ORLANDO, Fla. – News 6 traffic safety expert Trooper Steve Montiero answers viewer questions about the rules of the road every week, helping Orlando-area residents become better drivers by being better educated.
Trooper Steve on Monday was asked, “Can a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conversation Commission officer pull me over for a traffic violation?”
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Simply put, yes, Trooper Steve said.
“A FWC officer can pull you over for traffic violation but their jurisdiction is some of the greatest throughout our state. These officers are charged with so much responsibility when it comes to taking care of our state. From wildlife to our environment to everything in agriculture, they are everywhere,” he said.
Because they wear so many hats, Trooper Steve said it’s rare you’ll see a wildlife officer sitting on the side of the road enforcing traffic laws.
“These officers are also given federal authority to enforce federal hunting guidelines throughout the state,” he said.
That doesn’t mean they can’t, though.
“I like to think of the FWC as the brother or sister agency to the highway patrol. We are both state law enforcement officers with the goal of keeping people safe, however, we just have a different law enforcement mission,” he said.
To find out more about the FWC’s statutory guidelines, click here.