IDNR Report

Indiana Conservation Officers Tim Janowski and Bryan Beneke have been selected as the 2022 District Officers of the Year.

Janowski oversees District 10 includes Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Newton, Jasper, Starke, and Pulaski counties. Beneke works in District two that includes Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wells, and Whitley counties.

Janowski is assigned to Lake County where he has served since 1998. Beneke is assigned to Allen County where he has been a conservation officer since 2015.

In addition to his normal duties as a field officer, Janowski has served as a field training officer, public safety diver, boat accident investigator, background investigator, and passenger-for-hire inspector.

Beneke serves as a use of force instructor, firearms instructor, division armorer, watercraft passenger for hire inspector, tree stand accident investigator, peer support team member, background investigator, and field training officer.

The district awards puts Janowski and Beneke in the running for the Pitzer Award, which is presented to the top overall conservation officer in the state and is selected from the 10 district winners.

The Pitzer award is named after Conservation Officer James D. Pitzer, who was fatally shot while investigating illegal hunting activity Jan. 2, 1961, in Jay County.