The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-02-10

According to the records, the number of warnings issued for tech nical violations of the law are equal to more than fifty per cent of the arrests and convictions; the actual figures show 556 warnings and 1,00S arrests and convictions during 1880. In New Haven county, the number of warnings issued exceeded the ar- rests by considerable total. "Wardens cannot be considered efficient officers until they have be- come thoroughly familiar with the fish and game laws and the proper interpretation of their wording" says MT Titcomb. "They also must have working knowledge of police and court procedure. They must enforce the fish and game laws in an absolutely fair and impartial manner. They are required under all conditions to be courteously and gentlemanly, but at the same time to be direct and firm in their meth- ods, avoiding an overbearing and oficious manner. Promotions are made entirely from the service based upon actual demonstration of their ability along these lines.
 "The splendid spirit of coopera-
  sportsmen, particularly the repre- sentatives of sportsmen's organiza- tions. in giving the wardens infor- nation of known or suspected viola tions. is the result of the present system."
 The circular letter to wardens follows:
 Complaints are occasionally re- ceived in the office from hunters and anglers who say they have.never been checked up by a warden. It Is obvious that limited number of wardens cannot possibly cover their districts so closely as to check everybody who is found in the field with a rod or gun. On the other hand, as you know. some of those who are checked are inclined to re- sent being called upon to show their licenses as well as the buttons. However, quite a few letters are re- ceived commenting upon the courte- ous manner of approach of the war dens in the performance of their duties. Tn fact, while people are more prone to criticize than to praise, the favorable comments about the gentlemanly way in which the wardens approach the hunters
 
 "Reiterating policies heretofore promulgated by the commission. it is desired, that so far as possible all of it's activities be beyond criticism. The commission cannot stress too strongly an officers manner of ap- proach when checking the hunter or angler. All of them are to be treated as gentlemen so long as they act the part and selif- control is neces- sary when they do not act the part of gentlemen.
 "The present commission has all ways stressed the importance of avoiding arrests for technical Vio- lations of the law. It is realized that your work is not like that of the policeman. and that you cannot wait for complaints of the populace. but that the fish and game laws must be enforced in an absolutely fair and impartial manner. The cards which you issue as warnings to technical violators call for sound judgment and you must decide whether the warning is going to be sufficient.
 "There appears to be a new gen. eration of hunters and anglers who are not sportsmen and the office re- ceives an increasing number of calls from sportsmen for more patrol service, notwithstanding the fact that there has been more patrol service the past year than ever be- fore. All we can do Is to impress upon you the need of extending your patrol over as much area as possi- ble when not out on special cases. It is absolutely impossible to finance any more warden service than we have at this time.
 Emphasis is also placed upon the