Maryland Natural Resources Police Officer Receives National Wildlife Enforcement Award

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CAMBRIDGE –Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) Corporal John Myszka received the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s 2006 Guy Bradley Award for wildlife law enforcement Friday, May 4, during a ceremony held at the Chesapeake Marshlands National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center.

Cpl. Myszka was honored during the annual North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Portland, Oregon on March 22, but was unable to attend the event so National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Director Jeff Trandahl and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Director Dale Hall decided to bring the award to him. The Bradley Award is named after the first wildlife law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty in 1905, and is presented each year by the NFWF to recognize individuals for outstanding lifetime contributions to wildlife law enforcement. The NFWF honored Cpl. Myszka for his dedication to wildlife law enforcement and outstanding contributions to conserving fish and wildlife resources in the State of Maryland.

“The Maryland Natural Resources Police is very proud of Corporal Myszka's accomplishments and his recognition by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as the recipient of the 2006 Guy Bradley Award," said Colonel George F. Johnson IV, NRP superintendent.

Myszka, who began his career with the Natural Resources Police patrolling urban Montgomery County, has spent the past 19 years investigating wildlife crimes in Worcester County on Maryland’s Eastern Shore – a key habitat area for waterfowl and other migratory birds. His
contributions to conservation include providing exemplary assistance to USFWS officers and facilitating scores of prosecutions in federal court for migratory game bird hunting violations. He also excelled in developing information to assist conservation officers in neighboring states, contributing to regional efforts to safeguard wildlife resources.

Cpl. Myszka earned a Bachelor of Science degree in conservation, resources development, and fish and wildlife management from the University of Maryland in 1976. An avid hunter and angler, he has taught hundreds of adults and youths about game laws, hunter ethics and firearms safety as a hunting safety instructor.

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May 7, 2007

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 446,000 acres of public lands and 18,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov