Outdoors

New Waterways Conservation Officers graduate

HARRISBURG -- The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission announced that 13 members of the 25th Class of Waterways Conservation Officers (WCOs) formally graduated from the agency's H.R. Stackhouse School of Fishery Conservation and Watercraft Safety on June 23.

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

"It gives me an incredible feeling of pride to officially welcome this dedicated group of new officers to our Fish and Boat Commission team," Col. Clyde Warner, Director of the PFBC Bureau of Law Enforcement, said. "With their intense training behind them, these officers are ready to serve millions of anglers and boaters in Pennsylvania and work to protect, conserve, and enhance our aquatic resources."

Before graduating, officers undergo an extensive 52-week training program encompassing all aspects of conservation law enforcement. Following civil service testing and selection, trainees completed a 26-week Municipal Police Officers Basic Training conducted at Mansfield University, Tioga County. An additional 26 weeks of training was conducted at the Stackhouse school located in Bellefonte, Centre County, and included field training alongside seasoned WCOs.

During their conservation law enforcement careers, the officers' duties will be multifaceted and include patrolling the streams, rivers, and lakes in their regions; assisting with 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.

Sarah Bartle, Fannettsburg, assigned to Franklin/E. Fulton counties

Brendan Borne, Camp Hill, assigned to Bedford/W. Fulton counties

Zachary Christy, Irwin, assigned to cover vacancies within the Southwest Region

Caleb Cramer, Mount Union, assigned to N. Wayne County

Gaven Danneker, Bellefonte, assigned to Delaware County

Noah Grice, Elizabeth, assigned to E. Crawford/Warren counties

Abigail Luteri, Somerset, assigned to SW. Montgomery/W. Philadelphia counties

Kristian McNamara, Enola, assigned to Lackawanna/Wayne/Susquehanna counties

Michael Noon III, South Fork, assigned to Clarion/Butler/Armstrong counties

Logan Schuller, New Castle, assigned to E. Erie County

Jacob Schwartzmiller, Erie, assigned to W. Erie County

Seth Strawser, Richfield, assigned to Perry/Juniata counties

Luke Walter, Mercer, assigned to Butler County

In addition to the graduating class, several WCOs recently accepted new assignments, which include:

Shane Casey, transferred from N. Wayne County to W. Schuylkill County

Carl Maise, transferred from Cumberland County to S. York County

Lacie Mosteller, transferred from SW. Montgomery/W. Philadelphia counties to Cumberland County

Wyatt Peiper, transferred from Franklin/E. Fulton counties to Elk County

Matthew Scott, transferred from Delaware County to W. Allegheny County