Law Enforcement

The importance of law enforcement officers goes beyond the direct results of law enforcement. Natural resource and wildlife law enforcement officers are some of the most visible and recognizable individuals of natural resource agencies and organizations, and the image of the entire agency or organization can be affected by the activities of law enforcement personnel. Public perceptions of these individuals are often a crucial indicator of public perceptions of the agency or organization itself. The image of the entire agency or organization is often affected by the activities of law enforcement personnel. The public accepts, and in fact expects, strong law enforcement and strong laws regulating natural resources and outdoor recreation. Understanding public opinion on and attitudes toward issues related to law enforcement can help all types of agencies and organizations—including state fish and wildlife agencies, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, state parks, boating agencies and others—provide the most effective protection and enforcement of the nation’s natural resource laws and policies.

Studies from several states indicate that the general population, hunters, and anglers hold wildlife law enforcement officers in very high regard. Overall, officers are considered professional, friendly, courteous, and knowledgeable. For example, research conducted by Responsive Management found that 93% of residents of Idaho who had contact with an officer in the past 5 years agreed that the typical law enforcement officer was professional. In Delaware, 94% of residents who had contact with an officer agreed that the typical law enforcement officer was professional. In Colorado, 96% of residents who had contact with an officer agreed that the law enforcement officer with whom they came in contact was professional. Overwhelmingly, residents, sportsmen, and landowners in Georgia who had contact with a law enforcement officer said the contact was positive and that they were treated fairly. Generally speaking, law enforcement officers are given extremely high ratings for their conduct. Given the nature of law enforcement officers’ responsibilities—enforcement of laws—these ratings are even more impressive.

People who have the most contact with law enforcement officers, which are generally hunters and anglers, hold officers in the highest regard. As supported by a Colorado law enforcement study, Colorado hunters and anglers gave higher ratings to the Division’s overall law enforcement efforts than did the general public. Hunters gave higher ratings to the Division’s efforts at enforcing hunting laws than did anglers or the general population. Similarly, anglers gave higher ratings to the Division’s efforts at enforcing fishing laws than did hunters or the general population. Overall, the more familiar someone was with the Division’s wildlife law enforcement efforts, the higher they ranked those efforts.

In an extensive study of Colorado Wildlife Officers, in general, Colorado hunters, anglers, and residents felt that all of the duties of the Division’s Wildlife Officers were important. However, there was a general pattern in those duties that the general population felt were most important. In general, enforcement efforts that focused on activities that were perceived to have a direct negative impact on wildlife were considered the most important, while efforts that focused on the behavior of people that were one step removed from a direct negative impact on wildlife, such as trespassing, were less important.

Over the past three decades, Responsive Management has conducted numerous studies for state fish and wildlife agencies and other entities examining law enforcement issues pertaining to hunting, fishing, boating, ATV use, and other activities. Some of our latest law enforcement research studies include the following: