Officer Kurt Bush is not your average policeman.

He works for a special division that protects what can’t defend itself.

Bush is an Environmental Conservation Police officer that works with the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation.

The DEC has had their own police force since 1880. And Officer Bush has been doing this for almost 20 years. The DEC Police enforce the state's Environmental Conservation Law. They protect fish, wildlife and preserve environmental quality across New York.

“A lot of other police agencies don’t have the time or the resources to invest in all of the environmental issues that take place," said Officer Kurt Bush.

Police officers for the DEC have all the same capabilities as state troopers.

“Although we can stop someone for speeding or all of those other regular police duties, we focus on the environment. Now many times we become a back up agency and assist other police agencies with other things," Bush said.

You should call the Environmental Conservation Police if you see an environmental violation. That includes everything from hunting without a license to illegal waste dumping.

“A lot of the calls that we get are from the community they help us out with the fishing violations the deer violations. The community themselves help us out and that’s one of the main things we need is for the community to reach out and let us know that these things are taking place," Bush said.

The environment is a big undertaking, and Officer Bush says saving it, is a team effort.