May. 5, 2010 - The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) has selected Foresthill Warden Robert Pelzman as its Law Enforcement Division's Officer of the Year. Pelzman's selection as DFG's Officer of the Year makes him eligible for the Pogue-Elms Officer of the Year Award from the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA).
"Warden Pelzman is the epitome of a field game warden," said Nancy Foley, Chief of DFG's Law Enforcement Division. "His routine patrol duties always generate an above average caseload, all while he contributes to many other goals of the Law Enforcement Division."
Pelzman is a Field Training Officer (he has trained 13 new wardens), Field Training Committee Member, Firearms Instructor, Defensive Tactics Instructor, Firearms Armorer and Canine Handler. He is a natural leader and a great asset to his fellow wardens and supervisors. He regularly participates in Hunter Education classes in his district and even ran his own class last year.
Pelzman's preemptive efforts to meet with groups such as miners, dredgers and houndsmen on regulation changes have greatly improved the credibility of DFG within those groups. Pelzman has shown diligence in the apprehension of violators, whether an encounter in the field or the result of an in-depth investigation utilizing search warrants.
An example of Pelzman's investigative tenacity and excellence as a trainer is a case he and his trainee made last fall. The two were patrolling back roads for squirrel hunting activity when they encountered a parked vehicle. While checking the unoccupied vehicle, they heard the sound of a cordless drill in the forest. From that limited information, Pelzman guided his trainee through an investigation using surveillance, trail cameras and ultimately a search warrant for a residence that uncovered an illegal bear baiting operation, along with two poached mountain lions and four ring-tailed cats.
Pelzman is respected by his peers, his community, his chain-of-command and his K9 Warden Nigel.
"Robert is known for having the most positive of attitudes and I am proud to see him represent DFG in the Pogue-Elms Award selection process," Chief Foley said.
The Pogue-Elms Award was created by WAFWA to honor Bill Pogue and Conley Elms, two Idaho wildlife officers killed in the line of duty in 1981 by a poacher. The award is given on their behalf to a wildlife law enforcement officer who exemplifies courage, dedication, sacrifice and hard work in their dedication to, and love for wildlife.
WAFWA represents 23 states and Canadian provinces, spanning from Alaska to Texas and Saskatchewan to Hawaii- an area covering nearly 3.7 million square miles of some of North America's most wild and scenic country, inhabited by more than 1,500 wildlife species. The Association has been a key organization in promoting the principles of sound resource management and the building of partnerships at the regional, national and international levels in order to enhance wildlife conservation efforts and the protection of associated habitats in the public interest.
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