15 new game agents taking to the field

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Law Enforcement Academy today, Feb. 12, graduated its 28th class of cadets into the ranks of LDWF Enforcement Division agents at a ceremony in Baton Rouge.
After six months of intensive physical and academic training at the academy, 15 newly commissioned agents are ready to begin enforcing hunting, fishing and boating regulations that govern the use of the state's natural resources.
LDWF Secretary Robert Barham was the keynote speaker at the ceremony. “You have a tremendous responsibility to protect Louisiana’s rich natural resources and those who enjoy those resources, whether in the field or on the water. Congratulations on your achievement which we celebrate today,” Barham noted.
Col. Joey Broussard, head of the LDWF Enforcement Division, presented certificates and recited the Oath of Office making the cadets’ transition to commissioned agents official. “We welcome these cadets into the Enforcement Division ranks. They are well trained and will be required to hit the ground running when they get to their local regions.”
The 15 new agents are:
Andrew Arton, 26, of Breaux Bridge, assigned to Iberia Parish
Clinton Branton, 23, of Farmerville, assigned to Madison Parish
Lukas Breed, 24, of Farmerville, assigned to Lincoln Parish
William Carpenter, 41, of Jackson, Miss., assigned to St. Mary Parish
Jerod Coats, 22, of Albany, assigned to Ascension Parish
Patrick Dempsey, 25, of Lacombe, assigned to St. Charles Parish
William Holomon, 23, of Minden, assigned to Natchitoches Parish
Chelsea Kling, 30, of Hilo, Hawaii, assigned to St. John Parish
Gary Levron, 30, of Garyville, assigned to St. John Parish
Eric Little, 30, of Jonesville, assigned to LaSalle Parish
Lloyd Pearson, 21, of Holden, assigned to West Feliciana Parish
Mason Spillman, 21, of St. Francisville, assigned to Jefferson Parish
Nathan Vanya, 25, of Longview, Texas, assigned to Vermillion Parish
Blaine Wagner, 24, of Destrehan, assigned to St. Bernard Parish
Torris White, 40, of Ruston, assigned to Jackson Parish
During the graduation ceremony, Arton received the firearms award given for the best marksman in the class. Holomon received the physical training award for being the most fit. Vanya received the academic award for having the highest grades. Branton won the overall award, which is a cumulative score from the firearms, academic and physical training categories. The Louisiana Wildlife Agents Association award for motivation and discipline was received by Jerod Coats.
At the academy, cadets train to enforce the state's recreational boating laws, the state and federal wildlife and fisheries laws and general law enforcement work on the state's many wildlife management areas. The academy also covers general law enforcement training equal to that of other state law enforcement officers.
The graduating agents fill vacancies in LDWF’s Enforcement Division and will be assigned to a field-training officer for their first six months of duty. Now part of the agency’s commissioned officer staff, the agents will join the ranks of those patrolling land and water to primarily detect game, fish and boating law violations. These duties require travel into Louisiana's forests, swamps, fields, streams, bayous, lakes, marshlands, the Gulf of Mexico and on the state roadway system.