The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recently held its annual award celebration at Camp Ripley, where DNR officers gather to recognize and celebrate the best of the best.
Several awards are handed out, with the top being the Conservation Officer Of The Year, which is presented to an officer for outstanding overall career performance.
Last year, longtime Alexandria-area conservation officer Mitch Lawler was named the 2023 DNR Conservation Officer of the Year. This year, that recognition went to another longtime officer who is currently based in the Duluth area.
Duluth-Based Officer Named 2024 Conservation Officer Of The Year
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced that in recognition of his outstanding overall career performance, DNR Conservation Officer Andy Schmidt has been named the 2024 Conservation Officer of the Year. Before becoming a conservation officer, Schmidt worked as a trooper for the Minnesota State Patrol.
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Schmidt has been a conservation officer since 2008 and currently works in the Duluth West station. The DNR notes that he’s spent his entire career working in the northeastern part of Minnesota, and recently accepted a promotion to become district supervisor in the area in early March.
Andy Schmidt had earned the reputation of being a
