California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Warden Jerry Karnow has been named California Rifle and Pistol Association (CRPA) Outstanding Peace Officer of the Year. This marks the first time in CRPA’s 132-year history a game warden has been honored with the award. In fact, it is the first time a field-level law enforcement officer has received this distinction, which had always been given to elected representatives or high ranking officers of law enforcement agencies.

“Warden Karnow’s greatest strength is his ability to distinguish the difference between legitimate hunters and anglers, and criminals who are robbing the people of California of their wildlife resources,” said Tom Pederson, a retired DFG Chief of Patrol and current member of CRPA’s Board of Directors. “He’s a hard-charging game warden, pure and simple.”

Karnow was recognized by the CRPA for his ability to bring often conflicting community interests together, while making great fish and wildlife cases on a regular basis. “Warden Karnow exemplifies the traditional game warden; an ambassador within his local community and an ally to other law enforcement agencies,” said Nancy Foley, DFG’s Chief of Enforcement. “While game wardens specialize in the protection of California’s fish and wildlife resources and their habitats, these officers find themselves increasingly involved in traditional police work.”

Throughout Warden Karnow’s 18-year career, he has successfully pursued a number of significant poaching cases involving everything from bear poaching to the illegal commercialization of sport-caught fish, as well as habitat destruction cases. He’s done this while working both uniform and undercover assignments. Karnow also serves as a legislative liaison for the California Fish and Game Warden’s Association.

The CRPA is an organization of 65,000 members dedicated to the preservation of our American heritage of resource conservation. State Senator Dave Cogdill and Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa were also honored as Legislators of the Year during the ceremony held Feb. 16 in Irvine. Retired Brig. Gen. Chuck Yeager served as the evening’s keynote speaker.

Wardens most often work alone, conduct their own investigations, collect and analyze their own evidence, and are the lead contacts with each county’s district attorney’s office when fish and wildlife crimes are prosecuted. Wardens normally do not work assigned shifts as they make themselves available 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.