The Ohio Division of Wildlife has now put in stone what has been implied regarding state wildlife officers assisting non-residents to acquire resident hunting and fishing licenses.
Policy Number 51 - called the “License Purchase Policy” - spells out “guidelines” that Wildlife Division employees are to use in order “to assist in the purchasing of licenses or permits.”
These guidelines come in the form of four prohibitions and as approved Dec. 12 by newly installed Wildlife Division chief, Scott Zody.
“It just reinforces what we’ve said in the past,” said Laura Jones, spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
The Ohio Division of Wildlife has now put in stone what has been implied regarding state wildlife officers assisting non-residents to acquire resident hunting and fishing licenses.
Policy Number 51 - called the “License Purchase Policy” - spells out “guidelines” that Wildlife Division employees are to use in order “to assist in the purchasing of licenses or permits.”
These guidelines come in the form of four prohibitions and as approved Dec. 12 by newly installed Wildlife Division chief, Scott Zody.
“It just reinforces what we’ve said in the past,” said Laura Jones, spokeswoman for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Agreeing is David Lane, a Wildlife Division assistant chief.
“There never was a policy in place specifically within the Wildlife Division but there had been some verbal communications and memos sent out,” Lane said. “That was one of the things in the (Ohio Inspector General’s) report that we should do so we did it. Common sense can go a long ways but if needs to be written out, so be it.”
The prohibitions are:
* Employees are not to advise or assist in the purchase (of) a license contrary to or in violation of the law.
* If an employee is aware of a person acquiring a license in violation of the law, the information is to be documented on a violation report and this report shall be given to the district law enforcement supervisor.
* Non-residents may not use an employee’s address to obtain a license nor may they use the address of any ODNR facility or office.
* Division of Wildlife employees may not purchase a license at a reduced price in other states unless a formal written agreement allowing reciprocal purchases of licenses between Ohio and the other state exists, or the law of the other state clearly allows such a purchase.
This enhanced policy position takes effect January 1, the document reads. It also notes that Ohio law requires that resident license of any kind can only be bought by a resident of the state.
Prompting the new policy directive were a number in incidents in which an out-of-state wildlife officer was assisted by an Ohio Division of Wildlife officer in obtaining a resident fishing or hunting license.
Which in turn has spiraled into a legal case that has unsnarled a number of current and retired Wildlife Division officials.
The prohibitions are:
* Employees are not to advise or assist in the purchase (of) a license contrary to or in violation of the law.
* If an employee is aware of a person acquiring a license in violation of the law, the information is to be documented on a violation report and this report shall be given to the district law enforcement supervisor.
* Non-residents may not use an employee’s address to obtain a license nor may they use the address of any ODNR facility or office.
* Division of Wildlife employees may not purchase a license at a reduced price in other states unless a formal written agreement allowing reciprocal purchases of licenses between Ohio and the other state exists, or the law of the other state clearly allows such a purchase.
This enhanced policy position takes effect January 1, the document reads. It also notes that Ohio law requires that resident license of any kind can only be bought by a resident of the state.
Prompting the new policy directive were a number in incidents in which an out-of-state wildlife officer was assisted by an Ohio Division of Wildlife officer in obtaining a resident fishing or hunting license.
Which in turn has spiraled into a legal case that has ensnared a number of current and retired Wildlife Division officials.
It is expected this story will be updated, likely to include quotes.
- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald
Twitter: @Fieldkorn
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