DEC officer rescues dog from ice; man charged after killing coyote

BERNE — A quick-acting Department of Environmental Conservation officer, with help from the Park Police, firefighters and the Albany County Sheriff ’s Office, pulled an errant dog from the frozen water after it fell through the ice on Thompson’s Lake recently.

The rescue unfolded on Jan. 27 when Conservation Officer Michael Hameline responded to a report that two dogs had fallen through the ice.

Upon his arrival, Hameline learned one of the dogs had already managed to free itself from the water, while the other dog, a German shepherd, remained trapped in the broken ice.

Luckily, Hameline belongs to the state Flood Incident Strike Team, a multi-agency team trained in swift water, ice and rope rescues. He put on his rescue gear and entered the frigid waters with help from members of the Sheriff ’s Office, Park Police and East Berne Fire Department.

Hameline successfully rescued the dog from the water and sheriff ’s deputies safely returned the animal to its owners.

Man charged after killing coyote

In another incident the next day, a DEC officer received a complaint about a firearm going off near a residence in the town of White Creek, Washington County.

Witnesses reported hearing three shots a few minutes prior to observing an individual dragging a coyote across a front lawn and loading it into a vehicle that quickly left the area.

After interviewing witnesses, DEC officers brought in their K9, Web, to canvas the area. They then found the shooter who admitted to killing the coyote. The subject was charged with discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling and the illegal taking of protected wildlife. The case is pending in White Creek Town Court.