Wildlife Officer Of The Year Awards Announced In East Tennessee

  • Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Jeff Roberson
Jeff Roberson

TWRA has named Officers Jeff Roberson and David Carpenter as Wildlife Officers of the Year in their respective law enforcement districts in East Tennessee.

Receiving the honor in TWRA Law Enforcement District 41, Jeff Roberson is an eight-year veteran who has repeatedly excelled in his duties and responsibilities as a wildlife officer. Officer Roberson has also on two previous occasions, been named as the statewide TWRA Boating Officer of the Year.

Last year, Officer Roberson’s law enforcement efforts resulted in a total of 95 court citations, 43 assists of other officers and 58 warnings.  Forty-four of the citations were issued on area lakes and he arrested nine boat operators for Boating Under the Influence as well as assisting other officers on two additional arrests.  He also took part in all organized Off Highway Vehicle and access area details resulting in numerous court citations and several arrests by other officers.

In an effort to help combat the high volume of bear nuisance calls, Officer Roberson assisted other officers in educating Gatlinburg businesses about the danger of feeding bears and how to properly secure trash containers.  He issued four citations to business owners that had previously been warned and issued numerous other warning citations.

Officer Roberson’s other accomplishments include: attending the Appalachian Wildlife Officers Convention; assisting the Tennessee Highway Patrol with a search for an individual on the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area; and assisting the Florida Wildlife Commission by serving two criminal summons. 

Officer Roberson is also dedicated in educating the public and in training other officers.  On five separate occasions, he instructed or assisted training new officers and other LE districts in accident investigations and BUI.  Officer Roberson also took it upon himself to organize and teach three separate classes at local schools, which focused on the importance of boater education, firearms safety, and TWRA’s role in wildlife management.  He instructed four separate boater education classes in the Knox County area and served as a guest speaker for the U.S. Power Squadron.  He was the TWRA spokesman during four separate TV news interviews regarding BUI enforcement, boating safety, and a TWRA rescue operation.

Receiving the honor in TWRA Law Enforcement District 42 is Greene County Wildlife Officer David Carpenter, who is also being recognized as the TWRA Region IV Wildlife Officer of the Year.

In 2015, Officer Carpenter patrolled District 42 counties, lakes, rivers, streams, access areas and Wildlife Management Areas by motor vehicle, boat and on foot promoting the safety and well being of the hunting, fishing and boating public.  During his daily activities, he contacted and inspected 670 hunters and fishermen, as well as 119 motorboat operators to determine compliance with the hunting and fishing laws, agency rules and regulations, proclamations, the Tennessee Boating Safety Act and other pertinent state and federal laws.

In carrying out his duties, Officer Carpenter issued 40 court citations and nine written warnings and he also assisted other District 42 officers with 97 hunting, fishing and boating related cases. District 42 Captain Tim Sain said, “The high number of assists shows how successful Officer Carpenter was as a field training officer and his selflessness in ensuring that the new recruits he was training were given credit for numerous cases.”

Officer Carpenter responded to several boating accidents and assisted other officers with fatal boating incidents and victim recoveries including several personal injury and property damage investigations.  He has been involved with multiple marine events by performing law enforcement duties and providing boating safety information to the general public.  On several occasions, he assisted the boating public with a variety of needs from loaning life jackets to helping with lighting and mechanical problems and he often towed disabled vessels safely back to shore. 

Officer Carpenter instructed or assisted with three boating education classes, eight boating safety programs, and eight additional hunter education programs.   He further represented TWRA by attending several events in the local community including the Ruffed Grouse Society Banquet, the Sullivan County Conservation Days, the Greene County 4H Center Youth Dove Hunt and the Appalachian Fair, where he assisted other officers and TWRA staff.   Officer Carpenter also participated in a TV news segment dealing with nuisance black bears.

TWRA LE Major Brian Ripley is honored to recognize both of these outstanding officers in East Tennessee and issued the following statement:  “I want to congratulate both men on being named Wildlife Officers of the Year and it is always most rewarding to be recognized by their fellow officers.  Throughout their careers, they have both routinely excelled in their positions as wildlife officers, and continue to make positive contributions to the success of TWRA on a daily basis. Their degree of professionalism and dedication serve as examples for all of us to emulate.” 

David Carpenter
David Carpenter
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