Indiana Conservation Officer Jon Watkins has been recognized by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) for his years of exemplary service and dedication to protecting Indiana’s waterways since January 2017.
On Oct. 11, Watkins was presented with a USCG certificate of merit at the Area Maritime Security Committee (AMSC) meeting in Chrisney, which is in Spencer County. He has served in multiple leadership positions of the Evansville, Owensboro, Henderson, and Mount Vernon regional AMSC.
“The superior performance, attention to detail and initiative displayed are wholeheartedly commended and are in keeping with the noblest traditions of inter-agency cooperation and maritime safety and security on and along our nation’s inland waterways,” reads a portion of the certificate.
Watkins, who is originally from LaPorte County, has been assigned to Dubois County since 2006. He has been honored as the District 7 Officer of the Year and Indiana’s Boating Officer of the Year multiple times during his career and currently serves as a National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) instructor, boat accident investigator, passenger-for-hire inspector and sonar operator.