New Taipei City Police Officer Illegally Lit Fire 新北警登山涉違法升火 林管處啟動調查

A police officer surnamed Kao posted a photo of a campfire at Nantou's Chuntai Mountain. The police have started an investigation as she might violate the forest law.

A happy photo by the campfire and a series of photos of setting up camp and the fire. This post is from a New Taipei City police officer surnamed Kao. The camping site is in Nantou County's Chuntai Mountain. She posted on Facebook that she went camping at 27.5 kilometers mark on Chuntai Mountain's trail road and started a campfire on October 22 this year. An uproar ensued after the news was exposed. The New Taipei City Police Department urgently convened a press conference on the 19th to explain, saying that police officer Kao denied lighting the fire. 

Lin Sheng-ming, Inspector Division Head, Xindian Precinct: “When she set up camp, there was another group next to her. Those climbers started a campfire. She doesn't understand relevant laws and regulations. She immediately took pictures because she thought it was beautiful. She's sorry for causing many misunderstandings.”

Officer Kao said that she did not know who lit the fire. She just leaned over to take pictures but the Forest Bureau has launched an investigation. Chuntai Mountain's entry was illegally occupied by campers in January this year, causing concerns about climbers. Then in May, NCC official Chiao Chien-chung caused a forest fire at Yushan's Patungkuan camp, which burned 79 hectares. The Forestry Bureau fined Chiao NT$220 million in restitution. The Forest District Office in Nantou stated that based on current evidence, officer Kao may have committed multiple crimes such as violating the forest law, stealing the forest's main and by-products, and setting fire in a forest area.

Li Chih-min, Deputy Director, Forest District Office, Nantou: “Stealing forest main and by-products can be penalized by imprisonment for more than 6 months and less than 5 years. In addition, a fine of NT$300,000 or more, but less than NT$6 million will be imposed. Lighting a fire in a forest area may result in a fine between NT$120,000 and NT$600,000.”

The Forest District Office stated that it had requested through a formal letter that the Seventh Special Police Corps initiate an investigation. Officer Kao has been summoned to appear for questioning. Xindian precinct emphasized that it will cooperate with the Forest Bureau and the Seventh Corps. If it is confirmed that officer Kao has violated the law, administrative punishment will be levied.

在營火旁開心合影，還有一連串生火紮營的照片全發布在臉書，發文的是新北市一名高姓警員，而這露營的地點是南投縣的郡大山。她在臉書自述今年10月22日，前往郡大林道27.5公里處紮營，並且升起營火。消息曝光後引發軒然大波，新北市警局昨（19日）緊急召開記者會說明，督察組長表示高姓警員否認生火。

新店警分局督察組長林聖銘指出:「她紮營的時候，隔壁也有同行爬山的一些民眾在營區內有生火，她也比較不懂相關的法令規定，她就直接看到很漂亮就拍照留影，造成民眾很多的誤會，她也深感抱歉。」

高姓警員表示不知道是誰生的火，只是湊過去拍照，但林務局已經啟動調查。因為今年1月郡大林道就曾發生登山口被露營客霸佔，登山民眾素質引發外界憂慮；緊接著5月，NCC官員喬建中在玉山八通關營地引發森林大火，燒毀79公頃山林，林務局提出2.2億元求償。南投林管處表示根據目前相關事證，高姓警員可能涉及違反森林法，竊取森林主副產物、在森林區域內引火等罪嫌。

南投林管處副處長李志珉表示:「竊取森林主產物部分可處6個月以上 5年以下有期徒刑，併科30萬元以上、600萬元以下罰金；森林區域內引火可處12萬元以上、60萬元以下罰鍰。」

林管處表示已在11月15號函請保七總隊展開調查，並且通知高姓警員到案說明。新店警分局則強調會配合林務局與保七總隊，若確認高姓警員違法，將加重行政處分。