Oregon Anti-poaching Special Prosecutor Appointed
By Terry Murry on Tuesday, March 15th, 2022 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
SALEM — (News release from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife) Poachers beware, there is a new force in the courts: An anti-poaching special prosecutor. Jay D. Hall, hired last month as a new Assistant Attorney General with the Oregon Department of Justice, is serious about prosecuting fish and wildlife crimes.
The new prosecutor role is the final strategy of a three-prong approach legislators mapped out in 2019 to reduce poaching crimes across the state. Increasing detection of poaching through a public awareness campaign and increasing enforcement of wildlife laws by hiring additional OSP Fish and Wildlife Troopers were the first two strategies.
The Anti-poaching prosecutor will work with OSP and ODFW to locate, investigate and prosecute poachers. For his part, Hall will support investigations and prosecutions by providing law enforcement with training and access to resources that will build stronger court cases. He will advise law enforcement agencies in evidence collection, case process and penalty options and guide and assist county prosecutors in the nuances of trying fish and wildlife criminal cases. Representative Ken Helm, Co-Chair of the Legislature’s Wildlife Caucus, is pleased the position has been filled.
“This is a bipartisan effort that is important to all Oregonians,” Helm said, “Now that all three components of the legislative strategy are in place, our ability to tackle poaching across the state is greatly enhanced.”
