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Levy County officer nabs FWC Officer of the Year honors March 10, 2008 Officer Robert Johnston is the 2008 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. Johnston, who works in Levy County, is originally from Byron, N.Y. After graduating from college, he spent two years as a missionary in Slovenia and Croatia and two years as a missionary in Puerto Rico. With his wife and three sons, Johnston returned to New York, where he worked in construction supply. In 2004, Johnston moved his family to Florida to pursue a career with the FWC. He graduated from FWC Academy Class Six and was assigned to Charlotte County. In 2006, Johnston transferred to Levy County and rapidly learned skills for working inland activities as well as adjusting his knowledge of marine law enforcement to meet the needs of this unique area. Johnston hit the ground running and has not stopped since, according to his patrol supervisor, Lt. Jay Russel. “Officer Johnston’s knowledge about his patrol area exceeds his time spent there. From patrolling the five management areas in the county to working the tricky backwaters of Cedar Key, he can be found both day and night, rain or shine. He is truly an all-terrain officer,” Russel said. “He patrols as much by foot as by vehicle or vessel, and as a result, has made numerous high-quality cases.” Johnston has gained a reputation for working many long, irregular hours. He has been successful at balancing his work schedule with his family’s schedule. “He and his wife not only care for their three children, they have taken on the added challenge of providing temporary foster care for five children since last year. They are currently caring for two 11-month-old twins,” Russel said. Johnston is also an active member of his church and a coach for a youth soccer team. His patrol efforts have resulted in a diverse and abundant caseload. Some of his cases include taking deer during closed season; hunting by gun and light at night; taking turkey during the closed season; taking turkey over bait; hunting over bait in a management area; shooting from a roadway; illegal use of deer dogs; undersized and/or over the bag limit of redfish, grouper, shark, black drum, mullet, largemouth bass and spotted sea trout; illegal commercial harvest of oysters; commercially harvesting/selling with no saltwater products license; possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; possession of cannabis; cultivation of cannabis; manufacturing of methamphetamine; and felony dumping, according to Russel. “Officer Johnston provides a tremendous service to the boaters who use Levy County’s rivers and Gulf Coast. He believes in educating and helping boaters enjoy a safe outing. He has extensive knowledge of the coastal and inland waterways of Levy County, and he has participated in eight search-and-rescue missions this past year,” Russel said. “Many of them were during the worst of conditions and the most inconvenient times. Despite the weather or the time of day, he was always eager to assist until the job was complete.” Johnston also has served as a counselor at the FWC academy and assisted with teaching vessel boarding and vessel operation to the recruits. “He has done several speaking engagements at local schools and has taught hunter education classes reaching out to our next generation of sportsmen. He is part of the North Central Region Leadership Team and is active in searching for ways to better the agency,” Russel said. He was recognized by the Chiefland Women’s Club as the 2007 Levy County Wildlife Officer of the Year. “We are fortunate to have an officer of his caliber in the North Central Region,” Russel said. |
(Click on photo for larger image.)
Robert Johnston, 2008 FWC Law Enforcement
Officer of the Year |
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