I live in California and I had a trail camera go missing. My name and phone number are written on the back of the camera and it is a reconyx with code lock so the thief has no use for it except the flash card and the batteries. Well a couple weeks go past and a Policeman buddy of mine calls and tells me he know's who has my camera! Well this guy has already shot and killed the property owners dog and got caught trespassing on his ranch. Fine upstanding law officer right? I called the F&G in Sacramento to explain what was going on and it wasn't long before his New Lieutenant contacted me . His previous Lieutenant had covered up the killing of the dog and not made the property owner aware that he could file a civil case against the Warden! I told the new guy all the details and he wasn't happy. After he questioned the Warden he called to setup a time and place so he could return my camera.Long story short I got the camera back and he got a slap on the hand. I went and gave a deposition with two Wardens about the case. Every attempt I made to find out why he was on the said property and why he took the camera was avoided. They tried to get me to implicate myself in wrongdoing. Basically they covered up for the fellow officer. You and I would have gotten grand theft and other charges but this goes to show you the level of corruption in the Ca. F&G dept.

thin blue line

If you don't feel like it is being dealt with appropriately you could call the Sheriff's, CHP or the State Attorney General's Office.

How much is that camera worth? A quick Google search says in order for a crime in California to make Grand Theft status it has to be valued at $950+.

There are millions of good cops. Don’t let one dumb [beeep] ruin your perception of all law enforcement. I will say that before I knew better, I tended to assume I’ll intent or wrongdoing by law enforcement in a ton of situations that knowing what I know now may or me not be legitimate actions. I can see situations in LE where you wouldn’t/shouldn’t have your camera returned right away but by the sounds of it, you just encountered one of those bad apples

OK - you've got me confused. First the CO got a "slap on the wrist" then you gave a deposition? What did you give a deposition about? Were you filing a personnel complaint against one or more of them? If so, what was the outcome? What do you mean by "they tried to get me to implicate myself in wrongdoing"? Was there a big pot plantation on this property and your camera just happened to be in the area? Was your camera truly stolen, or confiscated as evidence?

With only 2 previous posts, we'll probably not hear more details, and sorry for your perception, but unfortunately like any other group of people there will be some very good, some very bad and most will be in the middle. Sounds like maybe you met the worst. Hope your next encounter goes better.

I have talked with several wardens in other states and they have always been friendly and helpful. I have told them my story and they can't believe that such a thing could happen.This guy grew up right next to this ranch and as a kid just jumped fences and ran where ever he wanted. Now he has a badge that he uses to access these lands so he can hunt!I placed a camera in a tree that over look's the gate to the ridge road and got pictures of him going in with the F&G truck with his Dad riding shotgun. This is not his designated patrol area it's his old stomping grounds! He told the owner of the property that owns just inside the gate that if he gave him a key to the gate he would patrol it.The owner lives 40 miles away from this ranch. Well an hour later he comes back to the gate with a 4x2 buck in the bed! His new boss was made aware of this too . His boss wanted the picture from the camera. I told him no and that he should go to the said wardens house and check to see if he had killed a 4x2 and gave the correct location of the kill ! Nothing became of this either. When I asked for the civil complaint form I told him I needed 2 of them. He asked why and I told him that I had made the property owner aware of the 5 year limit to file a civil complaint and he wanted to file it now before the 5 years were up .He was acting like he was going to punish the said warden for his wrong doing but in reality he was also covering for him. That very night the wardens Father called the property owner! He never calls him, This was to ask mercy for his son who would in all probability lose his job if these two complaints hit at the same time. Mine for taking my camera and the other for trespass and shooting his dog.The Lieutenant wasn't supposed to tell his fellow officer anything that we had discussed so it's obvious that he warned him about the pending complaints. The end result was also done internally and I wasn't allowed to know what happened to the warden. The camera was values at 500. Last time I looked 500 was grand theft.Name and number was clearly printed on the back of the camera and he made no attempt to contact me.The deposition was the last time I spoke on the camera issue. I was told verbally by another warden that he got 2 weeks off without pay for his act.

It's clear that an internal complaint was filed but I'm curious why a criminal complaint was not filed against the officer (and possibly others that "covered it up"), did the landowner indeed give him permission to enter, why wouldn't you provide the pictures that would bolster your complaint and how exactly did the dog get shot?

Regardless, internal police disciplinary records in California are, by law, restricted release as you can read here: California access to police records

The rancher was working on his fence that borders the wardens property. His old semi blind dog got up the hill and onto the wardens place so he shot it. The dog made it back to the fence where the rancher was working and died from the gunshot. The warden didn't know he was just down the hill and heard the shot and went to confront the warden. The rancher called the warden's Lieutenant to press charges and it went nowhere. As I stated he did not make him aware that he could file a civil complaint.
Just prior to the dog being shot the warden was caught hunting by the rancher but he talked his way out of that.
That Lieutenant retired and a new one took over.I was aware of all these events and others that this guy has pulled . The new Lieutenant wouldn't answer any of my questions as to why he took it. Or why he was on the property. He was defensive and giving him protection. I spoke with my Attorney about what I could do and he didn't seem to think it was worth pursuing.When I brought up the picture of him with the buck he wanted the photo and since he was already not working with me I told him to go verify the kill at his house! How would I know he had a buck killed on that date? This was proof enough for me. He told me that I wasn't allowed to hear what the warden was saying about the complaint.
Then I went to the substation for the recorded interview with 2 other wardens and they wouldn't provide me with any answers AS to what and why this guy did what he did.
There were no marijuana grows or anything else my gut feeling is he was scouting for deer and I was never told why he was there and why he did what he did. As I said my name and number were printed clearly on the back of the camera
This happened about 5 years ago so this is to the best of my memory.
This guy has been relocated several times already because of problems.I have spoken to numerous other's Hunters' Fisherman and Law enforcement that have a very bad review of this individual.

sounds like you screwed the proverbial pooch by not showing the images.

if you had concrete evidence of his vehicle leaving with a date/time stamped image, why wouldnt you provide a copy?

we're not talking about 1982 and giving up your negatives and the only printed copies. its a digital image that you can make unlimited copies of.


so without those pics, its your word against his. you literally hamstrung your own case.


plus its 5 years ago like you said... produce the pics or move on.

I would think that 1 -Theft of the camera 2- Trespassing to hunt 3 - Shooting the guy's dog would be enough concrete evidence ! As for the picture of the 4x2 if the guy went to his house and looked at it to check location of kill it would also prove my point! Like the previous Lieutenant this one was covering it up too.... There are other stories from people that have had run ins with this wanna be GW.I have moved on this was just a topic for discussion for the forum. Good cop Bad cop style. I know plenty of good honest wardens and these are not. California has changed over the years!

the mother of all cesspools.

and spreading like a cancer. so sad.

we must not be reading the same post.

but you keep beleiving that when the only content on this site that you've chosen to participate in is one bashing wardens in a he said/she said type of way.

you claimed to have concrete evidence and withheld it and are still upset that he's out there doing his thing.

you had your chance to make a difference and for some reason refused to. you went 100% badcop from the start and only mentioned the good in the warden after being called on it.



again - if you had the images, why didnt you submit them? it would have made it an open and shut case - yet you're still here claiming a cover up. any judge, etc would have dismissed your claim when you failed to produce the evidence you claimed to have but refused to share.

thats wearing plaids and stripes at the same time - just doesnt match.

They extend each other a professional courtesy. I have a son that was a deputy, and they are worse than a lot of people they put in jail.

covering for someone who is a POS is NOT professional courtesy. thats being just as big of, or a bigger POS than the person you're covering for. There's nothing "professional" about that.

painting law enforcement with such a broad brush based on the actions of the few just isnt fair for the majority out there who are just doing their best to serve the community they signed up for.

Even if the camera was a $10 one the guy should be prosecuted.