Frankfort, KY (February 1, 2004) - Two Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife (KDFWR) law enforcement cadets led the way last week when the Department of Criminal Justice Training graduated Class 351 from its 16-week law enforcement basic training program at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond.

KDFWR’s Damon Foster and David Marques were the only two of the class’s 24 graduates to win the honor of "Recruit of Distinction," an accolade reserved for students who achieve a grade point average of at least 95 percent in all areas training. Foster also won the class’s Academic Achievement Award and was the class Adjutant.

KDFWR cadets made up a third of the graduating class. The six KDFWR graduates joining Foster and Marques were Jerrod Alley, Tracy D. Bell, Bryan D. Bowling, Darvin W. Chesser, Lee M. Cope, and Eric J. Thomas.

Bell won the class’s Firearms Proficiency Award with a 99 percent average, and Thomas was Special Projects Officer.

"We’re proud of all of them," said Col. David Casey, Director of KDFWR Division of Law Enforcement. " They have completed the basic requirements required of every Kentucky peace officer. They will begin a 10-week Fish and Wildlife academy this week."

"Our job is quite a bit different than that of most police officers," said KDFWR Training Coordinator Lt. Larry Estes. "Due to the nature of our job, we must be more specialized in order to perform the tasks are not encountered by other officers."

The 10-week KDFWR academy will train the new officers in laws and regulations related to hunting, fishing and boating. It will also address fish identification, patrol techniques, ATV and vessel operation, water survival, boat and hunting accident investigation, marine theft, and boating under the influence enforcement. They will become hunter education and boater education instructors and become level one certified in the National Archery in the Schools Program.

They will receive additional training in firearms since they check many types in the field, and also in defensive tactics.

Since KDFWR law enforcement officers are commissioned as Deputy U.S. Fish and Wildlife agents as well, they will also receive training in handing waterfowl and migratory bird cases in the federal court system. A full week of the academy will be on site in western Kentucky devoted to waterfowl identification.

"The demands on KDFWR law enforcement officers go beyond those faced by traditional police departments," said Casey. "We are very closely interwoven into the programmatic fabric of the department.

"We discuss farming issues with landowners, wildlife and fisheries issues with hunters, anglers and conservation groups, firearms safety with youth, and all department programs with the public," said Casey. "We are usually the first point of contact with the sportsmen and women."

Graduation from the Fish and Wildlife Academy and swearing in ceremony is scheduled for April 7. The new officers will then work with a veteran field training officer for 12 weeks.

The new officers have been assigned primary work counties as well. Alley will be going to Russell County, Bell to Henderson County, Bowling to Calloway County, Chesser to Jefferson, Cope to Marshall, Foster to Garrard, Marques to Jessamine and Thomas to Breathitt.

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