Activities During April 2000

On April 14, a CPO arrested a Whiteside County subject for violating the terms of a Rock River commercial fishing contract. The terms were that anyone who applies for these contracts can not have been found guilty of any commercial fishing violations within the last year. This subject had been arrested by the same CPO, in September of 1999, for being in possession of short catfish.

On April 23, a Whiteside County subject was arrested in Carroll County for unlawful taking of a hen turkey during the spring season. This subject had only been hunting turkeys for two years and made the statement that the turkey he took last year looked exactly like this one and the checker at the check station had checked it in and never told him it was a hen.

Two CPOs were on boat patrol on the Illinois River along the Starved Rock Nature Preserve, a place where dirt bikes and ATVs have been destroying preserve property. Attempts to apprehend the illegal dirt bikes have been futile. This day, however, one of the CPOs was let off on shore to walk behind a shore fisherman downstream to check his fishing license. As he got closer to the fishermen, four dirt bikes raced through the nature preserve and stopped about 50 feet from the officer. The riders were looking at the river, evidently admiring the view. The officer, in full uniform, was able to sneak up to the bikes, grabbing the arms of two of the riders. The two other riders got off their bikes and the two CPOs wrote each rider a ticket for riding on state property.

While on mountain bike patrol of the Hennepin Canal State Park in Rock Island County, a CPO discovered a father and son running coon dogs on park property. They were training the dogs with a live raccoon that had been obtained from a Nuisance Animal Trapper from Moline.

While patrolling the Hennepin Canal State Park in the Colona area, a CPO came upon subjects loading two off-highway motorcycles into a pickup truck. The officer learned that one of the subjects had been operating his motorcycle on the state park property for the past three hours while his friend was fixing the truck. He also learned that this subject was wanted on an outstanding traffic warrant and that the motorcycle he was operating had been reported stolen out of Clinton County, Iowa. The CPO ran the other motorcycle and learned that it was reported stolen out of Rock Island County, Illinois. Both subjects were taken into custody, transported to the Henry County jail and charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, a Class 2 Felony.

The CPO was assisted by the Illinois State Police and Colona Police Department.

A CPO assisted the Peoria County Sheriff's Department with a search for a kidnaping suspect. The victim's car was located, wrecked along a road. The 15 year old "victim" later confessed she had made up the story to cover her accident.

On April 19, a CPO investigated the report of an oil spill on the Illinois River in LaSalle County. The officer was advised by the U.S. Coast Guard that 3,200 gallons of #2 fuel oil had been dumped in the Illinois River. A Sergeant and two CPOs arrived down river from the spill site but were unable to locate any evidence of the spill. Due to severe weather and lightening strikes, a watercraft was not launched to search the river. Later that day, areas down river were checked for the fuel residue, but none was found. A clean-up firm from Indiana arrived at the scene and also could not locate any evidence of the spill. It was assumed that because #2 fuel oil has a high evaporation rate, that with the rain and wind, it had dissipated.

On April 8, two CPOs attended the funeral of long-time Jo Daviess County turkey check station operator Barb Beck. She died after a long battle with cancer. She had operated the check station continuously for 13 years.

On April 13, a CPO arrested a Wisconsin Hunter Safety Instructor for bringing an unbearded hen turkey into the check station. He arrested another subject on April 23 for the same violation.

On April 12, after completing the spotlight survey of Warren County, a CPO discovered a mini-van which had crashed into a ditch on State Route 116. The driver, who had attempted suicide numerous times, had taken pills and then left home. Her husband and Knox County Sheriff's deputies had been looking for her all night. The Sheriff's Department and the State Police responded to the scene with fire and rescue units. After informing all agencies of the medication she had taken, the scene was turned over to the other agencies.

Two homeless families were encountered during the month of April. One family was residing under tarps in the Spoon River bottoms and the second family at Victoria Pheasant Habitat Area. Both families were referred to county agencies for assistance.

A CPO handled an investigation of a personal injury boat accident on the Illinois River in Peoria County. Excessive speed led to the boat spinning out. Both the operator and passenger suffered broken collar bones.

On April 24, a family of three boaters were stranded above a low head dam on the Rock River. The boaters were only 30 yards from the dam and were able to drop an anchor which held. Just as Rock Island County deputies and a CPO were approaching the stranded boat, the operator got the motor started. The father stated that they had been fishing and tried to start the boat and the motor would not start. The anchor would not catch until about 30 yards above the dam. Everyone had a PFD on and all of the other safety equipment was in the boat.

Fourteen cannabis and other drug related arrests were made by regional CPOs including K-9 Jack.

One DUI arrest was made and four arrests on warrants were made by regional CPOs.

A Wyoming, Illinois man, who was arrested in November 1999 at Johnson Sauk Trail State Park, pled guilty to DUI and was fined $740 and given 12 months of court supervision.

A Peoria man, arrested for DUI at Detweiller Marina, pled guilty to DUI and was fined $844.

REGION II

A boat accident involving a personal watercraft was investigated. The watercraft hit a large wake while going in excess of 40 mph. When the watercraft landed, the operator was knocked unconscious. He was transported to an area hospital and treated for head injuries.

A subject was arrested for attempting to take a raccoon out of season and in a residential area with a BB gun.

While checking sport fisherman at Heideke Lake, a CPO arrested a male subject for falsification of information in regards to his fishing license. The same subject had been previously arrested by the officer and another CPO on March 26 for abandoning a watercraft and was advised at that time he needed to secure Illinois residency to obtain resident licenses.

A CPO and a PCPO arrested four subjects for criminal trespass and fishing without permission at Dresden Lake, which is closed to the public.

Four arrests on warrants were made by two CPOs.

Twenty two cannabis and other drug related arrests were made regional CPOs.

A male subject who had been charged with possession of 1.6 grams of cannabis was fined $250 and received 50 hours of public service, substance abuse counseling, and 18 months probation. This was a second offense for this subject. The subject had been initially apprehended by a CPO and a PCPO for fishing without a fishing license.

A CPO manned the IDNR booth at the four day Spring Festival at Bass Pro Shop in Gurnee.

The Youth Fishing Day hosted by the Northern Illinois Angler's Association in Kankakee, was attended by a CPO.

A CPO gave a presentation to 45 cub scouts and their parents about summer safety and wildlife. She also gave a presentation to 200 seventh graders at a Joliet school about wildlife issues, safety, and CPO job duties, and spoke on the same subjects to 750 grade school students in Wilmington. Two CPOs spoke to 25 third graders about the duties of CPOs and wildlife issues.

A CPO was the guest on a live radio program to discuss fishing and boating regulations.

REGION III

A boat accident was investigated in which two Danville men were fishing in a gravel pit when their boat took on water and sank. They swam to shore and one man suffered hypothermia and was hospitalized.

A CPO continued a taxidermy shop spin-off investigation involving illegal moose antlers from Canada. A Fairmount man has been arrested on federal charges for failure to declare the antlers at the border.

An Effingham man was arrested for killing a hen turkey without a valid permit in Shelby County. The permit that he possessed was for a week later in the season.

Two CPOs made arrests on warrants.

On April 7, a CPO responded to a call of shots being fired in a semi-rural area of Tilton, in Vermilion County. He arrived in time to stop two Danville men leaving the area with two uncased 9 mm handguns. They said they had just bought them and wanted to try them out, so they were target practicing. One driver was wanted on a warrant, driving while suspended, and in possession of 19.8 grams of cannabis. The other subject had no FOID card.

A Danville man, arrested on a warrant and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm during gun deer season in Clark County by two CPOs, had his charges combined with pending county charges and was sentenced to 30 months of incarceration by the Department of Corrections.

Two Decatur men, cited for entering a waterfowl refuge at the Shelbyville Wildlife Management Area, could have paid over the counter fines of $75, but instead decided to go to court where they were found guilty and fined $425 each.

A Sergeant and a CPO used the CPO Lodge trailer to give a presentation to 80 first grade students at Tri-Valley Grade School in McLean County. They also gave a presentation to 30 kindergartners at the Chesterbook Academy.

A CPO spoke to 181 campers at the 4-H Fish Camp at Allerton Park on April 29 and 30.

On April 27, a CPO spoke to 150 students ranging from grades 7 - 10 at the annual St. Joseph career day.

On April 4, a CPO set up a display at Indiana State University Criminology Career Day. Over 60 police departments were present and 400-500 students attended.

On April 11, a CPO attended a turkey seminar with the local IDNR biologist to answer questions and discuss the turkey program.

A CPO set up a display at the Health Festival at the Paris YMCA. It was attended by 150 people.

On April 24, a CPO attended a career fair at Illinois State University.

Nuclear Awareness Training was coordinated by a Captain and attended by a Sergeant, two CPOs, a PCPO and numerous land management personnel.

A Sergeant attended the American Heart Association Automatic External Defibulator Instructor training. This is a continuing effort on his part to set up a pilot program at the Lake Shelbyville area state parks where these units will be supplied and staff trained in their use. Three units will be placed at Wolf Creek State Park, Eagle Creek State Park, and Eagle Creek Resort.

REGION IV

On April 1, two Freeburg men were cited for criminal trespass on Peabody Coal property. The men were bass fishing at the time. Since both had been warned and/or cited previously for being on the property, they were charged with trespass instead of fishing without permission of the landowner.

On April 15, two CPOs cited three persons for criminal trespass to Peabody Coal property in St. Clair County. A fourth person, the driver of the vehicle, was cited for no auto insurance or vehicle registration. The driver had dropped the other three persons off so they could sneak into the property and fish.

On April 21, a Havana and a Kilbourne man were cited for trespass. The subjects were on property that they had been previously warned to stay off of.

On April 16, in two separate incidents, a Jerseyville man and an Alton man were cited for no valid turkey permits. The Jerseyville man had no permit. The Alton man was using someone else's permit.

On April 28, a Captain cited a Pittsfield subject for taking an over limit of turkey in Pike County. The man killed two birds with one shot. He did the correct thing and turned himself in and brought both birds to the check station. He also provided video footage of the incident. A friend was along and filmed the incident.

On April 28, a CPO was involved in a short vehicle pursuit that began in Frank Holten State Park. The officer attempted to stop a vehicle traveling 22 mph over the speed limit in the park. After first slowing and pretending to stop, the vehicle sped off. The vehicle exited the park and entered East St. Louis. Just as he was calling the pursuit off, the officer observed the vehicle stop and three persons running from it. The vehicle had struck a tree. With the help of local citizens the driver was located. He was wanted on several warrants. East St. Louis police were able to capture one of the two passengers. He was also wanted. The driver's four year old grandson was also in the vehicle. The youngster was treated at a local hospital for some minor cuts he suffered. The cuts resulted from his stepfather dragging him through some brush as he tried to escape.

Arrests on warrants were also made by five CPOs. One of the CPOs also arrested a subject for cannabis possession.

On April 30, a CPO investigated a horseback riding accident at Jim Edgar Panther Creek Fish and Wildlife Area. An Ashland woman suffered a broken pelvis and leg when her horse fell on her.

In some previously reported cases:

•A Missouri man, arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia at Royal Landing in Calhoun County, was fined $977.

•A Bethalto man, arrested for shining, was fined $800 in Greene County. His crossbow was forfeited to the state.

REGION V

A subject was cited for hunting turkeys with a landowner permit on another person's property. In addition to the unlawful use of the landowner permit, he did not have permission to hunt on the other person's property.

Two non-residents were cited for taking whitetail deer with resident firearm and resident archery deer permits back in November and December, 1999. One subject had been obtaining illegal Illinois resident deer permits since 1996. Both subjects will be making court appearances in both Union and Alexander County.

Rend Lake State Fish & Wildlife Area reported that their facility was short several hundred gallons of gasoline. Two CPOs set up a surveillance one night and observed a car drive into the area and turn off it's headlights as it passed the site superintendent's residence. The officers stopped the vehicle, and as they were conducting the citation procedure for entering a refuge without permission, they obtained confessions that the subjects were there to steal gas. The suspects also gave the names of some Mt. Vernon High School students who were selling a map to the site for the purpose of stealing gas. Over a two week period, the officers interviewed five additional suspects and obtained confessions from them that they had stolen gas from the facility. Five individuals were charged with unlawful entry to a refuge and theft under $300. Counting the citations issued to the original three that entered the site, a total of 13 charges were filed.

A CPO assisted the White County Sheriff's Department and Posy County, Indiana Sheriff's Department, with the apprehension of the driver of a stolen vehicle. The vehicle was reported stolen in White County and discovered in New Harmony, Indiana, by a Posey County Sheriff's Deputy. A chase ensued which led into Illinois. The CPO assisted in searching for the vehicle in the Wabash River bottoms. Subsequently, a Posey County Sheriff's Deputy pursued the vehicle into the bottoms and the CPO assisted with the apprehension of the suspect. One adult and a juvenile were arrested and the adult faces numerous charges in Illinois and Indiana. One Carmi Police Department squad sustained $2,500 in damages during the chase.

A local timber buyer was cited for two counts of purchasing timber without a license and two counts of failure to report and submit 4% harvest fees. An officer obtained an arrest warrant for the suspect in White County. The case originated from numerous complaints reported by timber growers in White and Gallatin Counties. The timber buyer also faces charges in Gallatin County for similar offenses filed by two Officers earlier this year.

A subject from South Dakota was arrested on an arrest warrant out of South Dakota. The subject's bond was set at $29,000.

Following a lengthy investigation, a subject pled guilty in Effingham County Circuit court for failure to pay for timber, a Class 4 Felony. The plea resolves two of the four cases pending against this subject. He was ordered to pay $20,759 in restitution, fined $250, assessed court costs of $658, and sentenced to 30 months of probation by the court. He will also be required to pay all 4% harvest fees and late penalties.

A Joliet man pled guilty to taking deer out of season in Pope County after his arrest last fall by a CPO. He was ordered to pay a $750 in fines and costs.

A Chicago man pled guilty in Williamson County court for being in possession of a firearm by a felon. He was ordered to pay $1,500 in fines and costs and ordered to forfeit a Benelli Super Black Eagle shotgun to the IDNR. He was apprehended while goose hunting on a commercial hunting club.

A CPO spoke to the Zeigler Servicemen's Club about fishing and boating regulations and the duties of a CPO.

He also spoke to a group of sportsmen at "Strictly Outdoors" in Harrisburg about turkey hunting regulations and hunting safety.

A CPO conducted an interview with a local outdoor writer on the duties of a CPO and how the duties have changed in the last 20 years.

The OLE was represented at Career Days at the Shawnee Junior College in Ullin.

A CPO represented the OLE for Stewardship Days at the Dixon Springs Ag Center for four days. He spoke about law enforcement issues, and gave hunter safety, and other safety awareness programs. Several hundred children attended from schools throughout the area.

A career day was attended at the Herrin High School and at SIU-Carbondale.

Region V CPOs attended one boater safety class held at the Crab Orchard Yacht Club and one hunter safety class at the Shawnee High School in Union County.

LAKE MICHIGAN ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS

A CPO started the month off with a bang, by witnessing a 14-car pile-up on Lake Shore Drive. It seems a 50 year old central Illinois man had just taken out his anger by exhibiting a classic case of road rage. After the crashes ended, the man who caused them tried to flee the scene on foot. When the officer caught up to him, the man refused to obey the officer's commands, and the officer was forced to physically subdue and handcuff him. The man was later turned over to the Chicago Police Department and was transported to Northwestern Hospital for psychiatric observation.

One week later the same CPO, along with another CPO, responded to an Illinois State Police dispatch of an off-duty Chicago policeman requesting assistance on Lake Shore Drive, south of Soldiers' Field. The Chicago policeman had observed the occupants of a car near him using illegal drugs in their vehicle. The two CPOs made a vehicle stop at Lake Shore Drive and Roosevelt Road and found the two occupants, both Ohio residents, to be very cooperative. They turned over their drugs and both were charged, the driver with DUI and the passenger with illegal possession of controlled substances.

The Chicago area experienced some severe weather in mid-April. A CPO investigated a boating accident that occurred on April 14, just off North Point Marina, and another CPO investigated another boat accident that occurred the next day. In the first accident, a 17' center console fishing boat was being operated in rough seas when the steering wheel broke off the center hub. The operator was thrown out of the boat and was soon picked up by two fishermen. The man was wearing a leather jacket, but not a personal flotation device. One of the fishermen weighed his leather jacket after he was retrieved. The leather jacket, in it's waterlogged condition, weighed over 70 pounds. The second case involved the first of two boats to be grounded along the Lake Michigan shore at Glencoe. According to the report, a 28' fishing boat was following a 40' cabin cruiser through some stormy weather, including fog, when both went aground along the beach of Glencoe. The operator of the smaller boat thought the other operator knew where he was going, but it was a classic case of the blind leading the blind. The 28' boat was removed the next day, but the 40' boat completely filled with sand and water and was declared a total loss. The major problem with this boat has been the delays that have occurred in removing the boat from the beach. Because of all the low water problems, all the available equipment needed for this salvage job has been tied up.

Two arrests on warrants were made.

During the month of April, two CPOs attended boating safety classes in the southern suburbs, and one CPO attended a hunter safety class in Schaumburg.

A presentation was made to the Ellington High School in Chicago, as a part of the school system's career days program. A CPO and a PCPO attended a career day program at the S.E.R. Institute in Chicago, with personnel from the Chicago Office.

District personnel participated in two Earth Day celebrations with the Conservation Police Lodge's display trailer. Two CPOs were in Bartlett in northwest Cook County, while two other CPOs attended the event at River Trails Park in Mt. Prospect.

All District personnel attended DUI/OUI refresher training in Des Plaines.

A Sergeant and Captain attended a meeting of the Southern Lake Michigan Boating Safety Coalition at U.S. Coast Guard - Station Calumet Harbor. The Coalition meets monthly to coordinate boating safety efforts on Lake Michigan in the Chicago area.

A Captain, Sergeant, and five CPOs all attended a one-day training session at the Schaumburg Police Department and received LEADS certification for use in operating mobile data computers.

A Sergeant attended the monthly meeting of the Mayors' Office of Special Events's Fishing Advisory Committee, at McKinley Park in Chicago.

SPECIAL OPERATIONS

Nearly 4% of the rainbow trout stocked in a single Region III Catchable Trout Program pond were seized in overlimit arrests in the first two days of the inland trout season by Region III CPOs and Special Operations Unit Investigators.

Investigators completed a boat title investigation of a Sportsman Club in Monroe County which had removed most HIN's from their rental boats and then tried to register them as homemade boats. Charges are pending against the Club.

An Investigator attended the U.S. EPA Training Board Meeting in E. St. Louis.

TRAINING

FTO Workshop for Recruit Class 00-17: A two-day, eight-hour workshop held at the Springfield Police Department Academy on April 12 & 13, 2000, for graduates of Recruit Class 00-17, their Step #1 FTOs, and their Field Training Sergeants; in attendance were: a Captain, a Lieutenant, five sergeants; ten CPOs and thirteen PCPOs.

Environmental Crime - Natural Resource Damage Assessments: A two-hour class held on April 4, 2000, at the Special Operations Office; instructed by Steve Davis, Denise Stoekle, and Mike Henry; this was a look at the Natural Resources Trustee Program and how to determine resource damage in an environmental crime; in attendance were: one Sergeant and four officers.

Emergency Worker Training: A two-hour refresher class held on April 18, 2000, at the Amergen Environmental Center at Clinton Lake; sponsored by IEMA, the class was taught by Tom Korty who provided an overview of the IEMA plan for response to a radiological accident/incident; in attendance were two Sergeants, two officers and one PCPO.

Eight Basic Steps to Graphoanalysis: Eight hours of training held two hours daily over a four-day period (March 31, and April 7, 14, & 21, 2000) at the Elmwood Library; sponsored by the International Graphoanalysis Society and taught by Robert Howard; this was a course designed to discover insight into how scientific hand-writing analysis reveals personality traits; attended by one officer.

Automated External Defibrillator Training: A mandatory AER three-hour course held on March 15, 2000, at the Henry County Sheriff's Department; instructed by Sergeant Steve Weaver, this course discussed: heart disease; features of the Physio Control Lifepak 500 and operation of said unit, including Trinity Hospital's Standing Medical Orders for cardiac care; included practical examination to show proficiency with the instrument; was attended by a CPO.

Juvenile Procedure Update: A three-hour class held on April 3, 2000, at the Champaign Police Department; instructed by Trooper Deanna Willner; attended by a CPO.

Defense Tactics - Region I, District #5: A 2.5-hour refresher held on April 24, 2000, at the District #5 Office; instructed by a CPO. Topics reviewed included: new use of force policy (1 hour); pressure points (1 hour); and handcuffing with search techniques (30 minutes); attended by one Sergeant, and four officers.