The legislature recognizes that there are large areas of this state owned or controlled by the U.S. government. In order to co-operate with the various federal agencies responsible for these areas and to effectively enforce the rules and regulations protecting these areas, the Legislature hereby authorizes the Director to make such rules and regulations as may be necessary to cooperate with the various federal agencies in all enforcement activities. These rules and regulations shall be issued in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act in accordance with Chapter twenty-one of this Code. To the extent that the rules and regulations issued by the Director are identical to existing federal rules and regulations, they may be published without the procedures required by the Administrative Procedure Act, except that the enactment of such regulations must be made public and filed with the Office of the Secretary of State. Home to the state`s oldest law enforcement agency serving West Virginia citizens since February 1897. The Department of Law Enforcement is primarily responsible for enforcing hunting and fishing laws and rules. Section officers conduct an ongoing hunter education and boating safety education program and enforce laws regarding trash, forestry, state parks, environment/solid waste, boating, and whitewater rafting. Natural resources police officers in West Virginia also conduct search and rescue operations, assist in the recovery of natural or man-made disasters, and even work undercover to apprehend wildlife offenders. This poses significant challenges for West Virginia police officers. Not only must these officers be highly skilled in law enforcement and rescue techniques, but they must also be knowledgeable about West Virginia`s ecology and natural habitats. As a result, the Department of Natural Resources is setting a very high bar for those it hires as natural resource police officers.
The Attorney General and his deputies, as well as the attorneys of the various districts, shall furnish to the Director, without additional remuneration, such legal services as the Director may require of them in the exercise of his functions and in the exercise of the powers conferred on him by the provisions of this chapter. The Director may, in urgent cases and with the prior approval of the Attorney General, designate counsel to act in proceedings in which criminal charges are laid against employees of the division for acts performed in the performance of their duties. In all cases, the Director may spend a reasonable amount of up to $2,500 on legal services. Colonel Bobby L. CalesChief of Police SectionDNR.lawenforcement@wv.gov portions of wildlife and law enforcement are hereby maintained within the Natural Resources Division. Subject to law, the Director of the Department of Natural Resources shall assign the functions and services of the Division to sections, offices and activities and may, from time to time, establish and abolish other sections, offices and activities within the Division in order to fully and properly exercise those powers. Functions and responsibilities of the Office as Director. The Director shall elect and appoint a competent and qualified person to head each section. The head is the head of the administration of this department and is responsible for the correct and efficient execution of the tasks, functions and services of this department.
The Director shall elect and appoint a competent and qualified person to the post of Chief of the Natural Resources Police, who shall bear the title of Colonel and shall be responsible for the prompt, orderly and effective implementation of all the provisions of this Chapter. Under the authority of the Director and subject to such other qualifications and personnel requirements as may otherwise be prescribed in this Chapter, the Chief of the Natural Resources Police shall be responsible for the selection, training, assignment, allocation and discipline of natural resource police officers and for the effective performance of their duties in the implementation of policies, the Division`s law enforcement practices and programs in accordance with the provisions of section seven of this chapter. other control laws. Except as otherwise provided in this Chapter, natural resource police officers have the power to enter and enter private property and waters to investigate complaints and reports of conditions, conduct, practices and activities found to be contrary or contrary to the provisions of this Chapter and to execute and make orders and warrants. A Department of Natural Resources, the Office of the Director of the Department of Natural Resources and a Natural Resources Commission shall be established and established within the State Government with jurisdiction, powers, functions, services and enforcement procedures provided for by law in this Chapter and elsewhere. (31) Promulgation of rules in accordance with the provisions of §§ 29A-1-1 et seq. implement and give effect to this Code the powers and duties conferred upon it by the provisions of this Chapter and take such other measures as it deems necessary for the correct and effective application of the provisions of this Chapter; “Non-resident” means any person who is a citizen of the United States and who has not resided in the State of West Virginia for a period of thirty consecutive days immediately preceding the date of application for a license or authorization, except full-time students of a college or university in that state. although he or she pays a foreign contribution. “Bag limit” or “Gaster limit” means the maximum number of wildlife that may be caught, captured, killed or possessed by a person. “Big game” means moose, deer, black bear, wild boar and wild turkey. (c) The members of the Commission shall be citizens and residents of the State and shall be chosen with particular regard to its interest in the conservation of the natural resources of the State.
No member of the Commission may run for public office or hold public office other than that of a member of the Commission; Nor can he belong to a committee of a political party. If a member is a candidate for public office or a committee of a political party or accepts the appointment, his or her office as a member of the Commission shall become vacant forthwith. The Director of the Department of Natural Resources may make recommendations to the Governor for the appointment of Commissioners. (6) keep minutes of the current or special operations of each meeting, which are public documents and filed with the director; and Wildlife Resources/Law Enforcement480 Forks of Coal WayAlum Creek, WV 25003(304) 756-1023(a)(1) The legislature notes that acquiring land for the construction of new state parks and state forests or expanding existing state parks and state forests is costly. Once these areas are built, they must be maintained and personnel must be deployed to operate the facilities. These costs continue to rise and weigh on government revenues. “roadside menagerie” means any place of business, other than a commercial game farm, commercial fish sanctuary, place or pond where wild birds, wild birds, unprotected birds, wild animals or furbearing animals are locked up for commercial purposes to attract and entertain people. West Virginia Natural Resources has four main divisions: Wildlife Resources/Law Enforcement2006 Robert C.
Byrd DriveBeckley, WV 25801 (304) 256-6945 / (304) 256-6947. The Director shall elect and appoint a competent and qualified person as staff officer of the service responsible for personnel management, personnel files and general staff services. The Human Resources Officer, under the supervision of the Director and subject to the rules, regulations and requirements of the benefits system, prescribes the qualifications, grades and salary scales of the staff of the Department. It provides the Director with information and data on the qualified staff available for the various offices, posts and duty stations and may make recommendations for the selection, retention and promotion of staff of the Division. (10) enter private property to conduct surveys or inspections for conservation purposes, investigate violations of the provisions of this chapter, serve and execute arrest warrants and procedures, make arrests and otherwise effectively enforce the provisions of this chapter; “Fishing” or “fishing” means the capture of fish, minnows, frogs or other amphibians, aquatic turtles and other aquatic life used as fishing bait by any means. (20) require any person licensed or authorized in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter to submit such reports as he considers necessary, but no person shall be required to disclose secret transactions or confidential data of competitive significance; Wildlife Resources/Law Enforcement163 Wildlife RoadFrench Creek, WV 26218(304) 924-6211. Mark C. CollinsChief, Administration SectionMark.C.Collins@wv.gov (26) In his office at all times, duly indexed by subject and also in chronological order, all rules enacted or enacted under the authority of this chapter.