Snowmobile accident patient’s helicopter transport

First responders with victim at accident scene

Sniffing Out Trouble – Oswego County
DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement recently completed a three-month K9 Basic Training School in Pulaski with three newly acquired young German Shepherd dogs. The K9 teams learned to track humans through all terrain and environmental conditions. The teams then advanced to burnt gunpowder detection training to help find spent casing/shot shell components and firearms in the field. From there, the K9 teams moved on to wildlife detection where the dogs were trained to detect venison and bear meat. They were put through numerous real-life scenarios such as wildlife being hidden by poachers or taken illegally. Over the next year, the three K9 teams will be certified in identifying at least one additional wildlife species. The dogs’ keen sense of smell assists in police investigations, including illegal hunting crimes and the taking of wildlife across New York State. The K9s also trained in basic obedience, handler protection, and criminal apprehension.

ECO Dussault and K9 Vinny, named after retired DEC Captain William Vincent Powell

Sometimes all it Takes is a Little Snow – St. Lawrence County
On Feb. 28, a 15-year-old girl in the town of Lisbon was home alone when she noticed two trucks pull into her driveway. Unknown men exited the truck wearing camouflage and knocked on the door. At the same time, the teen heard sounds of dogs fighting in her backyard. She was frightened by the knock and the presumed dog fight and did not answer the door. The girl saw the men proceed into the backyard, heard a gunshot, and watched as they left quickly. The teenager called her parents, who contacted ECO Canary for assistance. ECO Canary’s investigation determined the hunting dogs entered the yard from the rear farm field while chasing, and eventually cornering, a coyote. Because they were using GPS collars, the subjects were able to tell when their dogs had stopped moving. The poachers arrived to get their dogs and took advantage of an easy, but illegal, harvest of the coyote. The Officer did not identify the poacher, but thanks to some freshly fallen snow, tracks left behind provided helpful evidence. ECO Canary visited the homes of five known coyote hunters in the area until finally the Officer was able to match the tread pattern left at the scene. The poacher admitted to shooting the coyote and was issued tickets for trespass and shooting within 500 feet of a dwelling.

Tire tracks lead ECO to coyote poacher