Front row from left to right: Col. Stephen Clark, Courtney Hart, Michael Gaspard, Joycelyn Miller, Brad McKee, Jonathan Braud, Michael Rick, Lt. Col. Clay Marques and Capt. Ladd Turner.
Back row from left to right: Major Chris Carpenter, Hayden Doyle, Chance Lombard, Jerry Fleming, Jason Martin, Jackson Conner, Braden Carrier, Chase Mack and Lt. Suni Nelson.
Cadets reciting the Oath of Office
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Law Enforcement Academy today, Oct. 16, graduated its 37th class of cadets into the ranks of LDWF Enforcement Division agents at a ceremony in Baton Rouge.
After months of training at the academy, 13 newly commissioned agents are ready to begin enforcing hunting, fishing and boating regulations that govern the use of the state's natural resources.
This was LDWF’s first ever Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certified hybrid academy class. The LDWF Enforcement Division conducted the conservation law portion of the training at the beginning of the academy for all the cadets. Then the LDWF Enforcement Division continued with the POST training at the end of the academy for the non-POST certified cadets.
The two POST certified cadets coming into this academy completed their conservation law training on Aug. 21 and were honored today with the other 11 members of their class at today’s graduation.
Keynote speakers at the graduation included LDWF Secretary Tyler Bosworth, State Representative Neil Riser, St. Landry Parish District Attorney Chad Pitre, retired LDWF Lt. Col. Charlie Clark and active LDWF Col. Stephen Clark.
“Few accept the calling to serve one’s state and even less choose to do so when it means putting others’ lives before your own,” said LDWF Secretary Bosworth. “This decision makes you set apart – set apart for something greater than all of us. While there have been inspiring agents who have come before you, this is where your legacy begins. May the legacy you leave be one of respect, service, sacrifice, and kindness for this is what it means to be a Louisiana Game Warden.”
Col. Stephen Clark, head of the LDWF Enforcement Division, presented certificates and recited the Oath of Office making the cadet’s transition to commissioned agents official. “Today we recognize the beginning of a proud journey for these new agents. They have demonstrated the dedication, discipline, and integrity it takes to serve and protect Louisiana’s natural resources and have earned their badges becoming agents. We welcome them to the LDWF Enforcement Division family and look forward to the positive impact they will make across our state,” said Col. Clark.
The 13 new agents are:
Jonathan Braud, of Ama, assigned to St. Charles Parish
Braden Carrier, of Lafayette, assigned to Iberia Parish
Jackson Conner, of Lake Charles, assigned to Calcasieu Parish
Hayden Doyle, of Covington, assigned to Jefferson Parish (Prior POST Certified Graduate)
Jerry Fleming, of Oak Grove, assigned to West Carroll Parish
Michael Gaspard, of Eunice, assigned to Evangeline Parish
Courtney Hart, of Larose, assigned to Lafourche Parish
Chance Lombard, of Pearl River, assigned to St. Bernard Parish
Chase Mack, of Albany, assigned to East Feliciana Parish
Jason Martin, of Clayton, assigned to Concordia Parish
Brad McKee, of Hammond, assigned to St. John Parish
Joycelyn Miller, of Lake Arthur, assigned to Cameron Parish
Michael Rick, of DeRidder, assigned to Beauregard Parish (Prior POST Certified Graduate).
During the graduation ceremony, McKee was awarded the physical fitness award for scoring the highest on the physical fitness assessment test. Braud received the firearms award for the best marksman in the class. Carrier received the academic award for having the highest grades. McKee also won the overall award, which is a cumulative score from the firearms, academic and physical training categories.
The Louisiana Wildlife Agents Association also honored McKee with their Immanuel Washington Outstanding Cadet Award.
At the academy, cadets train to enforce the state's recreational boating laws, the state and federal wildlife and fisheries laws and general law enforcement work on the state's many wildlife management areas. The academy also covers general law enforcement training equal to that of other state law enforcement officers.
The graduating agents fill vacancies in LDWF’s Enforcement Division and will be assigned to a field-training officer for their first six months of duty. Now part of the agency’s commissioned officer staff, the agents will join the ranks of those patrolling land and water to primarily detect game, fish and boating law violations. These duties require travel into Louisiana's forests, swamps, fields, streams, bayous, lakes, marshlands, the Gulf of America and on the state roadway system.