On April 24, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Law Enforcement Academy graduated its 36th class of cadets into the ranks of LDWF Enforcement Division agents at a ceremony in Baton Rouge.
After six months of training at the academy, 19 newly commissioned agents are ready to begin enforcing hunting, fishing, and boating regulations that govern the use of the state’s natural resources.
LDWF Secretary Madison Sheahan was the keynote speaker at the graduation and told the cadets, “This accomplishment is no easy feat. It took hard work and dedication to earn your title and wear this uniform. As an Enforcement Agent, you will have the opportunity to interact with the sportsmen of this state each day. We ask that as you serve your community you do so with the utmost integrity and respect, wearing the green and grey with pride.”
Col. Rachel Zechenelly, head of the LDWF Enforcement Division, presented certificates and recited the Oath of Office making the cadet’s transition to commissioned agents official. “It is always an exciting day for the enforcement division when we can welcome 19 new agents into our family. After six long months of training at our academy, they have earned the title of enforcement agent, and we hope they have a long and successful career within our division,” said Col. Zechenelly.
The 19 new agents are:
- Austin Ashley, of Sibley, assigned to Caldwell Parish
- Javion Batiste, of Lafayette, assigned to Lafayette Parish
- Gavin Bazer, of Benton, assigned to St. Martin Parish
- Zachary Bell, of Prairieville, assigned to St. James Parish
- Malee Bourgeois, of Jean Lafitte, assigned to Jefferson Parish
- Hayden Byrd, of Denham Springs, assigned to Iberville Parish
- Kenneth Cheramie, of Cut Off, assigned to Sabine Parish
- Lane DeVillier, of Eunice, assigned to Avoyelles Parish
- Harry Gaines, of New Orleans, assigned to Assumption Parish
- Dawson Gildig, of Albany, assigned to Plaquemines Parish
- Caleb Kennedy, of Weston, assigned to Ouachita Parish
- Logan Laffoon, of Pineville, assigned to Sabine Parish
- Savannah Lavergne, of Carencro, assigned to St. Mary Parish
- Andrew Lemoine, of Plaucheville, assigned to Catahoula Parish
- Mollyann Moore, of West Monroe, assigned to Ouachita Parish
- Carl Reed, of Muskegon, Mich., assigned to Terrebonne Parish
- Brett Smith, of Sunset, assigned to Plaquemines Parish
- David Williams, of Dry Creek, assigned to Calcasieu Parish
- Dawson Williams, of Hicks, assigned to Tensas Parish
“We are proud of each of these 19 agents as they set out on a mission to not only help conserve our wildlife and fisheries, but also keep our sportsmen safe on land and on the water. They are crucial to Louisiana, and we cannot wait to see how they will continue to grow in their service to the department and to the community,” said Deputy Secretary Stephen Clark.
During the graduation ceremony, Bazer was awarded the physical fitness award for scoring the highest on the physical fitness assessment test. Reed received the firearms award for the best marksman in the class. Moore received the academic award for having the highest grades. Bazer also won the overall award, which is a cumulative score from the firearms, academic and physical training categories.
At the academy, cadets train to enforce the state and federal laws for wildlife and fisheries, recreational boating laws, and general law enforcement work.
The graduating agents will be assigned to a field-training officer for their first six months of duty. Now part of the agency’s commissioned officer staff, the agents will join the ranks of those patrolling land and water to primarily detect game, fish, and boating law violations. These duties require travel into Louisiana’s forests, swamps, fields, streams, bayous, lakes, marshlands, the Gulf of Mexico, and on the state roadway system.
