Duluth-Based Officer Is Now 2024 Minnesota Conservation Officer Of The Year

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recently held its annual award celebration at Camp Ripley, where DNR officers gather to recognize and celebrate the best of the best.

Several awards are handed out, with the top being the Conservation Officer Of The Year, which is presented to an officer for outstanding overall career performance.

Last year, longtime Alexandria-area conservation officer Mitch Lawler was named the 2023 DNR Conservation Officer of the Year. This year, that recognition went to another longtime officer who is currently based in the Duluth area.

Duluth-Based Officer Named 2024 Conservation Officer Of The Year

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced that in recognition of his outstanding overall career performance, DNR Conservation Officer Andy Schmidt has been named the 2024 Conservation Officer of the Year. Before becoming a conservation officer, Schmidt worked as a trooper for the Minnesota State Patrol.

Get our free mobile app

Schmidt has been a conservation officer since 2008 and currently works in the Duluth West station. The DNR notes that he’s spent his entire career working in the northeastern part of Minnesota, and recently accepted a promotion to become district supervisor in the area in early March.

Andy Schmidt had earned the reputation of being a "thorough conservation officer who works hard to connect the community with the DNR through safety training classes and routine contacts with outdoor enthusiasts."  He is also heavily involved in training new and existing conservation officers and serves on the Enforcement Division’s Honor Guard.

DNR Enforcement Division Director Col. Rodmen Smith said, “Andy has been a dedicated public servant his entire career, and really models what it means to excel as a conservation officer. He strikes the delicate balance of enforcing laws that protect natural resources and getting people to understand how their actions affect the resources.”

Andy Schmidt also was named the 2024 Minnesota Wildlife Officer of the Year by the Shikar Safari Club International.

SEE NOW: 7 Helpful Winter Weather Life Hacks For Your Vehicle In Minnesota

Other Minnesota DNR Officers Also Recognized

At the awards celebration, four other officers received special recognition, including:

• Boat and Water Safety Achievement Award: Presented to Conservation Officer Tyler Ramaker. He’s been a CO since 2018 and spends nearly the entire year working on or around open water on the Mississippi River in southeastern Minnesota.
• Waterfowl Enforcement Achievement Award: Presented to Conservation Officer Shane Vernier who is stationed in Willmar and patrols some of the state’s best waterfowl-hunting lakes and marshes and the surrounding public land.
• Willard Munger Wetlands Achievement Award: Presented to Conservation Officer Cassie Block who is stationed in Willmar and has been a CO since 2020. Block works an area where waterways receive heavy pressure ranging from agriculture to recreational use. She prioritizes investigating and resolving complaints related to wetlands and water resources and emphasizes work around preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species.
• Enforcement Education Achievement Award: Presented to Conservation Officer Darrin Kittelson who is stationed in International Falls and has been a conservation officer since 2005. Kittelson is synonymous with safety in his community. He is a lead ATV, firearms, and snowmobile safety instructor, and works tirelessly to ensure all youth in the area have access to the instruction they need to enjoy a lifetime of safe outdoor recreation.