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Show Sfcis IVliife Enforcement Efforts Cc:fc3 To Increase Enforcing state wildlife laws continues to be a growing grow-ing proposition according to a recent nationwide report from the Wildlife Management Institute. The Institute reports conservation officers make up more than 30 percent of the nation's fish and wildlife personnel. That amounts to a total of more than 6,500 conservation officers. of-ficers. THE INSTITUTE prepares the nationwide figures every four years in an effort to inform in-form wildlife agencies about changes, progress and needs of individual and regional law enforcement programs. In the last four years the number of wildlife officers in the nation grew by some 630. Law enforcement budgets increased by some $50 million, due primarily to inflation, according to data collected in the study. OTHER improvements were noted by the report. The number of hunters and anglers per officer decreased by 342. Four more states required college degrees for enforcement officers. The number of officers with B.S. degrees in wildlife increased by 47 percent. Statistics revelealed the "average" officer of-ficer polices 7,326 hunters and anglers and patrols a district of 495 square miles. He makes 54 arrests a year. Twenty-four states now grant full police powers to their officers. LAST YEAR, state wildlife officers were assaulted 150 times, including 15 incidents which involved serious injuries. in-juries. More intensive training train-ing and higher qualification requirements will continue to better prepare conservation officers to meet their responsibilities, respon-sibilities, according to the report. Utah's Wildlife Resources Law Enforcement Chief, John Nagel, said he feels the State's wildlife law enforcement en-forcement program continues ' to be a strong, progressive effort. "There is always need for continuing improvement in any law enforcement program. We constantly look for new ideas and techniques to enhance our wildlife enforcement en-forcement efforts. "AT PRESENT, however, we feel more and more sportsmen are recognizing the need to obey wildlife laws; if not from a moral obligation or for increased hunting and fishing success, then from the viewpoint they may be identified by our officers," of-ficers," Nagel said. |
