'm not trying to start a fight I'm just curious as to why you keep fish out of that lake considering all of the fish you take from so many other put-and-take resources including rivers.

In my interaction with Sgt. Jewel during elk season I cleared my weapon as I approached as I was the straggler in our group getting back to the vehicles, showing him it was safe. Handed him my license and he was a little taken aback at that. "You're just going to hand me your license?"

Had a nice talk with him for a while with the other guys from our group. We met him the previous year and had a couple of good interactions with him.

Not a bad guy at all. Seastrike has a thing for him, we think.

Considering that you say you "are not trying to start a fight" I'll try to be reasonable, most people on this board would prob. get their nose bent about a question that is put that way (you know like the direction your post goes), so here goes.
Just what "rivers" have you seen us on (all posts, other sites, I presume?)? The only one we fish (and post)is the Chehalis during Sept and Oct.
The only lakes we fish (reg. means at least once a season) are Lake Quinault ,Summit lake and Lake Nauwatzul. We fished Lake Wynoochee during the time Lake Quinault was closed. That being said you are going to have to pull my reports and COUNT fish kept in a year, not hard to do as you just have to go through user profile. I'm not going to bother with that myself, you should do it and POST what you find before calling me out on a public forum. My wife and I do not eat red meat or poultry, just seafood, vegies and grains. I've had this diet as a result of not wanting my protein to come out of filthy factories, I grew up in an area where hunting was just not practical (1970 CT.).I come from a big Italian family, giving up meat I loved was not easy from personal tastes and family pressure. by the time I moved here (1978) I liked how my diet worked for me. Not "trying to start a fight here" but I don't tell others what to eat, it's not a "PETA" issue, I love murdering fish.After all, as a great man once said,"never give a sucker an even break". I'm 62 and the only serious health issues (other then injuries) have NOT been weight or diet related.
Now , back to facts. We smoke a lot of fish, both trout, Salmon, and Dollies. The amount of fish taken from Lake Quinault by EVERYONE is pretty negligable considering that 95% of the fishermen are done by early June as flatlining doesn't pay,the summer has turned off the fish on the surface due to lake stratification and the fact you must buy a tribal license and boat permit.80% of the folks we see don't know how to fish that lake. On a typical sunday afternnon in August when the searuns come in we may see ONE or TWO boats out there.We speak directly to the biologists working for the tribe, they are not liars when they say the population in the lake of native species discussed (dollies and cuts) are doing incredibly well.The main places we fish are clean water wise, we have to be careful about toxis with the amount of fish we eat.In the fall folks have switched to salmon or steelhead, heck ,by that point Chehalis is happening as is Nawatzul and we are done with Quinault for year.All salmon must be released, single hooks are required. We eat fish broiled, pan fried, in burgers , barbicued, etc.I own more then one vacuum unit and we own a top loading chest freezer. I give my neighbor fish at least once a week as he has heart issues and appreciates the healthy, fresh food. I have friends over for dinner, most prefer fish. It seems you are implying that I either waste or sell fish, please tell me that in front of witnesses, a lawsuit is the least you could expect!I can't fish for a month or so due to surgery so frozen fish are REALLY helping out at this time. We eat fish at least twice a week.Now that I've spent a good twenty minutes explaining myself to you pubically (I mean if you "didn't want to start a fight" why not P.M. me? Yes, I HONESTLY eat almost all the fish I catch (other then those occasionals I give to my neighbor or a friend who doesn't fish), to use the word "honestly ' you've shown that you have assummed facts not in evidence. With all my encounters with law enforcement types(as discussed in thread above) I have toi do things "honestly, otherwise I would have tickets for wasting game, not fishing honestly, etc., etc.)I expect that number from you posted on this thread, "cause I think you got some back pedaling to do, maybe an apology? If not point yourself out to me sometime on the water, we'll have "words", and not the ones you want to hear. If you are a detractor of people eating fish regularly from a healthy fishery I think your on the wrong forum. Bob R P.S. I like that crack about "I know who you are", of course, I use the same name on other fishing sites. I've got nothing to hide or be banned about. I even post my ugly face in photos!

the main thing this show should teach someone is never consent to a search of your vehicle. "I have no legal right to search, but lets see if this person is stupid enough to let me do it."

I would love to believe you Bob. I have seen so much waist in this state from people killing but not eating. Regarding Lake Quinault the tribes are hardly believable at best. EVERY fishing resource in this state that isn't hatchery supplemented is at risk. There aren't an infinite number of fish. Like salmon, some species of tuna etc. eventually they are fished down to practically nothing or absolutely nothing. I have been fishing the Quinault resource since the 50's. Not the lake in the last 30 years but I still fish the upper river occasionally and the dolly population has declined. I don't know if it has anything to do with the lake of if its sea-run dollies that are declining but isn't it better to land on the safe side and let the fish go in the lake? There was a time in the past when the lake's cutthroat population was way down. I assume it's better now but again, why not do whatever we can to preserve a fishery like that. If I had my way I would make Lake Washington's Cutthroat catch and release as well. It's an amazing fishery considering where it is and it should be preserved. By the way Bob I'm not implying your selling fish.

You know, most people follow "i would love to believe you" with "but", but not you. in your 1st post about me you implied that I either sell or waste ( notice I know how to spell waste!) fish. When called on your BS assumptions you not only don't come up with numbers of fish I catch and post (an available number if you got off your lazy ass and backed up [or down] your mind-boggling assumptions ). Instead you word it in this "passive- aggressive" bull****style . Let me tell you a thing or two. I'm not going to justify my fishing practices to a piece of work like you. I consider catch and release to be playing with your food that you don't even plan on eating, but I don't go pushing my viewpoint down others throats and calling them out in public. Actually you don't have the stones to call someone out face to face, you hide behind an anonymous handle, gooy bob? Are you a scummy mortgage banker selling out others on the side , foreclosing on the needy to justify your lavish catch and release lifestyle or is this kind of [Bleeeeep!] moralizing at the expense of others your main act? Let me know, I'm at Lake Quinault a lot during the season, come by and see what I got for ya', if you are such a local "resource user" , I doubt you will want to fish much after that. I'll murder a bunch of fish in your name. SCREW YOU! bob r P.S. Thanks for hijacking the thread, idiot.

Could maybe Gooybob and Bob r take their issue to a private conversation. No offense, but this doesn't belong here.

Sg

I suggested that's where it should have started in the beginning, when attacked publicly I respond publicly. I'm done with that turd. bob r

Okay i saw this post and i had to come here to correct it because he is my relative

GEORGE SMALLWOOD WASNT KILLED, he died of a heart attack

The only issue I have with any of this is that Cenci does not need any more attention, what a whore, anything for exposure for that guy. I really feel sorry for all the people that work underneath him. One former warden told me once that Cenci absolutely hated me and to make sure that I never give him a reason to do anything except be cordial to me. He tried his damndest to stop our events to raise money for charities.
He is also the guy who wasted tax payer money to change the patches from enforcement to police which is ridiculous ! these guys are and should be called game wardens or Conservation officers ! not police !
I think it sucks and was a stupid waste of time and money but once again it was to fuel Cenci's ego !
If he really wants to be all gung ho and badass he should go hop on board with a platoon of marines or Infantryman in afghanistan and lets see how badass he really is......... Just my .02 cents and I absoluteley support or enforcement guys and gals out there and hopefully Cenci ends up on the cutting room floor !

Peace Fly

On the show they state that the WDFW game wardens have all the same law enforcement capabilities as any other LEOs in the state... Seems to me the title of POLICE is a more accurate title.

Yes they do, but theyre main focus is fish and game. WSP have the same powers but are addressed as troopers.