Concealed Carry re: Game & Parks

[bkoenig]

Hypothetical situation:

I'm carrying while fishing and a Game Warden approaches me to check my fishing license.  Am I required to notify him like I would a regular police officer?  I assume they're considered law enforcement, so I would need to.

[FarmerRick]

I would say yes, just to be on the safe side.

[gsd]

I'm going to side with Rick on this one.

IIRC the Game Wardens might even have as much, if not more, jurisdiction than NSP. Don't quote me on that though.

[Dan W]

Yes, game wardens and Game and parks officers, as well as EMT and Fire Dept....  all must be informed when official contact is established with a CHP holder who is armed

[Husker_Fan]

It might not be required for a non-sworn park ranger. The easiest way to tell the difference is if they have a gun on their hip. To be safe though, I'd notify anyone checking fishing permits.

[CitizenClark]

Hypothetical situation:

I'm carrying while fishing and a Game Warden approaches me to check my fishing license.  Am I required to notify him like I would a regular police officer?  I assume they're considered law enforcement, so I would need to.

Conservation officers are employed by the Law Enforcement Division of Game & Parks,  they are described in the Commission's regulations as "law enforcement officers," and they are represented in collective bargaining by the State Law Enforcement Bargaining Council (SLEBC) just like State Patrol and Fire Marshal officers. They are "certified" officers trained in Grand Island at the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center.

I think under current law, as a permitholder I am absolutely obligated to make a declaration if I am carrying and I have an "official contact" with a conservation officer.

So far as I can tell, Wildlife Division personnel at Game & Parks are not sworn LEOs, so I don't think a declaration is required with them, but erring on the side of making the declaration isn't a bad idea. I don't imagine that it will negatively impact the dynamic of a situation much when you are already openly carrying a long gun.

[Gary]

Short answer, yes.  Long answer, your concerns go deeper than Game and Parks.

Any one of about 50 + local, state and Fed gov agencies have the legal ability to detain, and arrest you, if circumstances warrant.   Any one of those agencies, are the ones you need to fess up to about your CHP. 

Add to that mix, any vehicle that has emergency lights on it, Police, fire, emergency, and the local Red Cross?? Or even The Seventh Day Adventists?? (ADRA) in case of a declared disaster.   

Here are a few agencies at the Fed Gov level, that have investigative and arrest powers.

As Nebraska has federal land used as parks, and federal highways, you could come across some of the people in this list, here in Nebraska. 

•U.S. Customs and Border Protection (36,863 officers)
•Federal Bureau of Prisons (16,835)
•Federal Bureau of Investigation (12,760)
•U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (12,446)
•U.S. Secret Service (5,213)
•Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (4,696)
•Drug Enforcement Administration (4,308)
•U.S. Marshals Service (3,313)
•Veterans Health Administration (3,128)
•Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (2,636)
•Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (2,541)
•U.S. Postal Inspection Service (2,288)
•U.S. Capitol Police (1,637)
•National Park Service - Rangers (1,404)
•Bureau of Diplomatic Security (1,049)
•Pentagon Force Protection Agency (725)
•U.S. Forest Service (644)
•U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (598)
•National Park Service - U.S. Park Police (547)
•National Nuclear Security Administration (363)
•U.S. Mint Police (316)
•Amtrak Police (305)
•Bureau of Indian Affairs (277)
•Bureau of Land Management (255)
•Bureau of Engraving and Printing (207 officers)
•Environmental Protection Agency (202)
•Food and Drug Administration (183)
•National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (149)
•Tennessee Valley Authority (145)
•Federal Reserve Board (141)
•U.S. Supreme Court (139)
•Bureau of Industry and Security (103)
•National Institutes of Health (94)
•Library of Congress (85)*
•Federal Emergency Management Agency (84)
•National Aeronautics and Space Administration (62)
•Government Printing Office (41)
•National Institute of Standards & Technology (28)
•Smithsonian National Zoological Park (26)
•Bureau of Reclamation (21)

Here is a larger list, if you want to see how large Uncle Sam is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_law_enforcement_in_the_United_States

[Mudinyeri]

Most game officers will have a patch on their shirt that says Law Enforcement.  Notify them.