Indiana Conservation Officer Zach Walker has been selected as the 2022 District 9 Officer of the year. District 9 includes Dearborn, Decatur, Fayette, Franklin, Jefferson, Jennings, Ohio, Ripley, Rush, Switzerland, and Union counties.
Walker is assigned to Jennings County and has been a conservation officer since 2009. Before transferring to Jennings County, Walker served in Henry County.
In addition to his normal duties as a field officer, Walker serves as a K-9 handler, field training officer, airboat operator, background and boat accident investigator, breath test operator, and member of the cave rescue team. He has also played an essential role in the Karl E. Kelly Camp since 2019.
The district award puts Walker in the running for the Pitzer Award, which is presented to the top overall conservation officer in the state and is selected from the 10 district award winners.
The Pitzer Award is named after Conservation Officer James D. Pitzer, who was fatally shot while investigating illegal hunting activity on Jan. 2, 1961, in Jay County.