Joe Fortner
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has named Joe Fortner and Marty Griffith as wildlife officers of the year. Wildlife officer of the year is a prestigious title, reflecting dedication to the profession and outstanding work in their respective counties and districts within Region III. Individuals are awarded based on teamwork, public outreach, innovation, leadership and achievements.
District 31 DeKalb County Wildlife Officer Joe Fortner wrote 147 citations and warnings this year and assisted with 110 cases. Officer Fortner’s dedication to detail was obvious when his response to a simple tagging violation led to a much larger poaching ring. Nine individuals were charged and found guilty of illegally killing 11 deer. In total there were 113 big game violations netting a total of $14,805.50 in fines and court costs, 23 years of hunting privileges revoked and a combined 16 years of supervised probation among the nine individuals.
Officer Fortner also led an investigation through partnerships with the Putnam and DeKalb County Sheriff Departments that resulted in an individual charged with nine big game violations, two counts of a felon in possession of a firearm, cultivation and possession of drugs and aggravated burglary.
Not only does Officer Fortner excel within the realms of law enforcement, he also excels in outreach and education. Officer Fortner lead his district with 26 days spent on education and outreach programs, including National Archery in the Schools, Wildlife on Wheels trailer activities, Free Fishing Day activities, Gigging for Grads, youth hunts and kayaking events to name a few.
District 32 Marion County Wildlife Officer James “Marty” Griffith, also excelled in education and outreach. Officer Griffith held various public outreach events including youth hunts, hunter and boater education courses, the Kimball Kids Fishing Rodeo and an Interstate 24 Welcome Center event. Officer Griffith educated students on impaired boating, assisted with youth hunts, game dinners and the Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival.
Officer Griffith was one of the TWRA officers that volunteered to help with search and rescue efforts during the South Carolina flood disaster that resulted in the loss of 23 lives. He has also partnered with Alabama wardens on many occasions. Officer Griffith’s thoroughness conducting investigations was revealed during a conversation with a concerned angler regarding illegal commercial fishing. His investigation resulted in charges of said fishermen which included setting nets within 100 yards of the mouth of a stream, not tagging nets, not checking nets within the 24 hour limit, possessing paddlefish roe without a carcass and a navigation light law violation.
Officer Griffith and his partner Russell Vandergriff also followed a tip of catching game fish with a cast net which resulted in a charge of 71 undersized largemouth bass and one undersized crappie. The anglers were fined almost $1,000 for abusing the resource.
Both recipients have been officers for 11 years. Their passion for the outdoors is obvious. When asked what they liked about their careers, both answered emphatically, love of the outdoors and having a role in the conservation and protection of wildlife. Fortner added, “Knowing that you’re helping make a difference for wildlife and future generations of people that enjoy wildlife, is a gift.” Both officers also agreed on the hardest part of their job; that is working boating fatalities. As for something that surprised them about their careers, Officer Fortner had no surprises. Not only was his father a wildlife officer, but his uncle was too. He knew what the job entailed from a young age. Officer Griffith shared, “Our work is really about helping people understand wildlife and this was something I learned as a young officer.”
TWRA Region III Major CJ Jaynes stated, “These two are fantastic officers and I am proud of the outstanding work they have accomplished, upholding TWRA’s mission.” To find out more about law enforcement with TWRA visit: http://www.tn.gov/twra/section/twra-law-enforcement.
Marty Griffith