CONCORD, NH - Three officers of the N.H. Fish and Game Department's Law Enforcement Division were promoted in a recent ceremony at Fish and Game headquarters in Concord:

Major John Wimsatt of Northwood is now the Assistant Chief of Law Enforcement. In addition to his new administrative responsibilities, Wimsatt will now have oversight of two coastal enforcement programs while continuing to coordinate off-highway recreational vehicle and snowmobile enforcement, safety education and registration through the 2016 season. He will also coordinate field force activities in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies to address emergencies such as search and rescue, drownings, hunting-related incidents and floods.

"The Law Enforcement Division is fortunate to have an officer with John's abilities and expertise to assist us in promoting the Department's initiatives," said Col. Kevin Jordan. "He is respected for his fair and professional approach and maintains good working relationships with our many partners. Not only has John effectively managed complex programs and operations, he often volunteers his services to promote the Department in a positive light."

Major Wimsatt, a Concord native, received an Associate of Science degree with an emphasis in conservation law enforcement from Unity College in Maine in 1992. He was hired as a NH Fish and Game Conservation Officer that same year, starting a career that to date has spanned 23 years of service in Fish and Game Law Enforcement.

Major Wimsatt's first assignment after his trainee year as a Conservation Officer was patrolling the towns of Boscawen, Salisbury, Andover, Franklin and New London. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 2004 and became the District Six Chief overseeing Fish and Game Law Enforcement in southeastern New Hampshire and the seacoast. In 2009, he made a lateral move to become the District Five Chief, managing operations in populous central New Hampshire. His promotion to administrative captain came in 2010.

During his tenure, Wimsatt has successfully prosecuted both criminal and fish and game cases and coordinated major investigations. He was honored as the Conservation Officer of the Year in 2001 by the Northeast Conservation Law Enforcement Chiefs Association. He received a Certificate of Valor and a Congressional Award for his heroic involvement in the Drega shooting incident of 1997. He is also a former President of the Conservation Officers Relief Association.

Major Wimsatt served as a charter member of the Advanced Search and Rescue Team, Assistant Dive Master of the Fish and Game Dive Team, Background Investigator, Field Training Officer and Emergency Operations Center Lead for Search and Rescue. He was instrumental in the creation of the Forever Locked Moose Antler educational exhibit.

Captain James Juneau of Gilmanton is the new administrative captain for the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department's Law Enforcement Division. His many duties include coordinating with the state's Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and working with other state agencies on resource and recreational management goals. He also is involved in the testing, training and evaluation of Conservation Officers, from trainees to senior officers.

"Captain Juneau brings valuable experience and specialized expertise to this exciting new challenge," said Fish and Game Col. Kevin Jordan. "He is a capable, organized leader who cares about the well-being of his officers, and he always goes above and beyond the call of duty in an effort to strengthen the vital relationships between our constituents and the Law Enforcement Division."

Captain Juneau earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University in 1987, where he majored in animal science and minored in natural resources. Prior to joining Fish and Game, Juneau was employed for ten years in the insurance industry, serving in both technical and managerial roles.

In 1997, Juneau was hired as a Conservation Officer by the NH Fish and Game Department. He graduated from New Hampshire's 114th Full-time Police Academy in 1998 and has steadily completed supervisory and managerial-related training programs throughout his 18-year career with Fish and Game.

Captain Juneau's first Fish and Game patrol was the Alton area in District Two. In 2004, he was promoted to Sergeant and became the District Two Assistant Chief. In 2010, he was tapped to become a Lieutenant and the District Five Chief, responsible for managing Fish and Game Law Enforcement operations serving 44 towns in the populous southern tier of New Hampshire.

In addition to prosecuting criminal and fish and game cases and conducting major investigations, Juneau has assisted with coastal law enforcement. In 2006, Juneau was selected as the New Hampshire Wildlife Officer of the Year by the Shikar-Safari Club International. He has served as both Treasurer and Vice President of the Conservation Officers Relief Association.

Captain Juneau has been or is a Field Training Officer, a Defensive Tactics Instructor, and a member of the Advanced Search and Rescue Team, the Conservation Officers' Oral Interview Board, and the Fish and Game Dive Team. He is a certified instructor for expandable baton and handcuff use. He was the first officer in the Department to become certified in the operation of Thermal Imager technology, and he is now a certified instructor within this field. He was also the first in the state to become certified as an instructor for officers investigating tree stand accidents.

Sergeant Jeremy Hawkes, currently of Thornton, NH, is the new Assistant Chief in District Six, where he will assist the District Lieutenant with supervising a working unit of Conservation Officers covering several towns in the southeastern part of the state, as well as the entire New Hampshire coastline. He will also help administer the Joint Enforcement Agreement and Atlantic States Marine Fishery Commission contracts.

Sgt. Hawkes has more than 14 years of experience as a Conservation Officer in New Hampshire. He began his career with NH Fish and Game in 2001. After his probationary year, he was assigned to a patrol in the heart of the White Mountains (District Three), where he served until his recent promotion. He has successfully prosecuted both criminal and fish and game cases, and has mentored many new CO recruits to help them meet physical fitness requirements.

In 2005, Hawkes was honored with both a Congressional "Above and Beyond the Call of Duty" Award and a NH Fish and Game Life Saving Award. That same year, he was selected as the Officer of the Year for the Northeast Conservation Law Enforcement Chiefs Association. His heroic efforts during a dangerous Search and Rescue operation on Franconia Ridge earned him a second Congressional "Above and Beyond the Call of Duty" award in 2011.

"Jeremy has been an incredible asset in the field of Search and Rescue. He has worked tirelessly to strengthen the vital relationships between the Department and the volunteer-based search and rescue organizations in the North Country that are so vital to the success of these challenging missions," said Fish and Game Col. Kevin Jordan. "He brings a high level of professionalism and dedication to everything he takes on - Jeremy will be missed in the mountains and appreciated in his new position on the seacoast."

Sgt. Hawkes holds a Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife management from the University of New Hampshire. He is a Field Training Officer and a member of the Fish and Game Dive Team, the Advanced Search and Rescue Team, and the Law Enforcement Division's Honor Guard. He is a certified instructor for both OC (pepper spray) and Physical Fitness Testing, and has provided advanced All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Safe Rider training to Fish and Game officers and training to other law enforcement personnel who patrol on ATVs. Hawks has served as President and Vice President of the Conservation Officers Relief Association.