NASBLA Announces 2024 Regional Winners of the Butch Potts Boating Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award
LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 12, 2024) – The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) is excited to announce this year’s regional winners of the Butch Potts Boating Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award. This prestigious award represents the highest level of achievement among boating law enforcement officers across the United States.
The selection process for this award began in January when NASBLA solicited nominations from each state and territory for their boating law enforcement officer of the year. Subsequently, each regional association of boating law administrators chose one regional award recipient, making that officer eligible for consideration for the national award. The national award recipient will be announced at the 65th Annual NASBLA Conference during the awards ceremony in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Conservation Officer James Fogarty, of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) – Law Enforcement Division, has been named the 2024 Northern Region Officer of the Year. Since joining the DNR in July 2016, Officer Fogarty has demonstrated unwavering dedication to boating law enforcement. He has consistently gone above and beyond normal duties, volunteering for special assignments such as interview boards for new hires, assisting with the Correctional Officer (CO) entrance exam, participating in recruiting events, and engaging in public speaking and media events. Officer Fogarty's commitment to boating safety is evident in his proactive enforcement efforts. District 13 encompasses Hennepin, Carver, and Scott counties, home to more than 142,000 boats. His flexible schedule ensures he is on the water during high-use times, maintaining a strong presence on busy lakes. Officer Fogarty has made numerous arrests for violations including boating while intoxicated (BWI), failure to have personal flotation devices (PFDs) aboard watercraft, and operating watercraft at night without lights, significantly reducing potential boating incidents. Find out more about Conservation Officer James Fogarty in the full press release.
The 2024 Southern Region Officer of the Year is Officer Montana Michelson with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). Throughout 2023, Officer Michelson showcased unwavering commitment to boating safety and enforcement, embodying a contagious work ethic and becoming an essential asset to District 21's boating enforcement efforts. His remarkable dedication and expertise have significantly contributed to enhancing boater safety in Tennessee. During the year, Officer Michelson conducted 837 boating inspections and spent over 252 enforcement hours on Old Hickory and Percy Priest lakes. His efforts resulted in 12 Boating Under the Influence (BUI) arrests and the issuance of 60 boating-related citations and warnings, along with 291 verbal warnings. Additionally, he participated in four marine events, including firework shows, the Indy Car race, and the Country Music Association (CMA) Fest, ensuring a safe environment for all attendees. Officer Michelson's involvement in boating safety extended beyond enforcement as he participated in various educational initiatives. He conducted over six boating education events and spoke to school classes about TWRA officer duties and careers. Learn more about Officer Montana Michelson’s accomplishments.
Deputy Adam Peterson, of the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, has been named the Western Region Officer of the Year for 2024. For the past four years, Deputy Peterson has provided exceptional service in all aspects of marine law enforcement and the boating community throughout Oregon. He has demonstrated outstanding commitment through education, public outreach, technological innovation, enforcement of Boating Under the Influence (BUI) laws, incident investigation, and community service. Since joining the marine patrol, Deputy Peterson has completed 5,826 boater safety compliance examinations. In 2023, he logged 429 motorized and 1,405 non-motorized boater contacts. Recognizing the importance of life jacket usage in preventing drownings, Deputy Peterson issued 27 citations and 56 warnings for life jacket violations in 2023, accounting for over 1/10 of all life jacket citation violations statewide. Read more about Deputy Adam Peterson’s achievements throughout his career.
These law enforcement officers have made significant contributions to enhancing the safety of recreational boaters in their respective states' waterways. Their continuous dedication and commitment to boating safety have not only benefited the recreational boating community but also influenced their fellow officers within the law enforcement community. NASBLA is proud to have selected these three officers as the regional recipients of the 2024 Officer of the Year Award, representing the entire nation.
All three regional award winners are invited to this year’s NASBLA Annual Conference, taking place from September 17 - 19, 2024, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Regional awards will be presented at the awards luncheon during the conference. Additionally, the national Boating Officer of the Year award winner will be announced at the banquet on Wednesday, September 18. Learn more about the regional winners of the 2024 Officer of the Year award.
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First presented in 2000, the Marvin “Butch” Potts Memorial Award, known as the Boating Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award, is presented annually to the boating law enforcement officer who has made outstanding contributions to the field of boating law enforcement. The award program consists of three levels: state, regional and national.
The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) is a national nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization that works to develop public policy for recreational boating safety. NASBLA represents the recreational boating authorities of all 50 states and the U.S. territories. We offer a variety of resources, including training, model acts, education standards, publications and more. Through a national network of thousands of professional educators, law enforcement officers and volunteers, we affect the lives of nearly 85 million American boaters.