DNREC Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Youth Academies graduate 59 students

DOVER – This year’s DNREC Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Youth Academy program was a huge success, with 59 students completing the academies’ curriculum the past summer. Now in its fourth year, the popular program is geared to students ages 12 to 15 with an interest in natural resources and law enforcement, with a focus on acquiring or enhancing boating, fishing, and hunting skills.

Sessions for the Basic Youth Academy were held at the DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Little Creek Hunter Education Training Center near Dover and Ommelanden Hunter Education Training Center near New Castle. In addition to introductory boating, fishing, and hunting skills, the students were exposed to various aspects of a Natural Resources Police officer’s daily routine. For patrol work, students completed field scenarios that included checking deer stands and duck blinds, using a decoy deer to nab poachers in the act, and making contact with visitors to Delaware’s wildlife areas managed by the Division of Fish & Wildlife. They were also given instruction in the safe operation of boats and learned about on-the-water enforcement activities.

Students who completed the Kent County Basic Youth Academy were: Michael Atchley of Frederica, Nathaniel Atchley of Frederica, Jaden Azato of Lewes, Aaron Bartsch of Townsend, Ben Barwick of Georgetown, Logan Boyer of Magnolia, Ethan Couch of Laurel, Kenzey Curran of Smyrna, Justin Didden of Dover, Aiden Dill of Camden, Aiden Durham of Camden-Wyoming, Sean Jones of Wyoming, Joshua Kenton of Harrington, Elizabeth Krajewski of Lewes, Jamieson Martin of Clayton, Faith Mitchell of Milford, Kieran Morris of Middletown, Victoria Pedigo of Camden-Wyoming, Samuel Pluta of Carlisle, PA, Rhett Robbins of Frederica, Carissa Towery of Dover, Olivia Tryon of Harrington, Benjamin Warren of Dagsboro, and Walker Weiss of Selbyville.

Students who completed the New Castle County Basic Youth Academy were: Rachel Antonio of New Castle, Gavin Bradley of Middletown, Tyrone Brown of Middletown, Cayleb Catherman of Middletown, Edward Cobb of Newark, Bradyn Coleman of Newark, Jimmy David of Middletown, Vinny Helms of Townsend, Kolin Kaiser of Middletown, Hunter Landry of Magnolia, Harry Long of Wilmington, Gabrielle Marrero of Bear, Chris Napolin of Townsend, Isabella Poore of New Castle, Dawlat Refaie of Wilmington, Walter Samuels of Middletown, Justin Saylor of Wilmington, Makenzey Stephenson of Newark, Maddison Stubblebine of Newark, and Sawyer Wilkins of Landenburg, Pa.

In addition to the Basic Youth Academy students being presented their boating and hunter education certificates at graduation, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police instructors presented awards to five students in each class. For the Kent County class, awards were presented to Michael Atchley for leadership, Jamieson Martin for sportsmanship, Aiden Durham for sharpshooting, Sean Jones for archery, and Ethan Couch for fishing skills. For the New Castle County class, award recipients were Tyrone Brown for leadership, Walker Weiss for sportsmanship, Kolin Kaiser for sharpshooting, Walter Samuels for archery, and Harry Long for fishing skills.

At the Advanced Youth Academy, students acquired skills for camping, fishing, and hunting, and were exposed to various aspects of a Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officer’s daily routine. Students obtained their turkey hunter certification, assisted wildlife biologists with capturing and banding mourning doves, assisted fisheries biologists with pond seining, participated in shotgun and rifle target shooting, a fishing derby and bird watching, and camped at Lums Pond State Park’s primitive campground. To finish up the camp, students participated in a public outreach event with officers displaying the Operation Game Theft trailer at Cabela’s in Newark.

Students who completed the New Castle County Advanced Youth Academy were: Aaron Bartsch of Townsend, Brooke Boileau of Middletown, Gavin Bradley of Middletown, Bradyn Coleman of Newark, Zoe Given of Middletown, Kolin Kaiser of Middletown, Hunter Landry of Magnolia, Harry Long of Wilmington, Gabrielle Marrero of Bear, Kieran Morris of Middletown, Domenick Rathoff of Bear, Harrison Rathoff of Bear, Emily Scott of Middletown, Heather Scott of Middletown, and Walker Weiss of Selbyville.

In addition to the Advanced Youth Academy students receiving their turkey hunter education certificate at graduation, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police instructors presented awards to Walker Weiss for sportsmanship, Aaron Bartsch for sharpshooting, and Zoe Given for fishing skills as well as leadership.

DNREC Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police thank the following sponsors who helped make this year’s youth academies possible: Cabela’s, Freemire & Associates of Camden, PSC Contracting, Inc., Safari Club International – Delaware Valley Chapter, and Logo Motive Custom Apparel.

To learn more about Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police and the Youth Academies, please visit http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/fw/Pages/Enforcement.aspx.

Contact: Sgt. Brooke Mitchell, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-739-9913 or 302-382-7167, or Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

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Application deadline extended to June 15 for DNREC Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police’s 3rd Annual Youth Academies

DOVER – If you are a student aged 12 through 15 with an interest in natural resources and law enforcement, DNREC Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police is once again offering summer Youth Academies – with the deadline for applying extended to Friday, June 15.

The Youth Academy is a five-day program that teaches boating safety, hunter safety, and how to protect our natural resources while looking to nurture the relationship between Delaware’s Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police (NRP) officers and the community. Participants in the Youth Academy attend tuition-free.

This year, Fish & Wildlife NRP offers a Basic Youth Academy and two Advanced Youth Academy programs:

  • Natural Resources Police Basic Youth Academy (New Castle County) –
    Monday through Friday, June 25-29, Ommelanden Hunter Education Training Center, 1205 River Road, New Castle, DE 19720
  • Natural Resources Police Advanced Youth Academy (Kent County) –
    Tuesday through Saturday, July 10-14, Little Creek Hunter Education Training Center, 3018 Bayside Drive, Dover, DE 19901
  • Natural Resources Police Advanced Youth Academy (New Castle County) –
    Tuesday through Saturday, July 17-21, Ommelanden Hunter Education Training Center, 1205 River Road, New Castle, DE 19720

The Basic Youth Academy is limited to the first 20 qualified applicants, with priority given to those who have not already completed a hunter safety course or boating safety course before the academy begins. Applications must include a 250-word essay on why the applicant wants to take part in the Academy and what Delaware’s natural resources mean to him or her. Students who complete the program will receive both their hunter and boating safety certifications.

The Advanced Youth Academy programs are for those who wish to continue learning what it is like to be a Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Officer, as well as learning additional outdoor skills. The Advanced Youth Academy programs are open to youth ages 12 through 15 years old who have either completed the Basic Youth Academy or have already earned their hunter safety and boating safety certifications. An overnight camping excursion is included and parent/guardian participation is mandatory for this portion.

Each of the Advanced Youth Academy programs is limited to the first 15 qualified applicants, with priority given to those who have already completed the Basic Youth Academy. Applications must include a 500-word essay on either what they learned from the Basic Youth Academy or, if they did not attend, what the applicant learned when they took their hunter and boating safety courses.

Applications are available online at http://de.gov/fwenforcement, and at DNREC’s licensing desk in the Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901.

Opportunities to support the Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Youth Academies are available. These programs prosper through the generous support and donations from community businesses, private organizations and individuals.

For more information regarding the Youth Academy, please call Captain Brian Pollock at 302-365-8703 or email brian.pollock@delaware.gov.

Follow Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/DEFWNRPolice/.

Follow Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police on Twitter, https://twitter.com/DE_FW_NRPolice.

Contact: Sgt. Brooke Africa, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-382-7167 or 302-739-9913, or Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 48, No. 134


Applications now being accepted for Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police’s 3rd Annual Youth Academies

DOVER – If you are a student aged 12 to 15 with an interest in natural resources and law enforcement, Delaware Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police is once again offering summer Youth Academies.

The Youth Academy is a five-day program designed to teach youth about boating safety, hunter safety, and how to protect our natural resources while looking to nurture the relationship between our law enforcement officers and the community. Participants in the Youth Academy attend tuition-free.

This year’s offerings include a Basic Youth Academy and two Advanced Youth Academies:

  • Natural Resources Police Basic Youth Academy (New Castle County)
    Monday through Friday, June 25-29, Ommelanden Hunter Education Training Center, 1205 River Road, New Castle, DE 19720
    Application Deadline: Friday, May 25, 2018
  • Natural Resources Police Advanced Youth Academy (Kent County)
    Tuesday through Saturday, July 10-14, Little Creek Hunter Education Training Center, 3018 Bayside Drive, Dover, DE 19901
    Application Deadline: Friday, May 25, 2018
  • Natural Resources Police Advanced Youth Academy (New Castle County)
    Tuesday through Saturday, July 17-21, Ommelanden Hunter Education Training Center, 1205 River Road, New Castle, DE 19720
    Application Deadline: Friday, May 25, 2018

The Basic Youth Academy is limited to the first 20 qualified applicants, with priority given to those who have not already completed a hunter safety course or boating safety course when the academy begins. Applications must include a 250-word essay on why the applicant wants to take part in the Academy and what Delaware’s natural resources mean to him or her. Students who complete the program will receive both their hunter and boating safety certifications.

The Advanced Youth Academies are for those who wish to continue learning what it is like to be a Natural Resources Police Officer, as well as learning additional outdoor skills. The Advanced Academies are open to youth ages 12 to 15 years old who have either completed the Basic Youth Academy or have already earned their hunter safety and boating safety certifications. An overnight camping excursion is included and parent/guardian participation is mandatory for this portion.

The Advanced Youth Academies are limited to the first 15 qualified applicants, with priority given to those who have already completed the Basic Youth Academy. Applications must include a 500-word essay on either what they learned from the Basic Youth Academy or, if they did not attend, what the applicant learned when they took their hunter and boating safety courses.

Applications are available online at de.gov/fwenforcement, and at DNREC’s licensing desk in the Richardson & Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901.

Opportunities to support the Youth Academies are available. Without the generous support and donations from our community businesses, private organizations and individuals, the youth academies would not be successful.

For more information regarding the Youth Academy, please call Captain Brian Pollock at 302-365-8703 or email brian.pollock@delaware.gov.

Vol. 48, No. 31

Contact: Sgt. Brooke Africa, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-382-7167 or 302-739-9913, or Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902


DNREC’s inaugural Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police Youth Academy introduces students to outdoors law enforcement and lets them see themselves as on-the-job candidates

NEWARK – A full complement of 20 students concluded their week-long training at the Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police’s inaugural Youth Academy with a recognition ceremony held at and hosted by Cabela’s at the Christiana Mall. As DNREC rolled out the law enforcement academy for the first time, students learned skills in boating, fishing and hunting as seen from both sides of an NRP officer’s badge. Ranging in age from 12 to 15, the students completed their Delaware boating and hunter education classes and received their boating and hunting education certificates at the concluding ceremony in front of family and friends.

Candidates were chosen to attend the academy staged July 18-22 based on their interests as well as their experience level – and their eagerness to gain relevant experience for perhaps one day joining the ranks of DNREC Fish & Wildlife Natural Resource Police. Each NRP Youth Academy applicant also had to submit a 500-word essay on why she or he wanted to attend. The academy offered free tuition for those selected to participate, with the majority of the training taking place at DNREC’s Ommelanden Hunter Education Training Center in New Castle.

In attending the week-long academy, students got exposed to the gamut of an NRP officer’s daily routine. They took part in patrol work as Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officers by completing field scenarios that included checking deer stands and duck blinds; using a decoy deer to nab poachers in the act, and by making contact with visitors to Delaware’s wildlife areas managed by the Division of Fish & Wildlife. They also were given instruction in the safe operation of vessels, as well as learning about on-the-water enforcement activities. Throughout the academy, instructors emphasized the guiding principles of law enforcement, which included honor, respect, discipline, positive attitude, team work, leadership and commitment.

“The goal for the academy was to open the outdoor world to 20 young people, to expose them to boating, fishing and hunting and to share with them who we are and what it means to be a Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police officer,” said Captain Drew Aydelotte, Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police and acting NRP chief during the Youth Academy. “This group of young people represents the next generation of ethical outdoorsmen and women – and hopefully future officers who will join our elite unit.”

The 20 enrollees who completed the academy were: Johnathan Adkins of Dover; Ross Alexander Jr. of Bear; Alistair Bebbington of Newark; Benjamin Burris of Lothian, Md.; Troy Christiansen of Dover; Joshua Dyer of Dover; Haley Erickson of Clayton; Joseph Harwell of Newark; Ethan Hines of Townsend; Logan Koenig of Dover; Noah Kracyla of Townsend; Connor McDerby of Newark; Joseph McDermott of Townsend; Easley Pierson of Smyrna; Alexander Poore of New Castle; Luke Poore of New Castle; Anthony Puleo of Newark; William Shahan of Newark; Trevor Smith of Middletown, and James Williams of Marydel.

Awards were presented at the academy’s concluding ceremony to students who showed exceptional leadership, teamwork, sharpshooting, archery skills and fishing skills. William Shahan received the leadership award; James Williams was cited for teamwork; Easley Pierson was recognized for sharpshooting; Joseph Mcdermott excelled at archery; and Trevor Smith’s fishing skills all were lauded by NRP instructors.

The Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police also thank the following sponsors who helped make the inaugural youth academy possible:

  • Cabela’s
  • Delaware Chapter of Ducks Unlimited
  • Custom Improvers, Inc.
  • Pat’s Salon in Townsend
  • Chick-fil-a Middletown
  • Delaware City Valero
  • PSC Contracting, Inc.
  • Pat’s Pizzeria in Delaware City
  • La Matesina Pizza in Townsend

To learn more about the Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Natural Resources Police and its Youth Academy, please visit the law enforcement agency’s Facebook and Twitter pages at https://www.facebook.com/DEFWNRPolice/ and https://twitter.com/DE_FW_NRPolice, or the Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police homepage on the DNREC website at http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/fw/Pages/Enforcement.aspx

Media Contacts: Sgt. John McDerby, Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police, 302-739-9913 or 302-354-1386, or Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 46, No. 278