The DNR Division of Law Enforcement held graduation ceremonies today at the Indiana Government Center South in Indianapolis. Twenty-five new Indiana Conservation Officers officially joined the division during the event.
Conservation Officer Andrew Harmon, the 2021 James D. Pitzer Officer of the Year, administered the oath of office to the recruits, who will fill positions in various locations around the state.
The new officers represent the 39th recruit class of conservation officers, the oldest state law enforcement agency in Indiana.
The officers and assignment locations (by county in parentheses) are Thomas Adams (Marion), Bradley Barker (Brown), Jarrett Batliner (Ripley), Jacob Bolt (Starke), Draven Browning (Howard), Tyler Burton (Wayne), Connor Christman (Morgan), Kenton Crews (Parke), Austin Ely (Ripley), Nina Freund (St. Joseph), Michael Herr (St. Joseph), Gannery Htoo (Noble), Caleb Hutchison (Owen), Cameron Liden (Morgan), Dylan Mast (Noble), Matthew Mauder (Owen), Kensie Milner (Huntington), Michael Montgomery (Parke), Adam Nussel (Marion), Trevor Sager (Monroe), Michael Southerland (Union), Luke Tincher (Vigo), Tevin Tomlinson (Miami), Austin Walsh (Decatur), and Matthew Williams (Monroe).
The new officers completed six weeks of recruit training followed by a 15-week basic law enforcement academy. Upon completion of the academy, officers completed additional specialized training before doing 90 shifts of field training.
The Indiana DNR employs 214 conservation officers who, in addition to enforcing state laws, are often called upon to help during emergencies and natural disasters. They also engage in non-law enforcement activities such as outdoor instructional programs that include boater, hunter, snowmobile, and trapper education. DNR Law Enforcement’s river rescue, cave rescue, underwater search and recovery, and K-9 teams are specialty response units available statewide whenever needed.