Eight Pennsylvania waterways conservation officers graduate in 27th class

Harrisburg — Eight members of the 27th class of waterways conservation officers have formally graduated from the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission’s H.R. Stackhouse School of Fishery Conservation and Watercraft Safety, the agency reported recently.

Following a graduation ceremony held July 17 at the Pennsylvania State Capitol, the officers will report to their assigned regions across the commonwealth to begin their duties.

“I am proud to officially welcome this dedicated group of new officers to the Fish & Boat Commission and our Bureau of Law Enforcement,” said Col. Jeffrey Sabo, director of the commission’s Bureau of Law Enforcement.

“With their intense training behind them, these officers are ready to serve the anglers and boaters in Pennsylvania and work to protect, conserve and enhance our aquatic resources.”

Before graduating, officers underwent an extensive 49-week training program which encompasses all aspects of standard police principles and conservation law enforcement.

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Following civil service testing and selection, trainees completed a 17-week Municipal Police Officers Basic Training conducted at Mansfield University, Tioga County.

An additional 32 weeks of training was conducted at the commission’s H.R. Stackhouse school located in Bellefonte, Centre County, and included field training alongside seasoned waterways conservation officers.

During their conservation law enforcement careers, the officers’ duties will be multifaceted and include patrolling the streams, rivers and lakes in their regions, conducting environmental investigations, participating in public outreach events and stocking waterways with fish.

The new waterways conservation officers are listed below, along with their hometowns and assigned regions: Mary Blair, Coraopolis, assigned to W. Schuylkill County; David Derkits, Bangor, assigned to Northampton County; Jonathan Dinges, Hollidaysburg, assigned to N. Luzerne County; Ethan Duffy, Jeanette, assigned to N. Susquehanna/E. Bradford counties; Kaleb Null, Reinholds, assigned to Berks County; Derek Sunafrank, Bradford, assigned to Delaware County; Owen Trimbull, Bear Lake, assigned to S. Chester County; and Reese Walter, Landisville, assigned to S. York County.

In addition to the graduating class, several waterways conservation officers recently accepted new assignments.

They include: Blake Anderson, transferred from W. Schuylkill County to Warren County; Zachary Christy, transferred from Clearfield County to S. Westmoreland/N. Fayette counties; Andrew Fish, transferred from E. Schuylkill County to McKean County; Derrick Noonan, transferred from N. Dauphin/Northumberland counties to Clearfield County; Cassidy Shawley, transferred from N. Luzerne County to Potter County; and Tom Watson, transferred from Potter County to Tioga County.