CONWAY — United States Magistrate Joe Volpe Friday swore in seven new members of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s enforcement ranks at the official graduation ceremony of the 2024 agency’s game warden training program at the Antioch Baptist Church.
This year’s graduating class was smaller than typical years, which is a testament to the level of commitment required to become an AGFC game warden.
The process to become a wildlife officer began in May when 16 individuals were selected from hundreds of applicants to participate in the training program.
“In addition to applications, interviews and extensive background checks, we talked with community references to ensure prospective candidates were able to handle the extreme pressures of the job as well as being a role model for conservation and law enforcement in their hometowns,” Maj. Brian Aston, assistant chief of the AGFC Enforcement Division, said.
During the next 18 weeks, cadets spent most of their waking hours at the H.C. “Red” Morris Training Center east of Mayflower on Lake Conway. They received 835 hours of training in self-defense, firearms, first aid and rescue, drug enforcement, physical conditioning, criminal law and wildlife code enforcement.
Capt. Sydney Carman directs the cadet-training program, with many AGFC enforcement officers serving as instructors. Other experts teach specialized topics.
“Once a game warden is assigned to their region, they have to handle a variety of tasks beyond wildlife code regulation, which can include state and federal law enforcement, forensics, interviewing and public relations and community outreach,” Carman said. “We have instructors and experts come in and assist with training on such things as recognizing and dealing with child abuse and domestic violence situations, which our officers may have to engage in once they’re on their own.”
Each of the remaining cadets celebrated during Friday’s formal graduation ceremony before heading to their assigned duty stations. Each officer is assigned to a duty station based on the current needs of the Commission, but accommodations can be made to ensure officers that are familiar with certain areas are assigned near them if possible.
“We always try to place officers in counties where they are already part of the community,” Aston said. “But we also have to ensure vacancies are filled across the state. Sometimes an officer will work in a county far from home for a few years until a vacancy opens up closer to their hometown. Sometimes they decide to stay at their original duty station once they become a part of that community.”
