Three Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) employees were honored during the April 18 State Law Enforcement Chiefs Association meeting in Tallahassee. SLECA annually honors the best and brightest in Florida’s law enforcement community. FWC business manager John Fussell was nominated for the Distinguished Civilian Support Member Award, Lt. John Wilke received the Outstanding Law Enforcement Trainer of the Year Award and Investigator Rene Taboas received the Investigator of the Year Award. FWC officers took home two of the seven awards presented at the meeting.
Lt. John Wilke, the FWC’s Northeast Regional Training Lieutenant, won the Outstanding Law Enforcement Trainer of the Year Award. Wilke is directly responsible for the operational readiness of approximately 130 sworn law enforcement officers in 12 counties. He also has the responsibility of supervising and supporting law enforcement recruiting in the Northeast region. Over the past year, he has supervised the recruitment of approximately 300 applicants, focusing on quality and diversity, to maintain the excellence of the FWC’s personnel. Wilke continually strives to benefit the FWC’s law enforcement training and has identified initiatives to improve training development and equipment evaluation. Recently, he coordinated an Operation Outdoor Freedom event, an opportunity for Florida’s wounded veterans to hunt.
FWC Investigator Rene Taboas, the recipient of SLECA’s Investigator of the Year Award, has gone well above and beyond with his efforts to increase the FWC’s successful enforcement of the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act, a federal law enacted to protect native migratory birds. Enforcement of this statute is difficult, and poachers have become experts in evading law enforcement. Over the course of the past year, he has been the lead investigator on more than 30 state cases resulting in 180 charges cited against 42 defendants. He has honed his skills at identifying protected species and targeting the discrete and sometimes remote areas where illegal bird trapping takes place. Taboas has worked closely with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to investigate MBTA cases on a federal level and has served as a subject matter expert both during investigations and the prosecutorial phases of the cases. His direct efforts have resulted in more illegal bird trapping cases than the rest of the FWC Division of Law Enforcement combined. He has excelled tremendously in this area of conservation law enforcement.
Business manager John Fussell was nominated for the Distinguished Civilian Support Member Award for his dedication and commitment to conservation law enforcement over the course of his distinguished career. Fussell has spent nearly 34 years as a public servant and is an invaluable member of the FWC’s South Region. During major investigations, he has navigated the required paths for the payment of emergency purchases on several occasions and is a bridge that new leaders use to cross safely over into financial areas for new law enforcement administrators. Although behind the scenes, without the work Fussell performs, the FWC’s Division of Law Enforcement would be considerably less effective, streamlined and efficient while performing conservation law enforcement duties.
“I’m very proud of the work that our officers and employees do every day, and to see them recognized by this prestigious association is very gratifying. Our people are our number one asset, and their work is crucial to the successful achievement of our conservation mission,” said Col. Curtis Brown, director of the FWC Division of Law Enforcement.
The FWC is proud of these employees, who serve as a testament to the strength, professionalism and dedication all FWC staff exhibit while working to protect the people of Florida and conserve our natural resources.
About SLECA:
The State Law Enforcement Chiefs’ Association is an association promoting better understanding among state law enforcement organizations, to secure unity of action in all law enforcement matters relating to its members and to serve the state purpose of enhancing law enforcement for the state of Florida. SLECA annually awards the best and brightest in Florida’s law enforcement community. Awards are presented to deserving candidates from all over the state of Florida.
Media contact: Rob Klepper, Robert.Klepper@MyFWC.com