Creation of more Conservation Officers.

[Jonny]

I think tying a CO's salary to fines handed out is a bad idea.

 

And a bad idea is usually worse than just leaving something alone.

[Guest Johnny Bass]

QUOTE

Toronto Police Services Salaries and Benefits

 

Toronto Police cadets earn a base pay of $45,042.34. A 4th Class Constable earns a base pay of $50,057.71. A 3rd Class Constable earns a base pay of $57,211.20. A 2nd Class Constable earns a base pay of $64,364.69. A 1st Class Constable earns a base salary of $71.522.91.

 

Benefits include: Health plan, Dental plan, life insurance, credit union, pension plan, paid vacation, education reimbursement, employee and family assistance program.

 

Add rank and the salary goes up from there.

 

See? Now this makes sense. Terry's article is misleading as it is speaking about first class constables. These are not new cops, these are veterans. The new cops make between 45-50K(according to both articles).

 

And you justify paying CO's 50-68k????For walking around in the bush and driving around on a lake? Drop the pay and hire more, and increase the fines and higher even more. Until the poachers are all caught. And the money goes back into conservation.

 

And to boot?You call a CO or the poachers line and they dont even show up!!!!

 

Sorry to all the CO's on here if you are offended. This is just MHO.

Edited November 24, 2009 by Johnny Bass

[Guest Johnny Bass]

I've always known CO's to be earning a salary in the same range as police officers and firefighters and don't have a problem with the salary they earn.

I also agree that we should have more CO's. About double the current # would be a start.

It's not about recovering the money spent on enforcement, but having some sort of enforcement in place to protect our fish and wildlife.

 

....and the rant starts !

 

I wonder how many more CO's (country wide) could be hired with the 'BILLIONS' spent on a faulty, useless gun registry ?

Thank the Liberal party for, once again, wasting 'BILLIONS' of our tax dollars to buy votes.

Did I mention the 'BILLIONS' wasted on a faulty gun registry while it has done nothing to reduce gun crimes.

Don't forget the 'hundreds of millions' (that we know of) that the Liberal party laundered to friends and family.

I guess that's O.K. because they consider it "charitable contributions" as well as helping out those in need ........of GREED !!!

 

Remember what the Liberal party has done to us next time you vote. Don't turn a blind eye, as many others have.

I'm not a fan of politicians in general, but have a special hate brewing inside of me for the people who are responsible for the gun registry and theft of our money.

There are many politicians who should be in prison right now, but use our weak legal system and it's loopholes to continue stealing from us. In my opinion, the colour red in political circles represents nothing good. Broken liberal promises don't make them worthy of the elected positions they hold. Yes, they lie to get elected, then steal our money before we figure out the mistake we made.

 

.....and the apology. Sorry for the rant.

 

 

Hire more CO's, raise fines and enforce prison terms for serious crimes to the fish and wildlife act, especially repeat offenders.

Third time offenders should be banned from hunting and fishing activities for life. No exceptions. Including guiding, commercial fishing, etc.

 

Yes because the Conservatives haven't funneled billions of dollars to their friends in Alberta. And aren't selling our infastruction to foreigners(just like the liberals did).Lets face it. All politicians are crooked.Its all a mater of which side of the trough you are feeding off.

 

As far as your closing argument? Yes. Hire more CO's and all that other stuff. Start enforcing the law and when people actually call the poaching number?To show up!

[tonyb]

If you are not actively participating in illegal activities what would you be worried about.

 

Thanks for stating that...I've always thought that a salary + commission model would work wonders for our natural resource protection.

 

Let the officers who are putting their lives on the line every day to protect fish and wildlife stocks get a chance to make some real bucks, and at the same time, be super motivated to stop illegal activities/write tickets.

 

I'd rather have a whole bunch of ticked off anglers waiting to fight tickets they believe are wrong, than a whole bunch of anglers knowing they won't even be stopped (and not adhering to regulations or buying licenses as a result)

 

Tony

[BillM]

Shouldn't the motivation come from actually caring about the fish and wildlife and not a big pay check?

 

Commission based salary for a CO is silly.

 

Imagine if the OPP was commission based?

 

No reason why a CO shouldn't be making what a cop makes (within reason)

[aniceguy]

thats like asking a police officer to confiscate as much crack as he can and get a bonus on it, I would never ask someone to put thier life on the line and conservation officers are in many ways more at risk to get shot then police officers, dont ask them to self fund based on volume ask the policy and law makers to make the fines condusive to the crime.

 

The province has money as does the MNR dont be fooled that they dont have it or cant gain access to it from the cabinet board, if the managers in Peterboro had the balls to run it right, things would be better but sadly they dont have the desire courage or nuts to make the tough decisions to do the right thing to protect our natural resources, ask 90% of the biologists that still care and thats exactly what you ll hear.

 

Ministers are here and gone in 4 yrs managers in the ivory tower are here for decades....its those very same managers that need to take the dress off and man up and do the right thing

[Harrison]

Shouldn't the motivation come from actually caring about the fish and wildlife and not a big pay check?

 

I agree 100%.

 

This should absolutely be a no "incentive" program for a CO. Except for seasoned officers to get help with their huge work load.

 

I just thought if you hired more CO's, covered their pays/costs through a "pot" directly funded by enforcement, they may cover themselves and therefore create a higher CO compliment.

Edited November 24, 2009 by Harrison

[aniceguy]

Harrision had Mcguinty lost and Tory won you would have had a lot of new Special purpose accounts created for more accountability and to directly funnel money into them for specific purpose, for example fines as a result of CO charges would go to a SPF that funds the CO's

 

Sadly he lost

[Harrison]

Ministers are here and gone in 4 yrs managers in the ivory tower are here for decades....its those very same managers that need to take the dress off and man up and do the right thing

 

I'm an email away!

 

Alot of good is done, but the balance that is not, is shameful considering we have this amazing resource that without proper due dilligence could/is being taken advantage of.

Edited November 24, 2009 by Harrison

[Roy]

Ohhhhhhhhh, here we go......

[Harrison]

Please don't turn this into a political thread, it will just get zapped.

[Fishnwire]

Whatever they're paying COs, they could pay them about half and there would still be no shortage of men and women wanting to enter that profession. When I was in high school some friends and I looked into becoming COs and even with the right schooling you have about as good a chance of winning the lottery as you do of getting on as a full-time conservation officer in Ontario. Do you know how many people want those jobs? I'm not saying they don't work hard or have a tough job, but for those that pursue that carrer it is their ultimate dream vocation.

[Jer]

Thanks for stating that...I've always thought that a salary + commission model would work wonders for our natural resource protection.

 

Let the officers who are putting their lives on the line every day to protect fish and wildlife stocks get a chance to make some real bucks, and at the same time, be super motivated to stop illegal activities/write tickets.

 

I'd rather have a whole bunch of ticked off anglers waiting to fight tickets they believe are wrong, than a whole bunch of anglers knowing they won't even be stopped (and not adhering to regulations or buying licenses as a result)

 

Tony

 

 

 

You wouldn't consider that to be a major conflict of interest for the CO when it comes time to testify in court? Assuming he is only paid his "commission" on conviction.

 

Sounds more like bounty hunting than law enforcement.

[John Bacon]

but if you are not actively participating in illegal activities what would you be worried about.

 

I would be worried about them charging me with an offence that I had not committed...

 

If their compensation was based on how many fines they issue or convictions they achieve they may be tempted to bend the truth a little... or maybe a lot. I think that this is what people mean when they state that is would be a "confilict of interest".

 

I do recall reading about some Ontario police offices being convicted of planting drugs ... so it does happen. More recently there have been allegations that police may have been taking kick backs from tow truck drivers with the new racing law; their hasn't been any proof to that one. So don't say that it couldn't happen; it already has. It will happen more often if cops or CO's got to keep a portion of the fines they issue.

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Whatever they're paying COs, they could pay them about half and there would still be no shortage of men and women wanting to enter that profession. When I was in high school some friends and I looked into becoming COs and even with the right schooling you have about as good a chance of winning the lottery as you do of getting on as a full-time conservation officer in Ontario. Do you know how many people want those jobs? I'm not saying they don't work hard or have a tough job, but for those that pursue that carrer it is their ultimate dream vocation.

 

Exactly. Even on this board alone. People are willing to volunteer for FREE!!!

[aniceguy]

Please don't turn this into a political thread, it will just get zapped.

 

sorry not the intent what so ever just telling it as I see it, now dont get me started on Aurora because I like a few of those managers in there lol

[Guest Johnny Bass]

I'd rather have a whole bunch of ticked off anglers waiting to fight tickets they believe are wrong, than a whole bunch of anglers knowing they won't even be stopped (and not adhering to regulations or buying licenses as a result)

 

Tony

 

You'd rather anglers like yourself be dragged to court for bogus charges?

[tonyb]

You'd rather anglers like yourself be dragged to court for bogus charges?

 

That would suck as I do not fish illegally but it would mean that poachers would certainly be caught and fined. A minor inconvenience for the piece of mind that poaching would be eliminated by these bounty hunters