OPERATION CODY- An undercover investigation into WA's commercial poaching

[idahohuntr]

I know some officers don't like his mindset which is something along the lines of everyone is doing something wrong, it's your job to figure it out.

That is the exact mentality I loathe, and several times I've witnessed that attitude turn good folks into folks who would NEVER, under any circumstance, ever help or support a warden in any way.  Wardens with that attitude should be fired immediately.

[ucwarden]

UC, the department just hired a new officer for Pacific Co.  and he was told that he has to live in the Raymond- South Bend area. I have met this new officer and so far he seems like a great guy. This officer has already made an Impact on some poaching that has been going on in the north end of the county, this is just amazing that he has a living requirement but yet the bosses don't. I had a good friend that was a Sgt. out of the region 6 office and he said he could't drink Cenci's koolaid anymore and retired. I have delt with quite of wildlife officers and he seemed to be very dedicated to doing his job for WDFW.

I am very happy you like/respect the new officer.

[ucwarden]

Isn't Wecker's husband retired USFWS?

I have no idea.....sorry

[ucwarden]

Captains work out of regional offices, and there has always been a geographic boundary (captains have to live within 30 or 35 miles of the office, so as to save time and money in commuting from home in their state vehicle), but for the first time I have ever heard of, they dropped the geographic boundary for the region 6 captain job.  Chadwick lives over 60 miles from the office (next door to Cenci).

Probably not enforceable, and they realized it.

Actually quite enforceable or at least they can require taxable benefit on the miles driven beyond the "norm"

I respect everyone's right to express their opinions, but I strongly disagree with Knocker of rocks, when he said the geographic restrictions were probably dropped because they realized the boundaries are "probably not enforceable".  That comment would suggest that WDFW just suddenly came to a realization that their decades old policy, of requiring law enforcement officers to actually live near their assigned area, was unnecessary.  The policy is necessary; even if WDFW allowed commissioned staff to drive their own personal vehicles from home to the boundary of their assigned area (where they could then jump into a state vehicle for the remainder of the day), the response time to an event could be multiple hours.  That is not to mention that another reason for having commissioned staff live in a local area, is so they learn what the issues are in that area, and meet the people.

This change was obviously (to myself and most WDFW officers) made so they could promote the person they want to promote.

[ucwarden]

Here is a letter to the editor, which just appeared in the Chinook Observer:


www.chinookobserver.com/co/letters/20141223/letters-to-the-editor

Writer says change is needed in WDFW

WDFW Director Phil Anderson is retiring this month, December 2014. Why is that important? Think of those jockeying for coveted moves up the promotion ladder.

My best guess is the current WDFW Deputy Chief Mike Cenci and his inner sanctum of cohorts are already planning their move. Who are these people in Deputy Chief Mike Cenci’s circle? The litmus test is which ones are embracing the Mike Cenci way of doing business.

Do you want business as usual at WDFW headquarters? I don’t. I am weary of the bullying, intimidation and harassment tactics employed by this bunch. I am alarmed at the spin Cenci puts on events.

An example is the book “Operation Cody” by Todd Vandivert. Read that book, then read Cenci’s take on that two-year period of investigation of wildlife traffickers in Washington state. The book tells how Cenci went on live TV the morning warrants were being served and announced to all listeners that warrants were in motion. This information put all law enforcement officers at risk that day and warned the traffickers of pending warrants and arrests giving them time to lawyer up and destroy evidence. The fact that Cenci kept his job speaks volumes about the impotence of his superiors.

I have reported wrongdoing committed by WDFW officers through the years not knowing of this inner circle bond within WDFW administration. I was naïve believing reporting to WDFW headquarters was the way to go. Since then I have realized it is best to bypass them so a reported infraction will see the light of day and not a trashcan. Also it would hopefully reduce the risk of retaliation. There is that risk. Believe me, I know. However, if enough people report wrongdoing, that collective statement could make a difference instead of being picked off one by one.

Now is the time to bring those infractions to the light. Contact Sen. Kirk Pearson, kirkpearson@leg.wa.gov. 115-D Newhouse Bldg., P.O. Box 40439, Olympia, WA 98501-0439. 360-786-7676 or 800-562-6000; the WDFW Commission, 600 Capitol Way, N., Olympia, WA 98501-1091, commission@dfw.wa.gov. 360-902-2267. Fax 360-902-2448; and Gov. Jay Inslee, P.O. Box 40002, Olympia, WA 98504-0802. 360-902-4111, Fax 360-753-4110.

We need honest, professional WDFW officers running headquarters. We need this to repair the damage done by current and previous impotent administrators whose ego, power plays and self-preservation led to such dysfunction in WDFW.

Bring back those good officers run out by this pack. Rehire, promote those officers that would end the slaughter of our fish and wildlife resources. We need those men and women officers who would be good stewards of WDFW. We deserve this.

Carolyn A. Crawford



Naselle



 

 

[Encore 280]

My wife got me the book for Christmas and I read it this weekend while we were at the beach clam digging. I told friends that were there with us about it and he downloaded it on his iPad and read it also. We both thoroughly enjoyed it and got depressed and pissed off at the same time. All I can say is Cenci and the higher ups must keep their knee pads (promotion devices) in their desk drawers! Those yaehoos draw a vacuum to say the least!!! I couldn't believe that morons actions telling the media what was going down before it happened!! That guy is a complete idiot! Jeeze I'm so mad all over again now that I'm shaking!! Ok cool off, take a few deep breathes. I thought all the video was going to be lost when the guy backed into your truck to unload an animal and I didn't think you'd find out until it was too late, whew! What was the warden thinking that was supposed to be keeping track of the videos and stuff, jeeze!! He needs a boot up his a$$!! It woulda been so cool if you coulda done a Dirty Harry to Cenci in the end and busted his jaw in front of all the media cameras. :chuckle:but this isn't Hollywood.  Anyway excellent job on the book and for your's and your partner's  efforts to take these jerks down. I hope you can find time to enjoy your retirement and take it easy. Abalone? C'mon Man gimme a break!!!! I hope these people aren't breeding and passing the genes along. I gotta quit. Sorry for the rant.

[ucwarden]

My wife got me the book for Christmas and I read it this weekend while we were at the beach clam digging. I told friends that were there with us about it and he downloaded it on his iPad and read it also. We both thoroughly enjoyed it and got depressed and pissed off at the same time. All I can say is Cenci and the higher ups must keep their knee pads (promotion devices) in their desk drawers! Those yaehoos draw a vacuum to say the least!!! I couldn't believe that morons actions telling the media what was going down before it happened!! That guy is a complete idiot! Jeeze I'm so mad all over again now that I'm shaking!! Ok cool off, take a few deep breathes. I thought all the video was going to be lost when the guy backed into your truck to unload an animal and I didn't think you'd find out until it was too late, whew! What was the warden thinking that was supposed to be keeping track of the videos and stuff, jeeze!! He needs a boot up his a$$!! It woulda been so cool if you coulda done a Dirty Harry to Cenci in the end and busted his jaw in front of all the media cameras. :chuckle:but this isn't Hollywood.  Anyway excellent job on the book and for your's and your partner's  efforts to take these jerks down. I hope you can find time to enjoy your retirement and take it easy. Abalone? C'mon Man gimme a break!!!! I hope these people aren't breeding and passing the genes along. I gotta quit. Sorry for the rant.

Unfortunately they do seem to breed and there is a whole office of like-minded administrators in Olympia.  I just got a phone call telling me that two more outstanding WDFW officers have resigned this week.

Thanks for your comments and I too very much hope things change soon, before we lose all the good officers.

[bigtex]

UC,

In your opinion how many WDFW Officers have resigned or retired earlier then they had planned simply because of the current situation in WDFW Enforcement HQ?

[ucwarden]

UC,

In your opinion how many WDFW Officers have resigned or retired earlier then they had planned simply because of the current situation in WDFW Enforcement HQ?

Nine so far, mostly sergeants

[Pinetar]

Nine? Well that doesn't sound good. And they were probably the good ones?

Now we will end up with a bunch of game wardens that don't hunt and probably won't even know how to check and handle our guns. Which, I have already run into.

[Remnar]

My wife got me the book for Christmas and I read it this weekend while we were at the beach clam digging. I told friends that were there with us about it and he downloaded it on his iPad and read it also. We both thoroughly enjoyed it and got depressed and pissed off at the same time. All I can say is Cenci and the higher ups must keep their knee pads (promotion devices) in their desk drawers! Those yaehoos draw a vacuum to say the least!!! I couldn't believe that morons actions telling the media what was going down before it happened!! That guy is a complete idiot! Jeeze I'm so mad all over again now that I'm shaking!! Ok cool off, take a few deep breathes. I thought all the video was going to be lost when the guy backed into your truck to unload an animal and I didn't think you'd find out until it was too late, whew! What was the warden thinking that was supposed to be keeping track of the videos and stuff, jeeze!! He needs a boot up his a$$!! It woulda been so cool if you coulda done a Dirty Harry to Cenci in the end and busted his jaw in front of all the media cameras. :chuckle:but this isn't Hollywood.  Anyway excellent job on the book and for your's and your partner's  efforts to take these jerks down. I hope you can find time to enjoy your retirement and take it easy. Abalone? C'mon Man gimme a break!!!! I hope these people aren't breeding and passing the genes along. I gotta quit. Sorry for the rant.

 SPOILER ALERT ! 

[ucwarden]

Nine? Well that doesn't sound good. And they were probably the good ones?

Now we will end up with a bunch of game wardens that don't hunt and probably won't even know how to check and handle our guns. Which, I have already run into.

I actually stand corrected; it has been 10.  That is about 10% of the field officers and a lot of experience out the door, but don't give up we still have some great officers out there.

[idahohuntr]

UC - Now might be a good time to send Unsworth a letter, including signatures of those 10 officers, highlighting the low officer morale/lack of leadership etc. if you haven't already.  I doubt Idaho has ever experienced that kind of turnover and that in itself should be a red flag to Jim.  Don't rehash all the old laundry...just highlight there are very significant problems that need to be addressed.  Plant the seed so that as he transitions he can be aware of issues that maybe he will be able to fix in his tenure. 

[Special T]

 
Great suggestion

[ucwarden]

http://www.tvw.org/index.php?option=com_tvwplayer&eventID=2015011030

Start the video at the 18:00 minute mark.  This is my testimony, from yesterday's hearing of the Senate Natural Resources Committee.