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"Wildlife
Crime Watch" is a new program implemented by the Virginia
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. The ultimate goal of
law enforcement is to stop criminal activity before is occurs.
This program is a proactive effort to develop a partnership
between citizens and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland
Fisheries. It is patterned after the successful "Neighborhood
Watch." Emphasis will be placed on wildlife and environmental
issues but traditional crime prevention will also be addressed.
Efforts will be made to have as many people in the community
involved as possible, from young to old.
Through
community meetings, neighbors will learn more about each other
and how to protect wildlife, the environment, personal property
and human life. Game Wardens and Department biologists will be
available to provide information on wildlife and environmental
issues. Game Wardens will act as liaison officers to coordinate
with other agencies and organizations to provide assistance in
other areas of concerns to the communities.
This program
is designed to adapt to the concerns and needs of each
participating "Watch" group. Meetings will be conducted as often
as is necessary to meet the needs of each group. Road signs
announcing the area as a "Wildlife Crime Watch Area" will be
placed in the participating communities. Citizens will utilize
phone trees and act as eyes and ears of law enforcement to
report on suspicious activities.
With
cooperation the "Wildlife Crime Watch" can assist communities in
improving their quality of life by combating crime, looking out
for one another, wildlife and the environment. For those who are
interested in becoming involved in a "Wildlife Crime Watch"
program should contact the game warden located in your area.
"Wildlife
Crime Watch a partnership for wildlife, the environment,
property and people."
Currently
there are several chapters organized, with more in the works:
Buchanan
County:
Shenandoah
County:
- Wildlife
Crime Watch, patterned after the successful Neighborhood Watch
programs, is a new program implemented by the Virginia
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
- Emphasis
will be placed on preventing wildlife and environment crime
but traditional crime prevention will also be included.
- Wildlife
Crime Watch is a proactive effort to develop partnerships
between the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, local
residents, community leaders and area businesses. Efforts will
be made to get as many people in the community involved as
possible.
- Through
community meetings, neighbors will learn more about how to
protect wildlife, the environment and each other. Department
game wardens and biologists will be on hand to provide
information on wildlife and environmental issues. Game wardens
will act as liaison officers coordinating with other
government agencies and organizations to provide assistance in
other areas of concern.
- The
program is designed to adapt to the specific needs of each
participating Watch Group. For example, meetings can be
scheduled with more frequency to meet a neighborhood's
concerns.
- Road signs
announcing the area as a "Wildlife Crime Watch Area" will be
placed in participating communities.
- Citizens
will act as the eyes and ears of law enforcement in their
neighborhoods, utilizing "telephone trees" to report
suspicious activities. The materials kit provides guidance in
identifying these types of activities.
- Wildlife
Crime Watch can assist communities in improving their quality
of life by combating crime and encouraging neighbors to look
out for each other, wildlife and the environment around them.
- Wildlife
Crime Watch has a total county membership of 150 citizens.
We are also preparing for the first organizational meeting
of the Fort Valley WCW, where we had 54 people sign up to
attend. In the 2002-2003 hunting season, the Shenandoah county WCW chapters have
netted 30 charges on 13 people. Charges range from
spotlighting and killing deer at night, to stealing boats,
killing bear illegally, trespassing, road hunting,
obstruction of justice, and threatening phone calls. The
program has done extremely well so far in Shenandoah County
and we have high hopes for the future, with Fort Valley
being our newest operating chapter with a membership of
about 40 people.
People
interested in becoming involved in Wildlife Crime Watch should
contact Lt. Bill Rose, Wildlife Crime Watch Coordinator,
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, 1796 Highway
Sixteen, Marion, Virginia 24354 or call 1-540-783-4860.
Wildlife Crime
Watch…
A
partnership for wildlife, the environment, property and people |
