The Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division recently recognized the outstanding work of troopers from the Mid-Valley (Salem/Albany) Team when Captain Jeff Samuels announced that the team was the recipient of the Division's "Team of the Year" award for 2015 efforts. The team was presented the award at a special gathering of family, friends and peers, held on July 7, 2016 at the Oregon State Police General Headquarters in Salem. The presentation of the award celebrates and recognizes the outstanding teamwork by OSP Fish and Wildlife troopers in protecting Oregon's citizens and natural resources.
The Mid-Valley Team, supervised by Sergeant James Halsey, works out of the Salem and Albany Area Command Offices. Team members during 2015 were as follows:
Sergeant James Halsey
Senior Trooper Casey Hunter
Senior Trooper Kirk Burkholder -- Former OSP member
Senior Trooper Ron Clement
Trooper Brian Glaser
Trooper Steve Kenyon
Trooper Jim Andrews
The Mid-Valley Team is responsible for protecting natural resources spanning Marion, Polk, Linn and Benton counties, and during the past year consisted of a team of five Troopers and a Sergeant. Because of the large area they are responsible for, the team works individually, in pairs, or as an entire group to effectively work their patrol area. Whatever the season or priority, the Mid-Valley Team addresses the task at hand with great enthusiasm and determination to catch violators and educate the public.
The Mid-Valley Team has taken on a number of issues during 2015 and have proven that they are both forward thinking and relentless in their pursuit to not just catch violators, but to offer rule change suggestions, take on additional assignments and use Division resources such as wildlife enforcement decoys (WED) and the Aircraft Program to tackle poaching issues. Two specific examples of this include defining the Team's focus on natural resource protection. In the first; the South Santiam River at Waterloo has historically been the hub of nearly all salmon snagging complaints and social issues for the Albany Troopers. Sergeant Halsey and his Troopers worked with the local ODFW biologist and hatchery manager to recommend a rule change that put anti-snagging regulations into effect. Secondly, and most notably; Sergeant Halsey and the entire Mid-Valley Team redefined the way the aircraft program has been used over the past several years in the NW Region and made some outstanding big game cases. They included the Aircraft Sergeant in team meetings, maintained outstanding lines of communication with him throughout the fall, put a team member in the plane to act as an observer for spot lighters, and adjusted their shifts to have as many team members as possible on the ground to make the aircraft patrol effective. The team went above and beyond to ensure they maximized the aircraft to its fullest potential with great success.
The team also thought outside the box, wanting to obtain more effective equipment to assist in their enforcement of the wildlife laws. The team field tested forward looking infrared (FLIR) units during the fall big game season, and utilized their great relationship with the Oregon Hunter's Association to have a set of FLIR purchased for, and donated to, the Mid-Valley Team.
In regards to excellence and dedication to protecting Oregon's natural resources and citizens, the Mid-Valley Team has been instrumental in protecting fish and wildlife resources in their area of responsibility and made many outstanding cases during 2015. This team is commended for a job well done.
To learn more about the Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division you can follow us on twitter @OSP_Fish or find us on the web at https://www.oregon.gov/OSP/FW/pages/index.aspx.
Team Photograph (left to right: Tpr. Brian Glaser, Tpr. Steve Kenyon, Sr. Tpr. Casey Hunter, Sgt. James Halsey, Sr. Tpr. Ron Clement, Tpr. Jim Andrews, and former member Sr. Tpr. Kirk Burkholder)
The Mid-Valley Team, supervised by Sergeant James Halsey, works out of the Salem and Albany Area Command Offices. Team members during 2015 were as follows:
Sergeant James Halsey
Senior Trooper Casey Hunter
Senior Trooper Kirk Burkholder -- Former OSP member
Senior Trooper Ron Clement
Trooper Brian Glaser
Trooper Steve Kenyon
Trooper Jim Andrews
The Mid-Valley Team is responsible for protecting natural resources spanning Marion, Polk, Linn and Benton counties, and during the past year consisted of a team of five Troopers and a Sergeant. Because of the large area they are responsible for, the team works individually, in pairs, or as an entire group to effectively work their patrol area. Whatever the season or priority, the Mid-Valley Team addresses the task at hand with great enthusiasm and determination to catch violators and educate the public.
The Mid-Valley Team has taken on a number of issues during 2015 and have proven that they are both forward thinking and relentless in their pursuit to not just catch violators, but to offer rule change suggestions, take on additional assignments and use Division resources such as wildlife enforcement decoys (WED) and the Aircraft Program to tackle poaching issues. Two specific examples of this include defining the Team's focus on natural resource protection. In the first; the South Santiam River at Waterloo has historically been the hub of nearly all salmon snagging complaints and social issues for the Albany Troopers. Sergeant Halsey and his Troopers worked with the local ODFW biologist and hatchery manager to recommend a rule change that put anti-snagging regulations into effect. Secondly, and most notably; Sergeant Halsey and the entire Mid-Valley Team redefined the way the aircraft program has been used over the past several years in the NW Region and made some outstanding big game cases. They included the Aircraft Sergeant in team meetings, maintained outstanding lines of communication with him throughout the fall, put a team member in the plane to act as an observer for spot lighters, and adjusted their shifts to have as many team members as possible on the ground to make the aircraft patrol effective. The team went above and beyond to ensure they maximized the aircraft to its fullest potential with great success.
The team also thought outside the box, wanting to obtain more effective equipment to assist in their enforcement of the wildlife laws. The team field tested forward looking infrared (FLIR) units during the fall big game season, and utilized their great relationship with the Oregon Hunter's Association to have a set of FLIR purchased for, and donated to, the Mid-Valley Team.
In regards to excellence and dedication to protecting Oregon's natural resources and citizens, the Mid-Valley Team has been instrumental in protecting fish and wildlife resources in their area of responsibility and made many outstanding cases during 2015. This team is commended for a job well done.
To learn more about the Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division you can follow us on twitter @OSP_Fish or find us on the web at https://www.oregon.gov/OSP/FW/pages/index.aspx.
Team Photograph (left to right: Tpr. Brian Glaser, Tpr. Steve Kenyon, Sr. Tpr. Casey Hunter, Sgt. James Halsey, Sr. Tpr. Ron Clement, Tpr. Jim Andrews, and former member Sr. Tpr. Kirk Burkholder)