Yesterday we were on a abalone patrol adventure that started with a minus low tide about 9am and swarms of people among the rocks and surf in Mendocino County. Limit is three per day, 7" or greater. 24 for year, and only red abalone. Probably more abalone in Mendocino County and Sonoma County than any other place on West Coast. Lots of people.
The wardens set up a checkpoint in Boonville on Hwy 128, one of the few roads back from the north coast to 101. They checked through about 100 cars in a couple hours, writing 33 citations -- over limits, undersized abalone, not tagged. They use a K-9 unit to search for hidden abalone -- see the dog in photo 1 waiting for command when people say they have shown all the abalone they have, then warden tells them to "search" including in the trunk of car in photo 2 to see if they are lying or not.
One group of pickers was special. They had been under surveillance for some time by the Special Operations Unit, suspected of commercialization of abalone, which is a felony conspiracy rap with jail time, large fines, forfeiture of equipment, etc. On the back market abalone go for $100 each.
Once the suspect pickers went through the checkpoint, we hopped in an unmarked car with head of the undercover Special Operations Unit. She had a team of five cars working this case and they took turns following this group for 100 miles, changing places to avoid detection and constantly chattering over the intercom. At times, this meant precision tactical driving, but with no lights, sirens, etc.
As the suspects got into the city, the SOU team switched on and off on close tail, keeping up with traffic lights, changing lanes, -- "fresh green, red stop, lane 2," etc. As people were dropped off from the suspect van in different places, at each location, one of the Special Op cars dropped off to set up surveillance. Then while waiting to see about buyers, the SOU "wolf pack" kept exchanging information constantly. We shot two and hours of tape.
We can't show faces of the Special Ops. team -- they are all incredible character actors -- soccer moms, beach bums, surfer dudes, rednecks, society folks, bubbas, etc. -- but we can shoot from behind or blot out faces of the "Wolf pack" who set it up for takedowns when a swarm of other wardens come in for the arrest. SOU only go after felony cases, which means high stakes, organized crime, usually weapons, many people with priors and convictions for other stuff, and yes, danger. Some of these folks have long criminal records. And when you go into a neighborhood to make an arrest, the whole neighborhood may get involved, which starts to get tense.
- James
