6/9/2024-6/22/2024

DISTRICT 1

Conservation Officer (CO) Jenni Hanson was invited to the Invasive Species Control Coalition of Watersmeet’s monthly board meeting. CO Hanson introduced herself and answered questions regarding boating regulations and invasive species violations.

CO Jenni Hanson was invited to speak at the Ironwood-Hurley Rotary Club meeting. CO Hanson answered questions regarding off-road vehicle (ORV) regulations, deer populations, and the alliance between the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and other federal agencies such as the United States Forest Service and the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission.

CO Jared Ferguson instructed a Marine safety course which involved Boy Scouts of America regarding their water safety and the advancement into Eagle Scouts. Multiple topics were covered including, marine, fish, game, and ORV laws.

CO Anna Viau and Deputy Mike Webster put on an ORV safety class for Iron County residents. Twenty-two kids earned their ORV safety certificates.

CO Cody Smith was on patrol when a local officer called for additional units on the radio for a traffic stop they conducted.  CO Smith being closest responded to back up the officer. After the occupant of the vehicle was detained, a Michigan State Police (MSP) trooper was able to recover roughly 23 grams of suspected methamphetamine and associated paraphernalia.

DISTRICT 2

While checking anglers on Lake Michigan, COs Robert Freeborn, and Sergeant (Sgt.) Mark Zitnik observed a boat that appeared to have too many lines in the water. Upon approaching the boat, one of the anglers tried reeling in a line before the COs made contact. The two anglers were found to be fishing with 12 lines, six over the legal amount. A citation was issued to both anglers for fishing with more than three lines per person and an additional citation was issued to one of the anglers for failing to produce a fishing license. A warning was also given for improper MC registration numbers.

CO Robert Freeborn received a complaint of squatters on state land who appeared to have been there for several months. CO Freeborn located the subjects on state land and immediately recognized them from this winter on a similar complaint. CO Freeborn documented the scene and noticed there was not a current camp card present. The subjects were educated and warned about this last time they were contacted by CO Freeborn. The subjects were advised that the entire site must be cleaned of all garbage and old vehicles and need to be moved from the location. A citation was issued for no camp registration card.

COs Steve Butzin, Brandon Maki, and Corporal Chris Lynch instructed a hunter safety field day at the Escanaba Pocket Park. The class lead to 15 students successfully receiving their hunter safety certificate.

CO Cole VanOosten assisted at the Tahquamenon Falls State Park 50k marathon and half marathon foot races. In addition to assisting with traffic control on a busy highway, CO VanOosten was able to cheer on CO Josh Wright who completed the half marathon race.

CO Cole VanOosten assisted the MSP and Mackinac County Sheriff’s Department in locating a wanted individual from an operating while intoxicated (OWI) investigation in 2020 that was led by CO VanOosten. Upon contact by the MSP trooper, the subject locked the door and barricaded it with a large gas generator. CO VanOosten was able to deescalate the situation and talk the subject into exiting the house where he was able to resolve the matter peacefully. The subject was able to post the required $1,000 cash bond assuring that he will appear in court for the charges from 2020

CO Cole VanOosten was on marine safety patrol when he contacted a group of four adults and an eight-year-old child fishing. The child was quick to show off a nice 24.5-inch pike that she had caught as well as several perch. After checking fishing licenses and marine safety equipment, the family explained that they were vacationing in the area and staying at a nearby resort. After confirming with the parents and finishing the patrol of the lake, CO VanOosten returned to the resort and was able to provide the young angler with a brand-new fishing pole as well as a box of jigs which had been donated to promote youth fishing. The young angler was very excited to try out the fishing pole during the remainder of their vacation.

CO Mike Olesen responded to the scene of a personal injury automobile accident in Mackinac County and assisted with traffic control while the investigation took place.

DISTRICT 3

CO Tom Oberg was patrolling by boat when he noticed an individual fishing from a dock. CO Oberg motored over to the angler and asked if he was doing any good. The angler stated he wasn’t. CO Oberg asked if he had a fishing license which he stated he did not and was from out of state. He also stated he thought since he was fishing from private property, he didn’t need one. CO Oberg advised that he is fishing public water and he still needed to have a fishing license whether he is fishing from shore or out on a boat. A ticket was issued for the violation.

CO Tom Oberg assisted an Otsego County Sheriff’s Deputy and an MSP trooper on a domestic violence call. A male subject entered the home of a significant other’s house without permission and assaulted the female. The male subject was also highly intoxicated. The male subject was subsequently arrested by the sheriff’s deputy for domestic violence.

CO Jack Gorno contacted a vessel on Long Lake in Cheboygan County. CO Gorno checked a couple fishing off a pontoon. Both subjects admitted they did not possess licenses to fish and admitted they don’t fish very much. CO Gorno advised them of one-day license opportunity and ticketed one subject for fishing without license and warned the other.

CO Tim Rosochacki participated in the Cheboygan DNR Field Office’s annual kids fishing derby. This event helps to promote kids learning to fish.

CO Sidney LaLonde responded to an animal cruelty complaint in Montmorency County. CO LaLonde obtained a search warrant for the property and located several dead animals and other live animals that were emaciated and without food or water. CO LaLonde is working with the Montmorency Prosecutor’s Office for several animal abuse and neglect felony charges.

COs Sidney LaLonde and Dan Liestenfeltz participated in a youth law enforcement academy. The academy was hosted at Alpena Community College and was put on by the MSP and was assisted by local law enforcement agencies. The COs gave a presentation on what COs do and assisted all week long with training and scenarios.

CO Jon Sheppard received a “be on the lookout” (BOL) from Alpena County Dispatch. The BOL was for a vehicle driving at a slow rate of speed and swerving from one side of the road to the other. The vehicle had nearly caused multiple head on collisions. The vehicle was driving westbound on M 32 and CO Sheppard was driving eastbound. CO Sheppard eventually saw the vehicle ahead swerving into oncoming traffic. CO Sheppard got behind the vehicle, turned on his lights and sirens, and attempted to stop the vehicle. The vehicle did not stop for several miles. CO Sheppard observed that the driver was an elderly female. CO Sheppard maneuvered his patrol vehicle next to the suspect vehicle to attempt to get the driver’s attention. The driver noticed the patrol vehicle and stopped her vehicle. Upon contacting the driver, CO Sheppard had the driver put the car in park and remove the keys to the vehicle and determined that she was having some kind of medical episode. The driver said that she did not know where she was and had diabetes. CO Sheppard immediately radioed for EMS to respond because he suspected that she was having a diabetic episode. EMS treated the driver for very low blood sugar and CO Sheppard called family to pick up the vehicle. 

COs Dan Liestenfeltz and Sidney LaLonde were patrolling in Otsego County when a pickup truck passed them in a double yellow no passing zone while traveling up a hill. The COs activated their emergency lights and initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. Immediately after speaking with the driver, the COs observed obvious signs of impairment. CO Liestenfeltz asked the driver how much he had to drink that day and the driver stated, “Absolutely nothing, but I did some cocaine this evening.”  The COs performed sobriety tests, which were not passed. The COs arrested the subject for operating under the influence of drugs (OUID) suspicion and conducted a consent blood draw at the Otsego Memorial Hospital in Gaylord. The subject was lodged at the Otsego County Jail and was charged with OUID and driving on a suspended driver’s license (DWLS).

CO Jon Sklba contacted a subject at a state park in Presque Isle County who was without a required recreation passport. The subject was allowed to purchase one on site but refused to do so. A ticket was issued for no recreation passport.

DISTRICT 4

CO Logan Turner traveled to Lansing for training and arrived at his hotel. CO Turner watched a male and female exit the hotel. The male walked across the parking lot, then turned around and charged the female hitting her several times. The female entered her vehicle and attempted to leave, and the male continued to hit her through her window. CO Turner requested backup and approached the couple. The male left the parking lot. The female stated this happens all the time, at which time, the male returned. CO Turner, along with Eaton County deputies, arrested the male for domestic violence and it was discovered he had warrants for his arrest.

CO William Haskin was patrolling Long Lake in Wexford County and watched an angler fishing for approximately 15 minutes. CO Haskin contacted the individual to see if he had caught anything and the angler said he wasn’t fishing but trying to fix a fishing pole because his drag wasn’t working properly. CO Haskin informed the suspect that he watched him for quite a while, watched him get hooked on weeds, and the pole worked properly. CO Haskin issued a citation for fishing without a license.
 
CO Jeff Ginn responded to assist the Newaygo County Sheriff's Office at a possible deceased infant that was buried in a hole in the woods. CO Ginn was taken to the location by the caller and identified the suspicious object as a child’s doll partially buried in a hole with fake blood on its garments.

DISTRICT 5

CO Jeff Goss worked ongoing complaints on Lake Lancer of boats ignoring the high-speed boating regulations. Multiple boats were stopped for violation of the rules and several citations were issued for various violations.

CO Craig Neal was recently patrolling Saginaw Bay in his patrol boat when he noticed two anglers trolling with eight lines. CO Neal pulled up alongside the angler’s boat and contacted the angler. CO Neal asked the anglers if they knew how many lines they were allowed per person. One angler stated he thought it was four lines each. CO Neal then asked a series of follow-up questions, and it was determined that the anglers were not novices and, in fact, had been fishing for numerous years. Both anglers finally admitted they knew they were only allowed three lines. A citation was issued for fishing with too many lines.

CO Ryan Weakman was patrolling in Clare County when he observed a car traveling in the opposite direction stop to make a left-hand turn. CO Weakman observed that the truck behind the car illegally used the shoulder to pass the car on the right. CO Weakman activated his emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop. CO Weakman could tell something wasn’t right when the vehicle took longer than usual to stop. Upon contact with the driver, CO Weakman could smell a very strong odor of alcoholic beverages coming from inside the vehicle. The driver was not displaying any signs of intoxication and denied there were any open containers of alcohol in the vehicle. CO Weakman ordered all occupants to exit the truck. The rear passenger left the door open, and CO Weakman observed three cans of beer in a plastic grocery bag. One beer was opened, spilled inside the bag, and leaking out. This confirmed CO Weakman’s suspicions that there were open intoxicants inside. The rear passenger confirmed that the driver had just handed him the beverage prior to being pulled over. CO Weakman cited the driver for having open intoxicants in a motor vehicle and gave a written warning for illegally passing on the shoulder.

COs Josh Russell and Jeff Goss attended the opening ceremony for the Trooper Jeffrey Werda Memorial All-Star Baseball Tournament. The COs spoke to the athletes and were present for the national anthem ceremonies.

DISTRICT 6

CO Adam Beuthin was on marine patrol on the Saginaw Bay looking for marine violations when he observed a vessel with two individuals on it with fishing lines in the water. From a distance, the CO counted seven lines in the water. When the CO crossed the front of their vessel, one of the anglers went to the stern of the vessel and disappeared from the CO’s view. When the individual came back into the view of the CO, he was putting a pair of pliers into a rod holder. The CO observed a line off the stern that was floating on the water’s surface. When the CO asked if the man had cut the line, he denied cutting the seventh line. Enforcement action was taken, and the individual was issued a citation for fishing with more than three lines.

CO Jacob Robinson was on patrol in Montcalm County when he spotted a truck parked in front of prohibited parking signs at a boat launch. The vehicle was blocking other outdoor enthusiasts from being able to utilize the boat launch ramp and was found to have an expired registration. CO Robinson cited the individual for parking in a prohibited area.

During last year’s deer season, CO Dan Robinson investigated a complaint of a reckless discharge of a firearm. The suspects fired several rounds into the air striking a house approximately 800 yards away. The CO was able to extract several spent rounds from the house and seized all firearms matching the caliber recovered. The spent rounds and firearms were sent to the lab for forensic testing which came back as a positive match to the firearms seized. Both suspects were found guilty and ordered to pay $400 in fines and costs and received a delayed jail sentence of 10 days.

DISTRICT 7

CO Travis Dragomer contacted a group of anglers upon the St. Joseph River in Berrien County. CO Dragomer observed an angler catch a catfish and hand it to another angler who put the fish in a bucket. After further investigation, none of the anglers had fishing licenses and the fish was illegally possessed. Three citations were issued for not having fishing licenses and a warning was given for keeping the catfish. CO Dragomer was able to release the catfish.

CO Travis Dragomer observed an angler fishing upon the St. Joseph River. After further investigation, the CO was able to determine that the angler did not have a valid fishing license and was in possession of an undersized smallmouth bass. CO Dragomer issued a citation for possessing an undersized bass and gave the angler a warning for not having a fishing license.

COs Mark Reffitt and Marissa Sturtevant were patrolling Ionia and Montcalm County area lakes and rivers when they responded to a complaint of a possible fish trap in the Grand River near a popular area dam. The information came from a tip passed along by CO Jeremy Beavers who was off duty at the time of the complaint. COs Reffitt and Sturtevant observed the area where the trap was located from across the river and observed a fishing pole and line in the water that was set but left unattended. After driving several miles to the other side of the dam, the COs contacted an individual on the road who was driving away from a residence near the dam. CO Reffitt questioned the individual and he admitted to setting the line in the water and to having an in-water live well that could have been mistaken for a fish trap. After heading down to the area with the individual, the COs inspected the device and confirmed it was not an actual fish trap. However, the subject was cited for fishing with unattended set lines.

CO Mark Reffitt was talking with boaters at an Ionia County boating access site when he observed two individuals fishing across the lake. Upon checking the anglers, he learned that one individual did not have a valid fishing license. Additionally, the subject was in possession of an undersized largemouth bass. After explaining size regulations and providing the subject with a copy of the 2024 Michigan Fishing Regulations booklet, a citation was issued addressing the violations.

DISTRICT 8

CO Wes Butler was checking anglers at Muskrat Lake when he came across an angler using prohibited bait. CO Butler asked the angler what he was fishing for. The angler explained that he was fishing for bass, then showed CO Butler his minnow bucket. CO Butler saw that the fish were orange, and upon closer examination, he found that they were goldfish. The angler explained that he was at a local sporting goods store buying minnows but most of the minnows they had to offer were of poor quality. One of the store workers told him that he could go next door to the pet shop where they have plenty more feeder minnows that he can use for bait. CO Butler explained that he cannot use goldfish as bait because they are not a native species to Michigan’s waterways. All minnows/fish sold in a pet store are to be used strictly in the pet trade and not for fishing. CO Butler later contacted the manager of the sporting goods store and instructed him that his employees cannot be sending their customers to pet stores to buy goldfish to be used as baitfish.

DISTRICT 9

COs Joshua Salas and Griffin Korican were on marine patrol when they spotted a boater flagging them down. The individual’s watercraft was taking on water and beginning to fill the back half of the vessel. The COs were able to assist the individual with getting his boat back to the dock. At the dock, the COs assisted the individual with loading his boat on the trailer to drain the water from it. While they were assisting the boater, the COs asked the individual if he had any life jackets on board. The boater stated that he did not. The COs advised that life jackets are required equipment for emergency situations like if a vessel was taking on water and that if he had needed one, he would not have had one. The individual was issued a citation for no PFDs.

CO Brad Silorey was working at a busy state-owned access site when he observed a vessel, return to one of the docks, that had an expired registration. Additionally, the subject on the vessel quickly pulled this boat with a trailer that did not have a trailer plate or brake lights. A traffic stop was made, and the subject was cited for operating an unregistered watercraft. He was given a warning for no trailer plates, no brake lights on trailer, failing to remove drain plug on his boat, and failing to transfer title within 15 days.

CO Brad Silorey was on patrol when a call for a medical emergency was aired on local dispatch. An elderly female was on a vessel with her family when she was thrown from her seat due to rough waters. The female hit her head on a hard ledge causing a two-inch laceration. CO Silorey was first to arrive on scene and assessed the injuries. After relaying the status of the patient to dispatch, CO Silorey was able to apply pressure using trauma dressing to reduce the bleeding. The subject was transferred to EMS where she was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

COs Danielle Zubek and Sydney Griffor were selected to attend the Women’s Game Warden Conference in Hamilton, Texas. There were approximately 70 female officers in attendance representing 13 different states/agencies. The COs were able to stay on campus and tour the Texas Game Wardens training academy throughout the training. The conference offered several female speakers who spoke about their struggles and achievements throughout their law enforcement careers. The attendees were also given opportunities to share information about their own departments so others could bring new ideas back to their state. COs Zubek and Griffor will be assisting the department to bring a similar conference to the state of Michigan.

CO Mike Drexler was on marine patrol when he observed a paddleboard angler catch a nice largemouth bass. When CO Drexler asked if the angler purchased his license for the year, the angler responded that he hadn’t. The angler continued to explain that he had not been checked in a few years, so he figured when he was checked next, he would just pay the fine. CO Drexler obliged and issued the angler a citation for not having his license.

CO Brandon Hartleben was patrolling the Portage Lake Chain when he observed a brand-new looking Mastercraft towing a tube containing three individuals. Upon closer inspection, it did not appear that there was an observer on the vessel. As CO Hartleben patrolled closer to the vessel, it was confirmed that there was no observer on the vessel. Contact was made with the operator and a citation was issued for towing without an observer.

CO Brandon Hartleben met with campers at the MUCC Summer Camp at the Cedar Lake Outdoor Center at Waterloo State Recreation Area to discuss hunter safety and conservation related topics to the first group of campers of the summer. CO Hartleben discussed a myriad of topics with the 50 or so students and staff in attendance as part of their hunter safety curriculum for the week.

COs Brandon Vacek and Brandon Hartleben conducted a marine patrol on Swan Creek in Monroe County. The COs observed a small aluminum motorboat with two anglers fishing. The anglers were contacted to check for proper vessel safety equipment and fishing licenses. Upon further inspection of the vessel, it had last been registered in 1977 according to the sticker on the bow. The owner of the vessel was issued a citation for operating an unregistered watercraft.

CO Ariel Young was conducting a stationary patrol while utilizing her RADAR unit at Belle Isle when an SUV travelled past CO Young at a high rate of speed. The individual was clocked going 51 miles per hour, over twice the speed limit. The individual was subsequently cited for speeding.

GREAT LAKES ENFORCEMENT UNIT (GLEU)

Corporals (Cpls.) Justin Vanderlinde, Troy Van Geldren and Nick Atkin conducted a group AIS patrol in Southeast Michigan. Numerous pet shops, bait shops, and live food markets were inspected with only minor violations noted.

Cpl. Nick Atkin conducted an AIS Landing Blitz patrol at boat launches on Higgins Lake. No violations were noted among the many contacts regarding AIS boating laws.

Cpl. Troy Van Gelderen and CO Micah Hintze contacted a fishing boat on Lake Michigan near Whitehall.  It was discovered that the owner of the boat had never transferred his registration, did not have a fishing license, and had a warrant for home invasion out of Newaygo County.  The boat was escorted to the Fruitland Township launch where it was secured on the trailer and left with the suspect's friend.  Then the suspect was transported to White Lake Marina where he was turned over to a Newaygo County deputy for the warrant.

Cpl. Troy Van Gelderen and CO Micah Hintze took a patrol boat to the Pentwater Water Safety Day.  The COs talked to numerous children and adults about water safety and showed them the patrol boat and associated equipment.