Investigators with the DNR Division of Law Enforcement were recently recognized as sharing a Team Excellence Award by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for their work during a lengthy multi-agency investigation focusing on illegal commercial fishing.
Per USFWS, Team Excellence Award recipients excel in tackling tough issues and work together to craft creative solutions. Team excellence occurs when the sum of the collective efforts is greater than an individual’s efforts. For 2018, the USFWS awarded three teams from its Midwest region.
The awarded team that included Indiana Conservation Officers conducted Operation Charlie, a USFWS-led comprehensive joint investigation that also included members of the Ohio, Illinois and Kentucky DNRs. Because their work was done undercover, their names are not being released.