Law Enforcement Headlines

Hmong Conservationsists Meeting

On July 20-21, 2007 conservationists from the Hmong community, leaders with outdoor sports groups, the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC), the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and an outdoor writer (Jerry Davis) met to discuss conservation issues and more. (Read more)

Village of Winneconne's Website Includes Local Conservation Warden

The newly developed Winneconne web page includes a section for Conservation Warden Tom Truman. (Visit the new webpage exit DNR)

No Child Left Inside - An Outdoor Program Aimed at Youth

On July 20, 2007 Wardens Rich Thole (Polk County) and Chris Spaight (Burnett County) organized and helped oversee a youth outdoors program in cooperation with the Balsam Lake Rod and Gun Club and Polk County Kinship Mentoring program. Approximately 25 youth were taught safe firearm handling and firearm responsibility. Mentors then provided individual training as the youth shot archery equipment, trap, and rifles including 22's and muzzleloading firearms to name a few.

Thumbnails link to larger images.

The day’s fun-filled training, which contributes to the Bureau's strategic plan, was overseen by wardens, local police officers and club members from the Balsam Lake Rod and Gun Club. Special Thanks to the Polk County Sportsmen's Club and Amery Indianhead Chapter of Pheasants Forever for purchasing ammunition for the event.

According to Warden Supervisor Dave Zebro (Spooner) the efforts by Thole and Spaight were outstanding. "Without their efforts to collaborate with several user groups to provide this opportunity to area youth, these future stewards may not had this type of experience."

This event is one of perhaps hundreds that occur statewide in an effort to get youth introduced to the greatest reality show of all times…the outdoors and nature.

Lost Girls Scouts Found by DNR Employees

In the late afternoon of July 25, Southeast Region Wildlife Supervisor Dale Katsma received a phone call for help from a Girl Scout camp director.  The director stated that two counselors and six scouts where canoeing on the Sheboygan Marsh and were lost.  The canoeists ended up being caught in thunderstorms that went through the area; as it turned out, the canoeists became disoriented from the storms and were unable to find their way back.  The canoeists had a cell phone with them and apparently Katsma’s phone number, so they called him. (Read full story)

Warden Timothy Price Finds Missing Madison-Area Woman

DNR conservation warden Timothy Price, 30, is credited with finding a missing town of Windsor woman in Vilas County on Wednesday.

Francine Tate, 50, had been missing since July 17 but was found by Price alive and well in an isolated area of Long Lake in the Town of Phelps in northern Wisconsin. Tate’s disappearance after attending a prayer service at her church had been widely publicized in the Madison area but Vilas County was not an area that had been targeted by officials in their search for her. Long Lake is about 240 miles north of Madison. (Read full story)

Warden Casey Krueger Recognized For Boating Law Enforcement

“Casey Krueger has done an outstanding job for the boating enforcement program in Columbia County and our South Central Region,” said warden supervisor Dave Holmes, Poynette, who nominated Krueger for the award.

Warden Krueger, 32, “has been a fixture on Lake Wisconsin and is well known by boaters who are on the lake and the Wisconsin River,” noted Holmes.

Among his accomplishments in 2006 and which led to his recognition include:

• Teaching boating safety courses to 25 students.
• Investigating or assisting with three boating accidents.
• An enforcement focus as evidenced by 63 boating arrests of which eight were OWI cases.
• Teaching warden recruits the proper techniques for conducting boating law enforcement.
• Working hand in hand with the local Grade Boat Club to get a “No Aquaplaning” ordinance passed in the narrows of the Wisconsin River.

Several years ago warden Krueger was instrumental in getting a slow-no-wake area implemented on a congested area of the Wisconsin River and, coupled with the No Aquaplaning measure, “these two efforts could dramatically improve boating safety in and around Lake Wisconsin,” said Holmes.

Sawyer County Conservation Warden Tom Heisler

Warden Tom Heisler Receives Torch Award

On July 19, 2007 Wisconsin Conservation Warden Tom Heisler (Sawyer County) was recognized by the North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association (NAWEOA) for his performance. "Tom was has shown consistent and excellent overall performance during his career, and with less than five years of service at the time he was nominated, he qualified for the well deserved Torch Award said Chief Warden Randy Stark. Stark went on to say, 'this is quite an honor given all the potential candidates out there in Region 5.

Editor's note: NAWEOA's Region Five consists of the following states; North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Federal Indian Tribes, Illinois, and Indiana.

Tom received the award in front of approximately 450 wardens from all over the United States and Canada. Stark concluded by saying he was extremely proud of Tom's accomplishment.