DAVIE, Fla. — Ben Olsen considers himself a steward of the environment — tracking the endangered panther population.

Olsen, who volunteers for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said the state agency has been tracking him.

“A few weeks ago, I got a call from a friend who told me, ‘Hey, I’m being tracked by the FWC, and you might be as well.’ And I said, ‘What do you talk about? That’s kind of crazy,’” Olsen said.

A record made it clear he was the subject of a FWC investigation.

“As of April of 2024, they’ve searched me 14 times now in the DAVID system under a claimed criminal investigation,” Olsen said.

Records show the agency has pulled more than a dozen records of environmental activists like Olsen. The DAVID system helps investigators access tondrivers license numbers, social security numbers, and other sensitive information.

A spokesperson for FWC said the searches came after credible threats against commissioners and staff. Activists believe it’s to silence criticism.

“Anybody who’s actually making any commotion at meetings is finding themselves under the radar ... I’ve never made hateful comments online. I don’t use social media,” Olsen said.

The FWC released a statement saying the agency had complied with all applicable user agreements and all legal requirements governing access to and use of DAVID records.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but we’re going to get to the bottom of it,” Olsen said.

Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.