New Division of Law Enforcement in the Dept of Natural Resources

[BearLakeFishGuy]

I fished Willard Bay a BUNCH this year, as well as Rockport, Bear Lake and Hyrum.  There was never a person at the gate when I entered at ANY of the parks.  I think a significant amount of Parks employees have, or will bail out of Parks, since there will be a new "Division of Law Enforcement".  The Parks guys with Law Enforcement authority, did not want to lose their 20 year retirement law enforcement retirement, so many of them went (or will go) to the new Div. of Law Enforcement.  Word has it that the Division of Parks people left will not have law enforcement authority, nor will they replace all of the former Park Rangers with new people.  Quite honestly I think it is a great idea and it has been a long time in the making.  I worked for 30+ years for the Dept. of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife Resources.  I saw the UDWR officers doing their LE training and gun qualifications and then the next week the Division of Parks was doing the same dang thing in different locations.  Each Division had their own heirarchy of law enforcement supervisors, etc.  The new Division of Law Enforcement will avoid duplication of efforts, and also avoid individual Divisions doing their own "thing".  I know many UDWR officers were not happy with it for various reasons, but this is not about each Division (Parks, Wildlife, OGM, Water Resources, Water Rights, etc.) wanting their own turf, but it is about how to serve the public more efficiently and also spending less money by not duplicating efforts, training, etc.  Now the Division of Law Enforcement officers will hopefully stop a boat (for example) and check for life jackets, fire extinguishers, boat under the influence  AND also check fishing licenses, and other fishing regulations.  Anyway I thought I'd throw that out there for some discussion.  How do others on BFT see this?  Good?  Bad?  Indifferent?   Personally, I like being check by a Conservation Officer for my license, but I know others that feel getting checked twice in one day and getting their fishing trip interrupted twice when one check would have been sufficient, will really appreciate less interruptions.  Please don't ask me any questions regarding how, who, when, etc.  I just typed everything I know about it.  Not sure when it will happen, but I'm guessing either the first of the year but more likely the first of the State's Fiscal Year (July 1st).