On March 6, ECOs DeRose and Perkins assisted New York State Park Police responding to a large gathering of cars organized over social media at Captree State Park. Some participants were driving recklessly and others parked on the fishing pier. The Officers found five vehicles parked in and around the pier, including one parked on seagrass in a tidal wetland area. Another driver attempted to drive a sedan on the beachfront where it became stuck. When the Officers asked the drivers why they were driving in an area not designated for vehicles, the subjects all gave the same answer-to take photographs. Park Police ticketed the drivers found in the area and ECOs issued additional tickets to the driver of the vehicle parked on the seagrass and the driver stuck on the beachfront for disturbing the natural state of a tidal wetland without a permit. The Environmental Conservation Law violations are returnable to Suffolk First District Court.
