Cynthia Harcher New York ECO Officer of the
Year
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June 17, 2008
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
Commissioner Pete Grannis announced today that Environmental
Conservation Officer (ECO) Cynthia J. Harcher was named the 2007 New
York Officer of the Year by the Northeast Conservation Law
Enforcement Chiefs Association (NECLECA). NECLECA consists of the
law enforcement chiefs from 13 Northeastern states, three Eastern
provinces of Canada, and the United States and Canadian Federal
Conservation Law Enforcement agencies.
"Throughout her more than 20 years with DEC, Officer Harcher has
exemplified the qualities of a professional Environmental
Conservation Officer," Grannis said. "By investigating and enforcing
violations, educating our youth and doing so much more on a daily
basis, she and DEC's other committed ECOs perform valuable services
that benefit our environment and our communities."
Harcher began her career with DEC in 1988 after completing the 7th
Basic Academy for Police Officers. Her patrol area assignment was in
DEC's Region 3, first covering Westchester County and most recently
in Ulster County, where she has been a long-time resident.
Early in her career, Harcher specialized in the enforcement of laws
pertaining to endangered species. She educated herself by seeking
out training classes, attending field trips with the biologists from
DEC's Endangered Species Unit and cultivating contacts with
specialists. Her work included following up on the illegal sale of
wolf hybrids, fur coats, live caiman and enforcing wild bird
protection laws. She was also involved in an investigation into the
illegal importation of protected bird eggs from Australia and the
seizure of a protected monkey illegally imported from South America.
For the past 16 years, she has patrolled her sector for both
environmental crimes and fish and wildlife violations. She operates
the DEC's 21-foot Kingfisher patrol boat on the Hudson River to
protect the shad and striped bass resources and is also closely
involved in patrolling and protecting freshwater wetlands. In the
past, Harcher has operated DEC's 20-foot police boat on the Long
Island Sound to patrol for illegal lobstering and clamming,
monitored the tidal wetlands bordering the Sound. She also spent
many hours checking fishermen along the New York City reservoirs for
proper authorizations, and.
In 2000, Harcher was chosen to be a member of DEC's Critical
Incident Response Team. She received training and attended seminars
to increase her knowledge in this area and recently met with a
county police response team to increase her level of training and
participation on a larger scale throughout the Hudson Valley.
Harcher was also one of the first ECOs to volunteer to become an
instructor as part of DEC's Environmental Awareness Gives Life to
the Eco-System (EAGLES) initiative. The program was developed to
introduce and educate the community about New York State's abundant
environmental resources, the roles of their local ECO, and the
responsibilities of DEC. She gives talks to the schools, scouts, and
other community groups both in and beyond her area of patrol.
ECO Harcher resides in Ulster County with her husband Andy and their
three children.
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