Maine graduates five new game wardens from police academy

Vassealboro, Maine - The Maine Criminal Justice Academy graduated 61 new police officers today from the 18-week Basic Law Enforcement Training Program (BLETP) in Vassalboro. Among the many topics the officers studied were crime scene processing, emergency vehicle operation, firearms proficiency, traffic and criminal law, domestic violence and sexual assault.

Of those 61 officers, five were Maine game wardens who will now be entering their next phase of training. A twelve-week Advanced Game Warden Academy, also based out of the Academy in Vassalboro, will begin in late January where skills more specific to game warden work will be taught. In addition, they will also participate in an intensive Warden Training Officer (WTO) program involving field work, team building and problem solving.

Graduating today for the Maine Warden Service are Game Wardens Camden Akins, 23, from Winslow, Kayle Hamilton, 26, from Buxton, Megan Miller, 22, from Pittsfield, Lauren Roddy, 21, from Belgrade, and Taylor Valente, 24, from New Gloucester. Also shown in the attached photo is Game Warden Kyle Franklin, 24, from Durham. Due to limited BLETP class sizes, Franklin will be entering the Academy in August of 2017.

Maine’s newest game wardens have been assigned their patrol areas. Akins has been assigned to the Chamberlain Lake district, Hamilton is headed for the Clayton Lake district, Miller will be going to the Mars Hill district, Roddy will be covering the Jackman district, Valente has been assigned the Rockwood district, and Franklin will be going to Escort Station after completing the BLETP next year.

The class commencement address was given by Maine Attorney General Janet Mills. Maine’s Chief Game Warden, Colonel Joel Wilkinson stated today that “…We are very proud of our five game wardens and their successful completion of the 18-week BLETP. Their actions and performance through the training process demonstrate the success of our rigorous screening and hiring process of hiring the very best. “ The Maine Warden Service congratulates all those who graduated today and their families and wish them all a safe and fulfilling career in law enforcement.

(Attached photo: From left to right: Game Wardens Taylor Valente, Kayle Hamilton, Megan Miller, Lauren Roddy, Camden Akins, and Kyle Franklin.)