NRP Welcomes 57th Basic Recruit Class to Training Academy

57th Recruit Class at Training Academy

Twenty-two men and women this morning began a seven-month journey to become members of the Maryland Natural Resources Police, the oldest statewide law enforcement agency.

The recruits gathered at the Maryland Police and Correctional Training Center in Sykesville to meet their instructors, check into their dormitory and get squared away. They range in age from 21 to 44 and hail from 10 Maryland counties, and Delaware and New Jersey. The class includes two former Marines and a National Guard member.

“This academy’s goal is to turn out the best possible public servant,” said Col. George F. Johnson IV, NRP superintendent. “Live by our core values of courtesy, integrity, dedication and professionalism and you’ll never have a problem.”

The recruits, NRP’s 57^th class, will receive 30 weeks of classroom instruction and field training on waterways and public lands throughout the state. Their studies include not only general law enforcement functions but also the special skills needed for conservation law enforcement.

After graduation on Oct. 31, the probationary officers will be paired with NRP veterans for 12 weeks of field training in the agency’s eight patrol areas. There, they will protect land and waterways owned by the citizens of Maryland, uphold laws that guard wildlife and fish, aid boaters in distress and hikers lost in the woods, and patrol 66 state parks to help keep more than 11 million visitors safe.

The 22 recruits are:

Vincent Arillo of Stevensville, Robert Arnold of Baltimore, Mark Bargar of Berlin, Ryan Bartlett of Millersville, Emily Beckhardt of Glen Burnie, Bryan Cage of Bel Air, Lakeram Chhaturam of Baltimore, Brian Chillas of Clayton, Del., Christine Devito of Baltimore, Zachary Dix of Salisbury, Anthony Fultz of Fort Washington, Marguerita Gay of Parkville, Brian Heckman of Havre De Grace, David Helterbran of Sewell, N.J., Alexandra Mankofsky of Hawthorne, N.J., Bryce Parrish of Union Bridge, Christopher Severa of Stevensville, James Sharpe of Baltimore, Andrew Shifflett of Sykesville, Ivan Wade of Galena, Mark Willitts of Frankford, Del., and Ronald Wines of Timonium..

The Maryland Natural Resources Police has an authorized strength of 245 officers and a dedicated staff of civilian and volunteer personnel. In addition to enforcing state maritime and conservation laws, NRP conducts search and rescue operations and is charged with being the lead agency for maritime homeland security efforts. NRP is the only police force aside from the Maryland State Police that has statewide jurisdiction.