Portland, Oregon
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CRITFE Conservation Officer Mitch Hicks
The Native American Fish and Wildlife Society (NAFWS) today named
Sergeant Mitch Hicks, a patrol sergeant with the Columbia River
Inter-Tribal Fisheries Enforcement (CRITFE), as this year's Conservation
Officer of the Year for 2007.
Awarded annually, the society's Conservation Officer of the Year
Award is bestowed upon a NAFWS member who "exemplifies dedication
and hard work to the enforcement field."
"Every year the NAFWS makes it a point to recognize tribal
members that excel in their field," explained Ted Lamebull,
NAFWS board member. "This award, which is only presented at
the national level, recognizes Mitch's accomplishments."
"Mitch is a self-motivated sergeant," said Chief John
Johnson, captain of CRITFE and Hick's long-time supervisor. "There
is little need to supervise him much since he's usually a step ahead
of me. He is truly a talented and very intelligent individual. If
he doesn't know something about a particular issue, he educates
himself thoroughly; anybody in the enforcement field wants troops
just like him."
A member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe from the Fort Hall Reservation,
Hicks' nomination stems from his 14 years of devotion to the protection
of tribal treaty fishing rights, the enforcement of fishing regulations
on the Columbia River and the protection of tribal fisheries. As
a member of CRITFE's team of officers, he is responsible for assigning
river patrols to his officers, monitoring investigations, tracking
the training needs of his staff, offering advice and consultation
on complex cases, and maintaining interagency communications.
"In the spirit of tribal service I humbly accept this award,"
said Hicks. "I remember the harassment my family, friends and
I were subjected to as tribal members exercising our hunting and
fishing rights—having our camp shot at, even being held at
gunpoint. Now it is my warrior duty to do what I can to deter these
things from happening to anyone else."
A husband and father, Hicks can add his Conservation Officer of
the Year honor with his National Safe Boating Council Region 6 Award
of Merit received at the International Boating and Safety Summit
in 2003. Chosen from a number of projects in Oregon, Idaho, Alaska,
Montana, Washington, Colorado and Wyoming, the award recognized
the boating and water safety program that he developed for CRITFE.
"I really attribute my honor to the Indian people throughout
time that have sacrificed to preserve our heritage, customs and
sovereignty," Hicks said. "Especially to my grandfather,
who served in tribal government for many years. He set an example
of the connection between Mother Earth and Indian people, and taught
me to be an honorable person. The work I do today is in honor of
the fish that we are blessed with and in honor of the people who
have made noble sacrifices before us."
Hicks' award was presented during the annual awards luncheon at
the NAFWS annual meeting in Reno, Nevada.
The Native American Fish & Wildlife Society is a non-profit
membership organization with 224 tribes represented. The society's
mission is to assist Native American and Alaska Native tribes with
the conservation, protection, and enhancement of their fish and
wildlife resources
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About CRITFC
The Portland-based Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission is
the technical support and coordinating agency for fishery management
policies of the Columbia River Basin's four treaty tribes: the Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes
of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, the Confederated Tribes
and Bands of the Yakama Nation and the Nez Perce Tribe.
CRITFC, formed in 1977, employs biologists, other scientists, public
information specialists, policy analysts and administrators who work
in fisheries research and analyses, advocacy, planning and coordination,
harvest control and law enforcement. |
