Unprofessional FWC Officers Abound

This was the beginning of the downfall of FMP/FWC "Law" Enforcement to many of us.

Above is a picture of an ex-FMP (Now FWC) Officer that posed with an allegedly net killed dolphin. This picture started the destruction of the lives of honest citizens in net fishing industry. But there's endless problems with this picture. (Beyond what is mentioned below.)

An Ex-Sheriff's Marine Unit Supervisor has testified before the commission that...

A ...This photo and the act portrayed by this currently employed FWC officer is fraudulent.

B ...He had the exact same dolphin towed offshore the day before this photo was taken.

C ...The dolphin was killed by a powerboat prop gash to it's snout.

D. ...He received an anonymous call very early in the morning to go to this area because, "something was up." He found this officer towing the dolphin back offshore.

Discussions with the photographers, Florida Sportsman's Chief and the now FWC officer in the photo reveal three completely different stories. It's hard to say this, but I believe Karl Wickstrom of Florida Sportsman Magazine's version of this attrocity. The Ex-S. O. Marine Unit Supervisor offered to take a lie detector test... And the FWC Officer??? He has never been taken to task.

Nearly every commercial fisherman I have met since the FWC took over management of the resources have been abused in some manner by FWC officers.

Let me preface this posting by stating what I feel to be four additional relevant bits of information.

1. There are several fine, professional officers working for the FWC.

2. With over 2,500 detainments of lawbreakers in my background without a single false arrest or abuse claim, I KNOW the difference between a good arrest, false arrest and abuse.

3. Several police agencies actively recruited me to work for them during my lifetime.

4. I am currently working in conjunction with a police agency at this time.

How is it the FWC Officers are so out of Control?

I've experienced the FWC's abuse personally. I feel that the following points are contributing factors connected to why many of the FWC Officers are out of control and abusive to citizens.

1. Their agency's refusal to adopt "adequate due process" as required in Article X, Section 16 of the Florida Constitution.

2. Their agency's ignoring of US Constitution protections.

3. Their agency's "autonomy," (lack of accountability) which seems to have empowered the FWC and their officers to be corrupt, abusive to the citizens, and ignore citizens rights that are SUPPOSED to be protected by the laws and constitutions. "Absolute power corrupts absolutely."

4. The lack of "Equal Protection of the LAW" for those who are forced to live under the FWC's rule has encouraged many FWC officers to pursue their own prejudices and agendas.

5. The inability for the citizen that lives under FWC rule to go to his elected lawmaker or the courts to challenge FWC rules that are insane, illogical or devastating to the environment, economy and/or citizens.

A. The Legislature cannot make rules the FWC
doesn't want.

B. The FWC tells the courts that they cannot
question FWC "wisdom" no matter how absurd.

6. The FWC's written, declared policy that they will RULE citizens by "politics" until the courts force them to do otherwise, has influenced officers to pursue their own political ideologies when considering whether or not to harass and/or arrest citizens.

7. Last, but not least, the (overall) poor training, lawless leadership and low quality recruits have deeply contributed to the lack of professionalism by FWC officers.

Here are a couple of examples of letters I receive every month...

Letter #1

FFF,

I'm amazed to find others (those in the FFF) that have experienced misfortunes and violations by the FWC like I have just experienced this month.

I'm an 8 year disabled veteran of the military and have served my country across the globe. I have been separated from the military for 2 years. I love the outdoors and have grown up in Florida.

I have been stopped twice this month (2009) by the FWC and am sickened by their ignorance and abuse of power. I cannot go too far into my stories in this emailing, but I was completely innocent and felt I was robbed of my freedoms on U.S. soil by FWC officers. I felt I was back in Mexico, where I once had an experience with out of control Federales abusing their powers.

I have raised a red flag up and down the ranks of the FWC, from the IG down to the local LT. I have found those that retain their morals, ethics, and integrity, but have found even more that follow the "corrupt culture" of their organization.

This message is typed out of outrage and disbelief we (Floridians) are becoming innocent victims, having our lives disrupted and rattled by rouge FWC officers, field offices, and headquarter personnel.

They have beaten this hornets nest too long, and too hard, and we have to counter their practices by alerting those that have the ability to make changes statewide. Our country is headed down an unrecognizable path, but it seems the corruption has already begun close to home against those that were raised God-fearing, hunting, fishing, and that genuinely value the beautiful resources God has blessed us with.

I am more than happy to meet with the FFF and volunteer my knowledge and ability to help end the stench that has been given the responsibility of protecting our people, resources, and future as sportsmen/women in Florida.

Be it known that I highly respect those officers in the FWC that practice restraint, have outstanding integrity, utilize common sense, and wish to uphold the oaths of the Florida Constitution. They risk their lives everyday and people like me, my family, and friends pray for their safety each day. Unfortunately, there are officers out there that follow their own broken moral compass, and give all other officers a bad reputation. I challenge them to end the nonsense when confronted with it. They are on the front lines of bestowing pride on the FWC.

My attorney requests I do not jump too far into my experiences across external channels, as it could impact my case against the FWC.

I do plan on sharing my cases with you in great detail to further protect citizens of our state.

One method I have found very useful in reporting FWC violations is to obtain Name, Rank, Position, and Telephone Numbers for all regional officers in specific areas under supervision of the FWC. Compile and print these lists online and in fliers to hand out at local sportsmen and airboat association meetings. These officers need to know, just as our legislators, that we are monitoring their behavior and we know their names and supervisors names. Soon I will help fill in contact lists of "key" contacts up and down the FWC ranks. Think of it as contacting your congressman, representative, or senator if issues arise that defy your values as Americans. The more violations (of the FWC) that are reported at all levels, the better our chances are of getting sufficient resolution. Don't limit yourself to just FWC channels. Contact local sporting newspapers, regular newspapers, cable news channels, etc.

Call if there's anything I can do to help out.

FFFSOUTH@aol.com

Letter #2

Hello,

I just located your website in doing research for my husband, who is a commercial fisherman out of Cortez, Florida. He was recently boarded by a FWC officer 86 miles offshore. The officer unloaded 1700 pounds of fish and placed them in a non-iced container for approximately 4 hours. He then cited him with 72 undersized grouper, and cited him for belly meat on the bandit which was left over lunch. The officer XXX XXXXX made him pull in 800 hooks, none of which had illegal bait on them and advised him the bat ray wing tip (bait) was a shark fin.

When arriving at the fish house to meet the governmental FWC and NOAA agents, I was stopped by a perfect stranger in the parking lot and advised that he heard one of the FWC agents state, when they got out of their truck, "How many we gonna make short today?"


We then went in to meet the NOAA agents (2) four cocky FWC agents and two coast guard agents. The fish were unloaded and 69 fish were deemed short. We were refused to watch the mearsuring and refused to allow picture taken. After they were done we were told we could remeasure all fish in question. That changed real quick. The head NOAA agent placed approx 30 fish and we were told to pick the shortest one and measure that. It was 19 15/16. I got one picture and was physically shoved to the side and was told that there would be no more measuring and no more pictures. She was in a hurry and had spent enough time on this. That was at 10:30 a.m., we started at 8:30 a.m., but she remained until 3:00 p.m. grilling the two deckhands with FWC officers. The deckhands advised that they tried to put words in their mouths to make untruthful statements. We have only began our fight, in that their list showed the 69 fish to be 19 7/8 inches, even though they measured them by smashing top and bottom lips against the mearsure board, even though their own website shows the top lip not touching the measuring board.

We would like to join forces, if commercial and recreational could work together we could effect more changes. Please send information regarding your organization.

I have just read some of your horror stories and am amazed at the unaccountability of the FWC.

Thank you.