Shouldn’t Wildlife Officers Display Badges?

July 9, 2015

Question: During the 2015 Eastern Sierra Trout Opener, I was checked three times by California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) wardens for license and barbless hooks. I was in compliance each time. On the three contacts the wardens were wearing jackets and hats that did not have any CDFW insignias or badges on them. On two occasions the wardens stated that they were wardens and I could see radio and gun holsters sticking out from under their jackets. They did not show me any credentials or badge. On the other contact the warden pulled open his jacket collar and showed me his lieutenant bars.

My question is what citizen rights do I have to ask to see a badge or credential during a contact, and what is the policy of CDFW for displaying and showing proper credentials when making a contact, not just telling me he’s a warden? I understand the need to be “undercover” before making a contact, but once the contact is made I think more than just saying you are a warden would be necessary. After the third contact where the warden showed me lieutenant bars, this lack of identification was getting a little old and I believe unprofessional. I had no way of identifying these wardens by name or badge number. (Michael M.)

Answer: You have every right to ask to see their credentials. As I’m sure you know, the Eastern Sierra Trout Opener is a very popular event that draws tens of thousands of anglers to the area during that weekend, and you were fishing in a high contact area, so it’s not unusual that you were contacted by wildlife officers, even multiple times. And because that area is so open and highly visible, and because people are easily seen from a long distance away, wildlife officers often wear a cover shirt over their uniforms and a fishing hat to better blend in and look like another angler so that they can more easily watch everyone without being immediately detected. Our goal is to encourage compliance even when anglers don’t see a wildlife officer in the area.

However, if you were uncomfortable with the contact(s) because you could not be sure the person really was a wildlife officer, by all means, you have the right to ask them, or any peace officer who is contacting you in a law enforcement capacity, for their identification. That is definitely a reasonable request and the wildlife officer should not mind showing you their credentials upon request.

By the way, I spoke to the wildlife officer who likely contacted you (at least one of the times!). He welcomed your comments and wanted me to encourage you to request to see his credentials next time and he will be happy to show them to you.

in other words

we'll make sure to Hi more often 

"By the way, I spoke to the wildlife officer who likely contacted you (at least one of the times!). He welcomed your comments and wanted me to encourage you to request to see his credentials next time and he will be happy to show them to you."

kidding--they see me a lot and still check me a lot---makes sense

If I were a game warden I'd be undercover about 85% of the time. It's better that way.

I try to be legal beyond question, 100% of the time.

One trip North on the 101 near a small podunk, there was an old car that someone painted to look like a police car and pointed it towards the road.  The first time I drove by it, it gave me a heart attack and I checked my speed.

From then on (many years), I knew it was a junker and not a police car, but I still slowed down when I got to that area and it made me think about my speed (speeding not because you are trying to speed but because you are not thinking about your speed and enjoying the view).

Protect and Serve

or

Detect and Collect

$0.02

EDIT:

OK I can't let this go.  When you have a culture based upon distrust, "undercover to bust", versus a culture of open communication, friendly attitude, and taking advantage of each contact as not just as a means of enforcing the law, but also to educate, and be part of the brotherhood, what do you think you will get?  Us versus them.  Distrust and whoever you contacted having this overwhelming feeling that they did something wrong even when they are 100% legal.

I have been stopped quite a bit over the years, unfortunately very few have been positive and friendly.  I distinctly remember one contact in the Delta where the game warden whistled at me, waived me to shore (I was fishing in front of my family near Brannan Island), demanded I get out of the water.  Show him my fishing license, show him my Drivers License, then he proceed to quiz me on my Birth Date and Address, ask which vehicle was mine, walked back to his truck (significant distance away), sit there for about 10 mins, walk back, hand me my stuff, then walk off.  No words of explanation or sorry for the interruption have a nice day.  Just straight up walk away without a word.  My wife said, "WTF was that all about?"  She was pissed and she wasn't even directly involved just observing the whole situation.

Which memory do you think I associate with Game Wardens?  The few times they have been positive contacts, I literally gave a sigh a relief because I brace myself for the worst when I see one coming towards me, and yes, even undercover, it is immediate obvious as they approach.

ALL enforcement agencies at this point in time need to take some public relations classes.  Field officers should be certified to be competent and capable of interacting wit the public BEFORE they are ever given their badge and re-certified every single year.  I am not taking about a 1 hour lecture or watching a stupid video.  There should be a rigorous curriculum design to remind those with a badge who they serve, not who is the enemy. 

In my line of work, I deal with the FDA and many other Regulatory Agencies from around the world.  My work mandates I stay current on laws, regulations, and industry trends.  I have taken and now teach continuing education in how to respond and handle direct contact with Regulatory Agencies, and feel like I am criminal most times I am contacted by DFG.

I understand its a hard job.  If they are not up to it aka dealing with the public in a positive manner, they need to find another job, not take it out on Joe Public who is just looking to have a few hours of stress relief.

prior post
 +1

I have always found th contacts I have had with DFG (Sorry, DFW is an airport in Texas to me) to be polite and interesting. The most entertaining I had was while pheasant huning. Two wardens across a ditch in a patrol car wanted me to show them the plug in my shotgun. I said I couldn't, but I did open my side-by-side for them... We all laughed. I think undercover watchers are a great idea. Let's all be legal and there won't be issues.