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Written by Hunters Alert
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Sunday, 15 October 2006 |
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HUNTER’S ALERT has been critical of the Wildlife Commission and for good reasons. However, a little praise could be in order for one of the current members. Commissioner Jim Jeffress is working on a proposal to shift NDOW’s law enforcement to the Department of Public Safety. Here are some of Commissioner Jeffress’ findings:
Alaska, the last state in the union with a largest fish/wildlife resource of any state, opted to structure their wildlife law enforcement after the state of Oregon. That is, they are part of the Department of Public Safety. In talking with each state they are very pleased with that structure and think they are effective in their roles. Another benefit, Alaska general fund pays 100% of the program while Oregon sportsmen pay only 45% of the wildlife enforcement program. Present to the legislature a proposal that the state adopt this recommendation and absorb the cost of the program. The sportsman cannot continue to pay for this program and its ever-expanding job role, as the activities of program serve all the residents of the state. Additional Benefits: - Wildlife L.E. would be housed in a larger department with more resources, training opportunities, officer support, and pay equability.
- Restructuring to save program dollars would help offset additional license fee increases. The general public supports law enforcement and might very well see this as consolidation of all state L.E. efforts.
- Place the primary emphasis of NDOW on fish/wildlife resource management.
- Avoid pay disparity and associated problems among wardens, biologists, and other employees.
HUNTER’S ALERT believes this is a good idea but why did it take such a proposal so long to even be discussed? Let’s answer that question. The Wildlife commissioners did not have the guts to discuss it while Terry Crawforth was the director of NDOW. They wimped out when it came to standing up against Terry. Terry spent almost as much money on law enforcement which produces no revenue as he did on the Game Division. Terry Crawforth’s priorities were wrong and sportsmen have been seriously damaged by his actions and the failure of the Wildlife Commission to stand up to him.
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