Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries – Enforcement Division

Louisiana's first wildlife conservation law was passed in 1857. The agency started out in 1872 as an Oyster Fishing Regulatory Board, with many more oyster regulations following in the 1880s. In 1909 a more formal body was created and given the task of overseeing wildlife and fisheries conservation in Louisiana. It was at that time called the Louisiana Board of Commissioners for the Protection of Birds, Game and Fish. In 1910, the Louisiana Oyster Commission (which had been created in 1902) merged with the Board of Commissioners to create the Louisiana Department of Conservation. In 1912, the Conservation Commission of Louisiana was formed as a department of State government, with the mission of providing for the protection of birds, fish, shellfish, wild quadrupeds, forestry and mineral resources of the state. In 1918 the name of the agency changed back to the Department of Conservation, and directed that it be controlled by an officer known as the Commissioner of Conservation, who would be appointed by the Governor, by and with the consent of the Senate, for a term of four years. In 1944, the Louisiana Department of Wild Life and Fisheries was officially created. In 1952, the agency's name was changed to the name Louisiana Wild Life and Fisheries Commission. The current Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries was created in 1975. The Enforcement Division eventually took over regulation of all hunting, fishing, and boating in the state of Louisiana. The agency employs over 200 Wildlife Agents. In 2005, the Enforcement Division was involved in extensive search and rescue missions in the New Orleans area following Hurricane Katrina. One of the Department's Agents, Sgt. Rachel Zechenelly, was named as one of Glamour Magazine's "2005 Women of the Year" for her role in rescue efforts ==Patrol areas==

The department is divided up into eight regions, with its headquarters in Baton Rouge. Each Region is divided into two or more districts. The Regions are divided as follows: • Region 1 (Minden): covers the following Parishes (Counties): Bossier, Caddo, Desoto, Bienville, Clairborne, Red River, Webster • Region 2 (Monroe): covers the Parishes of: Jackson, Lincoln, Ouachita, Union, Morehouse, East Carroll, West Carroll, Richland, Caldwell, Franklin, Madison, Tensas • Region 3 (Pineville): covers the Parishes of Winn, Grant, Rapides, Avoyelles, Natchitoches, Sabine, Vernon, LaSalle, Concordia, Catahoula. • Region 4 (Opelousas): covers the Parishes of St. Landry, Pointe Coupee, Lafayette, West Baton Rouge, St. Martin (upper half), Iberville, and Iberia. This was the old Region 6. • Region 5 (Lake Charles): covers the Parishes of Allen, Beauregard, Evangeline, Calcasieu, Cameron, Acadia, Jefferson Davis, Vermillion • Region 6 (Thibodaux): covers the Parishes of Assumption, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary, St. Martin (lower half), and Lafourche, Terrebonne, Jefferson (Grand Isle area). This was the old Region 9. • Region 7 (Baton Rouge): covers the Parishes of East Feliciana, West Feliciana, East Baton Rouge, Ascension, Tangipahoa, Livingston, St. Helena, St. Tammany and Washington. • Region 8 (New Orleans): covers the Parishes of Jefferson, Orleans, St. Charles, Plaquemines and St. Bernard In 2010, the old Region 4 office located in Ferriday was disbanded. The parishes under its control were divided between Region 2 and Region 3, and redistributed as shown above. The Region offices numbers were also redistributed, mainly affecting the redesignation of the Opelousas and Thibodaux offices. The old Region 4 covered the following parishes: Lasalle, Concordia, Catahoula, Caldwell, Franklin, Madison, and Tensas. ==Rank structure==

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Enforcement Division rank structure is as listed: ==Duty weapons==

The current standard issue firearm for wildlife enforcement agents is the SIG Sauer semi-automatic pistol in .45 ACP. Each agent is also issued a Remington 870 Police 12 gauge shotgun. Agents are also issued (since Hurricane Katrina) SIG SG 551 carbines chambered for .223 Remington. These agents also come equipped with collapsible batons and pepper spray. ==Patrol vehicles==

Louisiana Wildlife agents patrol in a wide variety of vehicles. The main patrol vehicles are four-wheel-drive pick-up trucks made by Ford, Dodge, or General Motors. The Ford Crown Victoria "Police Interceptor." is also used in some roles. A wide variety of watercraft are employed by the agency, most notably the Boston Whaler. Several different manufacturers' 4-wheeler ATVs are also used. The Enforcement Division also utilizes several single engine fixed winged aircraft, as well as several large offshore patrol boats. ==Special units==

Like many other police agencies around the United States, LDWF has several sub-divisions in specialized tasks. LDWF/LED contains four specialized units with selected missions or purposes: the Special Operations Section; the Statewide Strike Force; the Maritime Special Response Team; and the Aviation Section. Agents in specialized units have developed specific skills, expertise and knowledge appropriate for their particular operational fields. Agents in specialized units operate in relatively broad geographic areas and may work alongside regional enforcement agents when appropriate. The Special Operations Section houses covert operations in which undercover agents work to stem the illegal sale of fish and wildlife, develop information about ongoing criminal enterprises, and address major violations of state and federal law. The Statewide Strike Force is assigned to work problem areas statewide. They devote attention to commercial fisheries operations and license fraud. Violations include smuggling, interstate commerce violations and false reporting, and under-reporting of commercial fish harvests. These agents provide regions with additional manpower on WMAs and places of high seasonal utilization, such as Grand Isle and other locations throughout the state. Strike Force agents also assist regional agents with oyster harvest enforcement, which primarily addresses harvesting oysters in closed waters, stealing from oyster leases and state grounds, and oyster size regulations. The Maritime Special Response Team cooperative endeavor by the LDWF Enforcement Division and the Louisiana State Police SWAT team addresses maritime security threats within the state of Louisiana. The team provides a maritime tactical response capability at the state level in order to effectively provide public safety, officer safety, CBRNE prevention, and response and tactical support for LDWF's federal, state and local partners. The Aviation Section contains two pilots and three airplanes. The Aviation Section's aircraft provide a valuable platform for detecting illegal hunting and fishing activities and frequently play a vital life-saving role in search and rescue operations. The Aviation Section also contributes its services to other divisions for biological missions, such as waterfowl counts and the monitoring of commercial fisheries. ==Privacy rights==

Louisiana enforcement officers, as well as federal officers, operate under a United States Supreme Court ruling from the prohibition era (1920 to 1933), known as the "Open Field Doctrine" from Hester v. United States, 265 U.S. 57 (1924). Since then the courts have ruled it does not matter if land is fenced, Stark v. United States, 44 F.2d 946 (8th Cir. 1930), Janney v. United States, 206 F.2d 601 (4th Cir. 1953), or if there are no trespassing signs, McDowell v. United States, 383 F.2d 599 (8th Cir. 1967) as long as the curtilage of the home is not invaded, Wattenburg v. United States, 388 F.2d 853 (9th Cir. 1968) and United States v. Davis, 423 F.2d 974 (5th Cir. 1970). Evidence discovered does not have to be in plain view, "Care v. United States", 231 F.2d 22 (10th Cir. 1956). The practice is being challenged by the Institute for Justice and Tom Manuel in light of the Louisiana Constitution of 1974 and the "Criminal trespass" law. The claim is whether land is considered property and whether the legality of warrantless, permissionless searches is unconstitutional on private property The case is based on the Louisiana Constitution of 1974, Article I, Section 5, Right to Privacy: "Every person shall be secure in his person, property, communications, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches, seizures, or invasions of privacy. No warrant shall issue without probable cause supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, the persons or things to be seized, and the lawful purpose or reason for the search. Any person adversely affected by a search or seizure conducted in violation of this Section shall have standing to raise its illegality in the appropriate court." Many states give broad powers to fish and wildlife officers. Some states limit warrantless searches to reasonable suspicion or probable cause of a crime. States have enacted privacy legislation: Mississippi, Montana, New York, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington have rejected the "Open Field" Doctrine. Pennsylvania has sided with the Open Field Doctrine, but this is being challenged. ==Fallen officers==

Since its formation, 11 Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agents have been killed in the line of duty. ==See also==