New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) enforce the 71 Chapters of NY Environmental Conservation Law, protecting fish and wildlife and preserving environmental quality across New York.
In 2017, the 301 ECOs across the state responded to 26,400 calls and issued 22,150 tickets for crimes ranging from deer poaching to corporate toxic dumping and illegal mining, the black market pet trade, and excessive emissions violations.
If you witness an environmental crime or believe a violation of environmental law occurred, please call the DEC Division of Law Enforcement hotline at 1-844-DEC-ECOS (1-844-332-3267).
“From Montauk Point to Mount Marcy, from Brooklyn to Buffalo, the ECOs patrolling our state are the first line of defense in protecting New York’s environment and our natural resources, ensuring that they exist for future generations of New Yorkers,” said Commissioner Basil Seggos. “They work long and arduous hours, both deep in our remote wildernesses and in the tight confines of our urban landscapes. Although they don’t receive much public fanfare, the work of our ECOs is critical to achieving DEC’s mission to protect and enhance our environment.”
Recent missions carried out by ECOs include:
The Ivory Cats of Queens – Queens County
On July 5, ECO Joshua Harvey found an ivory bracelet detailed with cat carvings being sold online for $400. After communicating with the seller about the authenticity of the piece, the two agreed to meet at the defendant’s antique shop in Long Island City to complete the sale. On July 8, ECO Harvey arrived at the shop in plainclothes with ECO Ryan Grogan waiting down the street in uniform. ECO Harvey engaged the shop owner in conversation about his interest in ivory pieces and the shop owner told Harvey he had more
