PENNSYLVANIA — The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission announced that 13 members of the 25th Class of Waterways Conservation Officers (WCO) have formally graduated from the agency’s H.R. Stackhouse School of Fishery Conservation and Watercraft Safety.
Following a graduation ceremony held Friday, June 23, 2023, at the Pennsylvania State Capitol, the officers will report to their assigned regions across the Commonwealth next week 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,” said Col. Clyde Warner, Director of the PFBC Bureau of Law Enforcement. “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
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