PRESS RELEASE - State Environmental Conservation Officers’ Union Calls for Calm in Wake of Wildlife Seizure

Social Media Misinformation Sparks Bomb and Death Threats to Encon Officers and DEC Civilian Staff

Albany, NY (November 8, 2024) – The union representing New York State’s Environmental Conservation Officers today called for calm in the wake of the recent seizure of a squirrel and raccoon in Chemung County. The misinformation propagated on social media has resulted in unconscionable threats against Environmental Conservation Officers and DEC staffers’ lives, along with threats to blow up regional DEC offices and employees’ homes and even targeting an elected Judge.

The public has been greatly misled by a barrage of social media messaging that painted a partial picture of the investigation and triggered violent threats fueled by misinformation. Our Environmental Conservation Officers understand and accept that they risk their lives every time they begin a shift, but they should never fear for their safety or that of their family for doing the job they have taken an oath to do. We ask that the public keep in mind that these people are their friends, family, and neighbors and do not deserve to live in fear for upholding the law.

While the investigation is on-going and certain facts cannot yet be disclosed, we can provide the following information.

The investigation was initiated in January of this year when several New York state licensed wildlife rehabilitators filed complaints with the agency that Mark Longo was operating an illegal “wildlife sanctuary.” Following-up on these complaints an Environmental Conservation Officer contacted Mr. Longo informing him that keeping a squirrel is illegal unless he was a licensed wildlife rehabilitator with the intent of preparing the animal to re-enter nature. Mr. Longo told investigators that the squirrel had been released to the wild.

After the warning was issued, complaints continued to be received by DEC, and DEC management ordered an investigation. A DEC Investigator conducted a review of Mr. Longo’s social media accounts which showed that Longo had lied to the investigator and had not released the squirrel into the wild. In addition to keeping the squirrel in violation of the law, Longo also had taken in a raccoon which appeared in social media postings as well. Mr. Longo’s social media posts were the basis for the search warrant issued by a judge.

Media reports portrayed the seizure as being carried out by “10-12 agents of the state” – making it sound as if it were a tactical raid. In truth there were three uniformed Environmental Conservation Officers who were responsible for securing an 80-acre compound, several plain clothes Investigators who carried out the search pursuant to the warrant, and three DEC wildlife employees who were not police officers.

After locating the squirrel, it bit one of the DEC civilian wildlife biologists through two pairs of protective gloves. Due to the injury the Chemung County Department of Health was contacted, and the squirrel and raccoon were turned over alive. The Chemung County Department of Health made the determination to humanely euthanize both as it is the only way to test for rabies as rabies testing requires taking a sample of brain matter. While squirrels do not typically carry rabies, the cohabitation with the raccoon (a species known to be a vector for rabies) opened the possibility of animal-to-animal transmission which placed the wildlife biologist in potential danger. This was unfortunate, but the decision was not made by the Environmental Conservation Officers, Investigators or DEC wildlife biologists participating in the service of this warrant.

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ABOUT the PBA of New York State: Established in 2011, the Police Benevolent Association of New York State (PBA of New York State), is a law enforcement labor union representing the interests of more than 1,100 members of the New York State Agency Police Services Unit (APSU).  The PBA of New York State is the exclusive bargaining agent for the New York State University (SUNY) Police, the New York State Environmental Conservation Police, the New York State Park Police, and the New York State Forest Rangers.  Our members police and protect New York State’s public universities and colleges; state parks and historic sites; and they enforce state laws and protect our lands and forests and ensure environmental safety and quality throughout the state.