WINSLOW, Maine — Dave Georgia Jr. of Milford, who earned the nickname “The Coyote” because of his dogged pursuit of intentional violators of the state’s fish and game laws, was honored by his peers at a Maine Warden Service recognition banquet on Thursday as the state’s 2011 Warden of the Year.
“It’s the award that we all dream of. I’ve been [a warden] a long time, and all of a sudden, there it is,” Georgia said, struggling to find the proper words to express his gratitude. “You just fill up with all these emotions is what happens. I’m very humbled. And very honored.”
The Winslow VFW hall was filled with wardens past and present: More than 40 retired wardens attended to show their support for current members of their extended “family.”
Awards were handed out to numerous wardens for performing their jobs in particularly noteworthy fashion.
Georgia joined the Maine Warden Service as a deputy warden in October of 1983 and attended the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in 1985. He now patrols a district close to his hometown of Old Town, covering Milford, Bradley, Greenbush, Greenfield Township, Summit Township, Township 32 and Township 39.
Maine Warden Col. Joel Wilkinson, chief of the Maine Warden Service, referred to Georgia by his nickname during his introduction. The new Warden of the Year grinned as he recounted the tale that led to the label.
“That came about because there were times where I would spend [hours on stakeouts]. One time I spent 36 hours sitting on a deer hanging in a tree [waiting for the poacher to come back],” Georgia said. “I think [retired warden] Doug Tibbetts gave me that [name].”
Georgia said becoming a warden was the perfect job for him.
“My father told me, find a job that’s not really work. Not that this isn’t hard work, but it’s something where, seasons change, so there’s always something different,” Georgia said. “Every day is a new adventure.”
Georgia was singled out for his work ethic and tenacity. Before federal minimum wage laws were applied to game wardens, Wilkinson said Georgia once apprehended 32 night hunters in a single year, and more than 100 over a five-year stretch. With new labor laws in place, Wilkinson told the assembled wardens that Georgia’s record never would be broken.
Georgia’s role as one of the founders of Maine’s Youth Fish and Game Association also was mentioned during his introduction. The warden said it was important to put such glowing praise in context.
“What I want people to remember is that I’m being recognized as the Warden of the Year, but it’s all of us, collectively [that deserve recognition],” Georgia said. “I’ve worked hard next to a lot of these guys. It’s the same with the youth club. That’s a community project with a lot of sweat and tears and blood that goes into it.”
Among the other awards given out:
• The Maine Warden Service Association Legendary Warden Award to Rodney Sirois, who died in 2006.
• Colonel’s Award to Maj. Gregory Sanborn.
• Supervisor of the Year Award to Sgt. Ralph Hosford.
• K9 Case of the Year Award to Warden Dave Chabot and K9 Ruby; K9 Search and Rescue of the Year Award to Warden Jeremy Judd and K9 Tundra.
• Exemplary Service Awards to Georgia, Bayley Grant, Dave Simmons, Jeremy Kemp, Paul Farrington, Scott Osgood, Steve Allarie and Tom McKenney.
• Meritorious Service Award to Doug Kulis.
• Maine Warden Service Association Awards of Merit to State Trooper Jessica Shorey, Angus Crosby, Lauren Crosby, Sadia Crosby, Mollie Crosby and William Shuman.
Congratulations, Dave. I know a lot about you and you are good man – and better – a quality law enforcement officer.
CONGRATZ Sir
Thanks for your work Warden Georgia…..congrats on this recognition……
The warden service is one of the best law enforcment agency in the state, and fortunate to have Warden Georgia in their ranks.
Congratulations! It’s well deserved.
Congratulations to Warden Georgia on being selected Warden of the year. However, when was the last Warden of the year Stationed in Northern, Maine?
I had the honor and privilege of working on some calls with Warden Dave Georgia when I worked with Penobscot County. He is a honorable man and very deserving of the award. Great Job Dave and you have one task left. You need to catch the infamous metal monster.
My father and I are 2-0 in beating Dave Georgia against false citations against us (13 years apart, granted). In both cases we fully confessed to every detail on Mr. Georgia’s police report, arguing successfully (the first time to a judge, the 2nd time only to the DA) that the report described no illegal activity. He exists to generate revenue, even ill-gotten revenue, for the warden service. Most people lack the means to defend themselves against made-up charges, since the cost of a ticket is about 8x cheaper than hiring a lawyer. That’s part of the scam. As for me, I’d rather not have a criminal record, as apart from speeding a bit, I am completely law-abiding citizen who refuses to be bullied by power-tripping police/wardens.
Psst…the relevant articles concerning Mr. Georgia peeing on Warden Service trainees will be found by searching for articles in January 1997. Classy stuff.
link please? Not that I don’t believe you but I searched myself and wasn’t able to find it.
Here is a link to the January 10th, 1997 BDN describing the incident, though names were withheld in this instance. Perhaps they were never released publicly, and it’s possible that I was told the inside scoop by one of the State Police dispatchers in Orono, who I was friends with. I suppose that’s the best proof I can provide:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2457&dat=19970110&id=gQdbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ck4NAAAAIBAJ&pg=5109,2202379
As an “insider” he was NOT involved and you should be ashamed of yourself defaming a person’s name without first hand knowledge of an incident. Just because you had issues with him doing his job does not give you the right to attack him personally on information you “heard” through gossiping dispatchers.
Why would a state police employee lie to me about it? He had no particular axe to grind with any of the people involved.
I am from a family of Wardens and YES, Georgia was involved with what they called “Pissgate.” The other person reprimanded was Doug Tibbetts who was Georgia’s supervisor at the time.
First of all the article does not identify the person who you say is doing the misconduct. Secondly, you are defaming someone through gossip you heard from a dispatcher. You don’t know the facts about the incident andyour proof doesn’t identify Wdn. Georgia. You are angry because he gave you two tickets. Lets be fair, a ticket doesn’t admit guilt it identifies a law enforcement officer’s perception of a violation and it is one’s decision to prove guilt or innocence.
Mr. Georgia has serious perception problems then, and shouldn’t awarded for it. It’s pretty sad when all I’ve had to in order to defend myself is admit to everything on his report, confident that, having broken no laws, the result of a complete confession would result in an acquittal. He’s a bully who is being rewarded for generating revenue, end of story. If you want to talk about defamation, how do you think people like having their names published in the police beat for crimes they didn’t commit?
To clear the water , yes the above article is true. Warden Dave Georgia was involved. It did happen, yes, I was there and say it.
I don’t know who this Lawrence fellow is but I’m glad someone is backing me up. Since the warden service refused to release any names (unlike the people THEY accuse, whose names are published in the paper for all to see and shame), it will have to be one person’s word against another’s. This apparently took place before the Freedom of Information Act was passed. If “lawrence” has more details though, I’d be very interested in hearing them.
Go to Google News, search on this (without quotes): “maine warden urinated”, THEN click “archive” in the left sidebar. You’ll bring up about a dozen more articles on the incident, including this gem, which reveals that the wardens in question urinated on the recruits twice, the second time after having been warned not to. And contrary to earlier reports, they weren’t cleared of wrongdoing, they got off on a technicality having to do with Union rules.
URINATION ON RECRUIT CAME AFTER A WARNING A REPORT SAYS NO
DISCIPLINARY ACTION WAS TAKEN BECAUSE THE WARDEN SERVICE’S INVESTIGATION
DIDN’T FOLLOW UNION RULES.
By Roberta Scruggs Staff Writer
Portland Press Herald (ME) April 15, 1997
Page 1A
A Maine Warden Service supervisor not only urinated twice on recruits
during training last year, but the second incident occurred even after
the supervisor had been cautioned not to by another officer, a report by
the Warden Service says.
With a nickname like The Coyote, I think I would have to question his integrity. There’s nothing honorable about coyotes.
Coyote =Sneaky NGSOB. And I beat him at his game too.
How did he win this honor? Longest urine stream on a new warden candidate?
This guy is not a good man…a coyote…yes
This has to be some kind of joke!
This award is was a long time coming, Dave has worked hard here protecting wildlife and most important the people of Maine. I have seen him work around the clock searching for a lost hunters, sitting out in the rain or snow looking for people breaking the law.
Dave thanks for being there !
Great job Dave.
Warden of the Year?!?! Are you kidding me?!? What was he the only one to apply?
They should have taken his picture before the banquet started, not after he got drunk. Tell me he doesn’t look hammered in this picture? Not that there is anything wrong with that but it really doesn’t look good to see someone in uniform who looks three sheets to the wind. IMHO
FYI: The banquet took place in the morning. No liquor was served. It’s simply a matter of a photographer (me) taking a photo that doesn’t cast the subject in the best light.
This says a lot about the sorry state of the Maine Warden Service that this is the best they can come up with for Warden of the Year. Perhaps the criteria for the award is simply who writes the most citations? It certainly isn’t an award for who best represents the MWS to the public!!
Doug T needed to go 15yrs ago after what he did at the Oak Grove Coburn to the Cadets on a training mission one night. He should have been fired. But great Dave thanks for being a great Warden.
I know more about Doug Tibbetts than I wish I did and I could write a book about the inappropriate things that he and a few wardens have done. But Dave Georgia was NOT one of the bad guys. Journalist Roberta Scruggs wrote many stories about warden inproprieties. Here is just one of them. http://www.downeast.com/the-scruggs-report/2009/july/problems-maine-warden
Dave Georgia is a very nice warden. he always used me right.
I have a great respect for the Warden’s of this state…they do a remarkable job saving the lives of people who at times make stupid decisions and cost the state money….THAT BEING SAID…..Mr. Georgia does have a letter in his file from me on behalf of my sister….she received a citation while in a boat with her husband…for holding her husband’s fishing rod without thinking about what it looked like while he was baiting the hook….and Georgia watched from a boat….my sister never fished but loved to be on the lake….they did not dispute the ticket BUT as he was issuing the citation he made a comment about how pretty she was and for my brother-in-law to watch out for her……my sister went home with the citation and a few days later Mr. Georgia called her and said he could pick up the fine from her if she wished!!!!!! She called me in tears and afraid and I immediately called IF&W in Augusta and told them what had happened and they asked me to put it in writing and they would address it with him….I also spoke with Mr Georgia and told him not to contact my sister again…he said he did not recall the incident…..that was our experience with him……AGAIN I think the warden’s of this state do a great job, they just have some idiots who can tarnish the department….
I had much the same thing happen with a warden by the name of Moulton from Lincoln years ago and nothing was done.
wow from the stories on here looks like the Warden service has some bad actors that shouldnt be allowed the power they have
Just another crooked rabbit-sheriff, I know of a couple of GOOD wardens that deserve that award more so than this guy.
And now accepting the National Award for the worst looking and designed law enforcement dress uniforms: The Maine Warden Service!!!!