CONCORD — The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Law Enforcement Division recently recognized two 2017 New Hampshire Conservation Officers of the Year.
Conservation Officer James Benvenuti of Strafford, New Hampshire and his K-9 partner Cora were honored with the 2017 Northeast Conservation Law Enforcement Chiefs Association of the Year Award.
Benvenuti has been patrolling in Region 6, on the seacoast, since he joined the department in 2011. He is one of the newest members of the Fish and Game Department’s Dive Team and has made significant contributions in this work already, all according to a press releaae from NHFG. Benvenuti and K-9 Cora went through a rigorous and extensive training program and proved to be an exceptional team. Benvenuti continues to maintain a vigorous training schedule along with the regular responsibilities of a conservation officer. He is also a field training officer, helping to train new recruits in their first year.
“The coastline of our state places unique demands on the officers tasked with enforcing the myriad of laws that exist along our coast,” said Fish and Game Law Enforcement Chief Kevin Jordan. “Commercial fisheries enforcement is a completely different and complicated challenge when compared to other officer initiatives. James understands the complexities of quality law enforcement addressing professional fishermen and their livelihoods and is seen as a resource to other officers when working on the coast. His consistent hard work and dedication to the job and the people we serve have earned him the respect of his law enforcement peers and the general public make in his patrol.”
The Conservation Law Enforcement Chief’s Association (CLECA), is an organization made up of chiefs and assistant chiefs from Virginia to Maine, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement and Canadian provinces. The primary purpose of the association is to encourage and promote conservation law enforcement cooperation among the eastern states represented. Annually, CLECA recognizes an officer from each state for their outstanding contributions to fish and wildlife protection of the country’s natural resources.
Conservation Officer Joseph Canfield, of Sandwich, New Hampshire was named the 2017 Shikar-Safari International Wildlife Officer of the Year.
Canfield began his career with New Hampshire Fish and Game in 2013. Prior to that he worked in law enforcement in Sandwich and Moultonborough. In 2014, Canfield volunteered to become a member of the Advanced Search and Rescue Team and has helped in complicated rescues including clearing a specific location on the side of a steep mountain to allow the Army National Guard helicopter to lower a cable to extricate a critically injured patient. In 2015, he was asked to be the team leader of the newly acquired Side Scan Sonar and an underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle. This past year he was successful in securing an additional Homeland Security grant to allow the purchase of an updated Side Scan Sonar and improved Remotely Operated Vehicle.
After his successful completion of his first training year as a conservation officer, Canfield was assigned to the 26-patrol area within District Two covering the towns of Sandwich, Moultonborough, Ossipee, Effingham, Meredith, Center Harbor, Holderness and Tamworth.
“Throughout his tenure, Joe has consistently exhibited a strong work ethic and a level of professionalism that exemplifies what today’s Wildlife Officer should strive to be,” said Fish and Game Law Enforcement Chief Kevin Jordan. “Joe has worked consistently to integrate himself into the various communities within his patrol area in a manner that has made him a well-known and respected member of those communities.
The Shikar-Safari Club International was founded in 1952 as a group of international hunters who joined together to exchange experiences and ideas about hunting. It started as a social hunting organization, but soon recognized its potential to accomplish meaningful goals in the field of conservation. About 1973, the Shikar-Safari International Foundation was formed. Funds raised by the members of the Shikar-Safari International are used to carry out various conservation projects throughout the world.
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