Afterward, four other wardens on dam duty were disciplined for not insisting that she wear a helmet. But agency law enforcement officials told investigators that they had suggested that the wardens wear orange hats instead of helmets that day. The wardens -- one of whom was fired -- say they were penalized for complaining about pay.
Bradbery disagrees, saying every officer has an obligation to follow the law, regardless of what a supervisor says.
Sgt. Carl Martin checks the fishing documents of Ryan Dean of Luray. Martin is patrolling trout-stocked areas of Happy Creek.
(Jahi Chikwendiu -- The Washington Post)
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"There's always been a channel to run a complaint up," said Ray Davis, director of administration, who attributes some of the attrition among wardens to competition for law enforcement officers after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. "Some people have chosen not to because, in their own minds, they felt it might not be appreciated or they'd pay some price, but I can't comment on what people think."
Beyond the pressures from management, wardens say, is the pressure of more people. Wardens spend more time answering calls and less time enforcing fishing and hunting regulations.
One day last month, Sgt. Carl Martin, 39, was one of three wardens covering four northwestern Virginia counties. Sometimes there is only one on the schedule. As he checked fishing licenses in Front Royal, Martin said development can lead to an increase in wildlife, because some animals like to eat ornamental plantings.
"Deer are attracted to subdivisions," he said.
Martin said he also gets more calls about people illegally "road hunting," stopping on a road and shooting out of a car. "There are just more people around to hear and see these things," he said.
McElroy said: "Places where I used to work that were farms are now huge subdivisions. And now we have all these consuming non-hunter issues. Everything seems to fall on our footsteps."
