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10 new DNR conservation officers begin field training [UPDATED]
Published 9:42am Tuesday, December 4, 2012 Updated 11:44am Tuesday, December 4, 2012The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) welcomed 10 new conservation officers to its ranks during a ceremony Tuesday, Nov. 20, at Camp Ripley in Little Falls. The ceremony marked three months of intensive training.
“When our recruits finish our academy, we know that they have received the best training available anywhere,” said Col. Jim Konrad, DNR Enforcement Division director. “We pride ourselves on selecting the best people available and giving them the best training in order to provide the highest quality service possible to the people of Minnesota who depend on us for natural resources protection.”
Training sessions at the conservation officer academy included confiscations and forfeitures; warrants and exceptions; emergency vehicle operation; self-defense; watercraft laws; recreational vehicle safety and regulations; game identification and enforcement; hazardous materials; crime scene management; evidence collection; and aquatic invasive species identification.
The new officers will spend the next four months afield with experienced conservation officers to gain on-the-job training in natural resources management and law enforcement before receiving their initial field station assignment.
These newest conservation officers are: Brent Grewe, Brian Holt, Caleb Silgjord, Chad Davis, Chris Tetrault, DJ Regas, Kee Vang, Lucas Belgard, Sean Williams and Steve Chihak.
