OSP Albany Fish & Wildlife Trooper Receives Two Top Awards

Photo: Oregon State Police

(Albany, Oregon) - An Albany-area Oregon State Police (OSP) Fish and Wildlife Division trooper received two awards this week, the Division's 2010 "Fish and Wildlife Division Trooper of the Year" and the Shikar-Safari Club International "Wildlife Officer of the Year."

On Thursday, April 21, 2011, Captain Jeff Samuels, OSP Fish and Wildlife Division Director, presented Senior Trooper James Halsey the Division award during a Mid-Valley Team meeting at the OSP Albany Area Command office. The second presentation occurred April 22 when Shikar-Safari Club International representative Lynn Loacker recognized Halsey as the State's top conservation enforcement officer with the Shikar-Safari award during a presentation at the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting in Salem.

The Division award is the fifth annual presentation and is based on criteria including professionalism, dedication to the citizens and natural resources of our State, and individual work ethic. Nominations were received from around the state and reviewed by regional and General Headquarters staff before the announcement of the award recipient.

Given annually for more than 25 years, the Shikar-Safari award from the conservation-based organization honors an officer whose efforts during the previous year reflected outstanding performance and achievement among the state agency's sworn fish and wildlife law enforcement personnel. HALSEY's selection by the Shikar-Safari Club International places him in a distinguished group who has earned this recognition for their commitment to fish and wildlife enforcement.

"Senior Trooper James Halsey is a professional in every sense of the word," said Samuels. "He is well respected by his peers and local community. He routinely serves as a mentor to younger troopers as well as supports others involved in critical incidents. Senior Trooper Halsey goes above and beyond the expectations of an Oregon State Trooper and I am proud of him for these honors as the recipient of the 2010 Fish and Wildlife Division ‘Trooper of the Year' and the Shikar-Safari Club International ‘Wildlife Officer of the Year.'"

Halsey, age 40, joined OSP in 2000 when he was assigned to the Patrol Services Division at the Oregon State University Patrol office. He transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Division in April 2005 and was stationed at the Albany Area Command office. Halsey has trained four new Fish and Wildlife Division Troopers, is a team leader on the Critical Incident Response Team, and acts as a Patrol Tactics Instructor. Those that nominated HALSEY for the awards remarked at his dedication to the protection of Oregon's natural resources.

News Release from: Oregon State Police