MSP (or other police agencies in Michigan) and game laws

I was a Detroit cop for 25 years and we had the authority to issue tickets for no fishing license and various other game and fish violations. Never issued any tickets but would always joke with the guys fishing the Detroit River from the bank. I worked Palmer Park(12th Precinct) W. 7mile/Woodward and there was a pond in the park with fish in it(Carp/Sunfish) and the residents would fish it without a fishing license. I would ask them for a license and when they couldn't produce 1 I would tell them to give me their fishing pole and then proceed to show them how to catch the carp. I would buy popcorn from the concession stand near the park and chum the pond with the popcorn and then put popcorn on the hook and proceed to catch carp impressing the locals...lol Had a complaint 1 time of a guy catching pigeons and putting them in a sack. Asked the guy what he planned to do with the pigeons..told me he was going to eat them. Told him I didn't think so and made him let the birds go. Also caught a guy hunting squirrels with a 22 in the woods in the park..locked him up and then caught a guy shooting racoons at night and locked him up. So local police have the authority to enforce fish and game laws.

 

Michigan Constitution give the legal definition of a peace officer. It includes troopers, deputies and conservation officers in that definition. They all have authority to enforce any state law. Every state is different and some do have differences in authority for different police officers.

 

I had friends that ate pigeons and liked em.

Those gys worked in the construction trades and usually got laid off by Christmas and
they fed their families anyway they could, pigeons, snared rabbits, muskrats and other stuff that crawled or swam.

 

I have a friend who is a county sheriff and a distant relative who is a retired state trooper. I have asked both this question in the past. Both said they can legally enforce game violations but their management prefers they do not. Their reasoning is paperwork. They are not as familiar with the specifics of game laws as a CO. Their management would prefer if they come across a game vioaltion in their daily job they contact the local CO. For instance they may go to a domestic dispute and find untagged deer hanging on the property. They would call the local CO and let him deal with it. If he isnt available they would take pics and send pictures maybe. The CO would be a better candidate to prepare a solid case for the prosecutor.

That was the answer I was given.

 

Yes, there are many "specialties". The state has numerous badge carrying investigators who are certified "peace officers" working in the various branches of the state.

 

I would think in most cases a local law enforcement officer would just take information and hand it over to a C.O. to investigate..like it was said above they more than likely do not know the laws for fish and game well enough.

 

Interesting thread. I've only been asked for my fishing license twice. Both times it was a young local cop walking around a park

 

All state peace officers can enforce game laws.


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Actually, I think that's legal. lol

 

Not to get off track, but it is along the same lines. I know a guy who was fishing in the Platte River and yes he was above the 300' mark at the time. The weir was closed so he shouldn't have been in there I'll grant you that. But here's where it gets a little weird, the guy got a ticket for fishing illegally, by a National Park Forest Ranger. I just sorta looked at the guy and thought that was kinda weird. Do these rangers have that authority? I'm just wondering how a federal employee can start dictating state rules and regs. Not condoning what the guy did, I'm just wondering if that isn't a bit of an over reach by the ranger.