Citizens can learn to help prevent poaching at Sept. 14 training session in Bellingham

ARCHIVED NEWS RELEASE
This document is provided for archival purposes only. Archived documents do not reflect current WDFW regulations or policy and may contain factual inaccuracies.

News release Sept. 9, 2005

Rich Mann, (360) 902-2923

OLYMPIA - Citizens who are interested in helping prevent poaching of the Washington state's fish and wildlife resources are invited to attend a two-hour training session in Bellingham later this month.

The Crime Observation and Reporting Training (CORT) class is scheduled from 7-9 p.m. Sept. 14 at the C Street Fish Hatchery in Bellingham and is sponsored by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the Eyes in the Woods Association, a citizen volunteer group.

The class is one of more than 30 sessions scheduled throughout the state this year to train and certify citizens as non-confrontational witnesses in fish and wildlife enforcement efforts.

"Our goal is to create a network of citizens trained in identifying, documenting and reporting crimes against natural resources," said Lt. Richard Mann of WDFW's Enforcement Program. "While no one but a certified law-enforcement officer should ever approach a suspect, our agency often relies on citizens' help in making a case."

More information on the Bellingham training session is available by contacting Earl Steele, Eyes in the Woods class coordinator, at (360) 715-8352, or via e-mail at esteele@btc.ctc.edu. For a list of other CORT training sessions, see page 25 of WDFW's Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules guide at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/huntregs2005.pdf (PDF) on the Internet.

Request this information in an alternative format or language at wdfw.wa.gov/accessibility/requests-accommodation, 833-885-1012, TTY (711), or CivilRightsTeam@dfw.wa.gov.