Drew County Game Warden Wins AGFC’s Officer of the Year

LITTLE ROCK — Going the “extra distance” was something Austin Powell strived for to be a college athlete, and putting that motto to use as an Arkansas Game and Fish Commission game warden has helped him make several big cases in just four years on the job.

The 26-year-old, based out of the AGFC Enforcement Division’s Monticello office, dedicated many man hours to his caseload, but he also put time this past year into building a love of the outdoors among youths through such events as the National Wild Turkey Federation’s JAKES Day in Rison. For his work, Powell became among the youngest winners ever of the AGFC’s Monty Carmikle Officer of the Year Award, presented in late July.

“I’ve got to be honest, it’s a really humbling deal,” he said following the AGFC Enforcement Division’s Awards Banquet at the Delta Hotel in west Little Rock. “There are several other people in this room that deserve the award just as much as I do. I’m just the one that was blessed to be up there and receive it. Day in and day out, every guy and girl that works for the agency goes to work for conservation, and you know it’s a blessing to be able to receive the award I received today.”

Powell was among many game wardens from around Arkansas nominated for Officer of the Year. Others nominated included Caleb McClanahan, Jake Stanford, Bradley Huggins, Cody Standifer, Ashton Neece, Cody Stone, Roger Tate, Ethan Moore, Troy Faughn and David Bennett.

Coincidentally, an Arkansas island in the Mississippi River is where Powell made a case featured in a “Scales of Justice” article in the June issue of Arkansas Wildlife. He used shot shell forensics and DNA analysis to prove two Mississippi turkey hunters were using Arkansas licenses to hunt turkeys illegally and bring them back to their home, where the turkey season was underway.

“His innovative use of technology has allowed him to investigate and prosecute violations that would have gone unchecked in the years past,” Young said.

Powell played college baseball at Arkansas State, Itawamba Community College in Fulton, Mississippi; Ole Miss; and finished his career at the University of Arkansas at Monticello before going straight to the AGFC’s Enforcement Cadet School at Mayflower in 2021. Teamwork and determination are integral parts of his makeup.

“In our district we have a pretty good mix of everything,” Powell says of his Drew County base. “Turkey is definitely one of our busier seasons. Especially this year, we had a really good turkey season and were able to help keep violators out of the woods. That case on the island was pretty unique. We started with a little bit of nothing and were able to figure out the two guys that were responsible for the turkeys. So, to say that turkey is the top thing would be hard, but it’s definitely one of our higher priorities.

“There’s a burden of proof that has to be met before you do anything to that extent,” he said. “Just going the extra distance sometimes helps you get that.”

Powell issued 248 citations last year with an average fine rate of $300 per citation. His focus on major violators led to 12 charges of night hunting, 13 for road hunting, 17 for hunting during a closed season (including seven turkey cases and one bear), four for boating while under the influence, five cases of hunting turkey over bait, eight for hunting without permission, four for hunting waterfowl over bait and three for falsifying information.

“We’re very very proud of him,” Col. Brad Young, the AGFC chief of enforcement, said. “He had some very hard to make cases. It took a lot of hours to apprehend some of those violators.”

Powell was among 12 game wardens from around Arkansas nominated for Officer of the Year. Others nominated were Caleb McClanahan, Jake Stanford, Bradley Huggins, Cody Standifer, Brian Tatum, Ashton Neece, Cody Stone, Roger Tate, Ethan Moore, Troy Faughn and David Bennett.

Lt. Col. Jake Dunn received a Lifesaving Award for saving the life of a passenger involved in an automobile wreck on Interstate 530 who had overdosed on Fentanyl. After receiving Narcan from Dunn, the victim was taken to a hospital and made a full recovery.

Game Wardens Eric Rawls and Dennis Hovarter received Certificates of Commendation. Rawls helped rescue a man whose truck had been swept off a flooded roadway in Cleveland County, using his boat to get the victim to safety. Hovarter helped an elderly hunter who had fallen and suffered a head injury at a remote deer camp in southwest Arkansas.

Cpl. Lyndle Crownover, stationed at the AGFC’s Calico Rock office, won the 2024 Butch Potts Boating Law Enforcement Officer of the Year for the second year in a row. He has been nominated 10 times. In the past year, Cpl. Crownover made four BWI arrests, and through his career he has arrested 139 BWI offenders. Crownover has helped establish a successful Boater Education program in the Baxter County School System, where nearly every student receives certification through a required class. He has organized or assisted with more than 16 public relations programs during the past year. He had 114 officer violator contacts and spent over 870 hours of enforcement time on area waterways.

Game Warden David Bennett of Wynne was awarded the Waterfowl Game Warden of the Year and the Mississippi Flyway Waterfowl Protection Officer of the Year after dealing with several major cases. Bennett investigated 13 bait cases last waterfowl season, of which eight are currently being pursued on a federal level with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He dedicated 316 hours to waterfowl enforcement, checking more than 280 waterfowl hunters. Away from the field, Bennett participated in 10 public events pertaining to waterfowl and helped organize a waterfowl youth hunt. Before hunts, he speaks to youths about hunting safety, rules, regulations and waterfowl hunting ethics; during the hunt he helps call ducks and sets up the decoy spreads.

In a new award, the K-9 of the Year went to K-9 Hunter, who is handled by Game Warden First Class Doug Martisek of Camden. Hunter was called upon 52 times and played a big role in more than 30 AGFC and criminal violations, resulting in fines exceeding $35,000. Some of these offenders were illegally hunting from the road or taking turkeys out of season. He also assisted 19 times with outside agencies.

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CUTLINES

POWELL
Game Warden Austin Powell (middle) was presented the AGFC 2024 Game Warden of the Year by Director Austin Booth (left) and Col. Brad Young (right).

DUNN
Lt. Col. Jake Dunn (middle) received a Lifesaving Award for fast actions that prevented the death of a Fentanyl overdose victim. 

CROWNOVER
Cpl. Lyndle Crownover received the Butch Potts Boating Law Enforcement Officer of the Year for the second year in a row.

BENNETT
Game Warden David Bennett received both the AGFC Waterfowl Game Warden of the Year and the Mississippi Flyway Waterfowl Protection Officer of the Year.