THUNDER BAY – It takes special people with empathy to do the best jobs possible in the public service. A Thunder Bay civil servant has just been recognized for his amazing efforts at doing his job and doing with excellence. Stephen Emms, a provincial training specialist in Thunder Bay, has been named the Ontario conservation officer of the year for 2014.
“Conservation officers play an important role in keeping our communities safe and protecting our natural resources. Officer Emms’ dedication to educating and training fellow conservation officers makes him an excellent choice for this award,” stated Minister of Natural Resources Bill Mauro.
Emms has demonstrated his commitment to protecting natural resources and educating fellow conservation officers through tireless research and drawing from real-life experiences to make sure officers have safe and effective training. Some of his notable accomplishments include:
- Designing the first advanced fire investigators course that taught his colleagues how to investigate serious wildfires, making Ontario conservation officers leaders in this area at home and abroad
- Writing training manuals that explain advanced investigative techniques, wildfire investigations and defensive tactics, including firearm use
- Developing training techniques that help keep conservation officers safe in the field by researching different types of martial arts
- Emms started his career in northwestern Ontario, where he was recognized as a talented and skilful investigator who welcomed the challenges of gathering intelligence, planning takedowns, apprehending violators and assisting in prosecutions
He also serves the Ontario Conservation Officers Association as a regional representative.
Quick Facts
- Emms was awarded the peace officer exemplary service medal in 2009 for 20 years of service
- Conservation officers are professional law enforcement officers trained to police standards. Their job is to preserve and protect the province’s natural resources
