Recruits train to be first line of defense for Michigan’s natural resources
Week 18: Nov. 12-18, 2017
The black Suburban slowed to a crawl after rounding the corner. The pitch-darkness on this nippy November night made it tough to see much, but that was fine with the driver and his passenger. They were, in fact, counting on the  evening’s ink-like murkiness to cloak the crime they intended to commit.
Their eyes darted left and right, scanning the rural roadside made more visible by the search light mounted on the vehicle. Suddenly, the Suburban’s brake lights flared and it came to a halt. The searchlight had done its illicit job, illuminating the eyes of the deer that stood about 20 yards away. It’s why this criminal act is commonly called “shining.”
Two gunshots from the driver sealed the deal. No doubt the poachers were feeling smug as they prepared to grab their illegally killed quarry, but not after the flashing lights of a Michigan Department of Natural Resources patrol truck lit up their rearview mirror.
Uh-oh. Looks like shining wasn’t such a smart decision after all.
DNR conservation officers have protected Michigan’s natural resources for 130 years. Week 18 of the DNR Conservation Officer Recruit School prepared the next generation to serve as the first line of defense in this noble cause. The overwhelming majority of Michigan outdoor enthusiasts respect our natural resources and abide by the laws. Unfortunately, there always are a few people who don’t.
Training scenarios like the one just described helped recruits get a better understanding of the types of situations they  will encounter in the field. The timing of this practice session was especially appropriate, with this week marking the opening of Michigan’s firearm deer hunting season.
Checking sobriety
With graduation just weeks away, the class is getting issued more official conservation officer gear for use in the field. After returning to the academy Sunday night, recruits had the thrill of receiving their snowmobile coats, bib overalls, helmets and other equipment they will need to hit the ground running after graduation.
But they’re not there yet. There’s still more to learn, such as the ins and outs of determining a person’s blood alcohol content. Monday began with instruction from Michigan State Police Sgt. Perry Curtis, who walked the class through the operation and legalities of the roadside preliminary breath test (PBT) device and the DataMaster breath test machine. Evidence collected with these tools often is vital to the successful prosecution of individuals who operate a vehicle while under the influence.
These skills are essential for law enforcement officers. In Michigan alone, roughly 35,000 arrests for operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs are made each year. In 2016 the state had more than 250 traffic  crashes that ended in fatalities as a direct result of alcohol use. Conservation officers can expect to encounter alcohol- and drug-related cases regarding the operation of motor vehicles, boats, snowmobiles and ORVs many times during their careers.
On the scene
Recruits then went on to learn about conducting traffic crash investigations. Their constant patrols and statewide coverage area means conservation officers inevitably will respond to traffic accidents throughout their careers. What’s more, they’ll do so in all kinds of traffic situations and weather conditions.
The statistics speak for themselves. Last year more than 312,000 motor vehicle crashes were reported in Michigan, killing more than 1,000 people and injuring nearly 80,000. Trainees were taught to properly fill out the UD-10 traffic crash report used by law enforcement statewide. They also gained a better understanding of the many responsibilities that come with responding to an accident scene, such as  knowing how to keep other traffic moving safely around the site, ensuring the safety of accident victims by requesting medical assistance if needed, and using interviewing techniques and observational tools to help determine the accident’s cause. It’s a lot to remember and being at the center of a hectic scene may be intimidating initially, but recruits will learn to handle these situations effectively and professionally.
Tough situations
After completing their physical training Tuesday morning, recruits listened to 1st Lt. David Sosinksi of the Michigan State Police as he made them aware of how emergency support teams can assist conservation officers if needed.
“Dangerous situations can and do happen, and it’s important that recruits understand there are specialized teams standing by to respond at a moment’s notice,” he said.
Conservation Officer Shannon Kritz wrapped up the afternoon classes with training on dealing with families of juveniles. “Handling cases that involve juveniles committing crimes can be challenging,” she said. “Parents are often overcome with emotion when it comes to their children and don’t want to believe they would do something wrong. Keeping your own emotions in check, and knowing how and when to use your discretion is very important.”
Conservation Officer Kritz followed up her lecture by giving recruits a series of real life-based verbal scenarios to work through.
Opening day
Wednesday was opening day of Michigan’s firearm deer hunting season. Recruits woke up only to be met by a barrage of questions about firearm deer season from instructors during the morning inspection. With more than a half-million hunters expected to take part in this great tradition, conservation officers must have strong knowledge of related laws as the season gets under way.
Crash causes
Thursday’s training encouraged recruits to build on the traffic accident investigation skills they developed earlier in the week. They took turns responding to various crash scenarios. Recruits were challenged to figure out what happened at  the scenes, control safety around the sites, deal with the vehicle drivers, and ultimately decide whether enforcement action was warranted. The students were confronted with mock situations such as rear-end collisions and car-deer accidents.
Search and seizure
Later in the day recruits were immersed in legal training, with an emphasis on search and seizure. It’s an important topic for conservation officers since they frequently respond to incidents on private property. Conservation officers must know the legal basis of when and where they can search with or without a warrant.
Poaching doesn’t pay
After completing written tests on their legal training, recruits were grouped into teams and sent to respond to a mock deer shining complaint. Driving DNR patrol trucks, recruits responded to an area and observed role-playing instructors shining and “shooting” an antlered deer from a motor vehicle, which is illegal.
Recruits were graded on their performance, including the way they handled safety at the scene, how they conducted the investigation, whether they took proper officer safety precautions, and the reasoning they used to decide whether enforcement action was needed. The nighttime exercise gave them a vivid picture of the type of work they will be doing, and the conditions in which they will work.
The human element
Conservation Officer Shane Webster brought the class up to speed Friday on prisoner care and treatment. Arresting officers and corrections officers have a responsibility to treat prisoners fairly and ethically. According to Conservation  Officer Webster, special attention should be paid to suspects in custody who may be suicidal or assaultive to officers or other inmates. Detecting warning signs from such behavior can prevent tragedies from occurring.
The week wrapped up with a presentation by Dr. Michael Comer, staff psychologist for the DNR Law Enforcement Division. Dr. Comer shared procedures for delivering death notifications, an extremely difficult situation that must be handled with the utmost care and compassion. Understanding the psychological factors that people go through when they lose a loved one is critical to knowing how this information should be delivered. Recruits absorbed the information with somber faces but gained a firm understanding of the responsibility that someday may fall on their shoulders.
Week 18 was yet another gauge of recruits’ personal and professional growth. Whether it was learning new equipment or understanding the human emotions they’ll need to consider as they perform their duties, recruits proved they are closer to assuming the responsibilities that come with the badge and uniform of a Michigan conservation officer.
Subscribe to the weekly conservation officer academy blog, which also will be posted on the Michigan DNR Facebook page. View previous blogs from Recruit School #8.
/Note to editors: Accompanying photos are available below for download. Caption information follows.
The_human_side: Dr. Michael Comer, staff psychologist for the DNR Law Enforcement Division, emphasizes with recruits the need for compassion when dealing with family members who have lost a loved one. Delivering a death notification is an unpleasant but necessary duty a conservation officer may be called upon to perform, and it must be done with dignity and respect.
Sorting_things_out: Conservation officers often are first on the scene of a traffic accident. Pictured, a recruit undergoes training for such incidents. After ensuring that a motorist does not require medical attention, recruits are taught the proper questions to ask and clues to look for as they determine the accident’s cause.
Finding_the_cause: A recruit works to get to the bottom of a traffic accident as he practices his interviewing techniques. While responding to accidents is not a primary part of conservation officers’ jobs, their constant patrols and wide coverage areas often result in them being first at the scene.
Getting_the_details: Determining the cause of a traffic accident requires conservation officers and other law enforcement officials to know what questions to ask and how to read clues at the scene. Pictured, a DNR recruit interviews an instructor who pretends to be a motorist involved in an accident.
Running_a_test: A recruit and his partner become familiar with a DataMaster breath test machine during a recent classroom session. Evidence collected with the machine often is vital to the successful prosecution of individuals who operate a vehicle while under the influence.
Poaching_doesn’t_pay: A recruit, left, questions a role-playing instructor pretending to poach deer under cover of darkness by shining a light from his vehicle. The Week 18 training coincided with the start of Michigan’s firearm deer hunting season.
Field_sobriety_test: A conservation officer recruit blows into a preliminary breath test device that indicates a person’s blood alcohol content. Conservation officers must know how to use the PBT and other devices because they sometimes encounter vehicle operators who are illegally under the influence of drugs or alcohol./
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.
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