DFG News Archive

Four Game Wardens Receive Gov. Schwarzenegger’s Medal of Valor

Four wardens with the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) were awarded the state’s top award for heroism on Tuesday. The stories of Gov. Schwarzenegger's four DFG Medal of Valor recipients illustrate that on a daily basis, DFG wardens place their lives in jeopardy in what is all too often called "routine patrol."

“Any contact, at any moment, can turn into a threat on the life of the warden or innocent bystander,” said DFG Chief of Law Enforcement, Nancy Foley. “We are proud of these four wardens chosen by the Governor for their heroic efforts.”

It is often a surprise to people how dangerous a game warden’s job is. Wardens are peace officers with the State of California. They routinely confront felons on their own and back up allied agencies. Wardens made law enforcement contact with over 390,000 members of the public in 2006 and wrote over 15,000 citations. A majority of the people contacted were lawfully armed with a gun and/or knife. Wardens maintain intensive training regimens as a result to do their jobs as safe as possible. Each of the stories below indicates a day when the warden set out on “routine patrol.”

Warden James Jones

On Dec. 3, 2003, Fish and Game Warden James Jones, of Fairfield, assisted The California Highway Patrol (CHP) in the pursuit of a fleeing suspect and ultimately prevented serious injury to a CHP Officer.

While on patrol in Cordelia, Jones heard the sirens of a CHP motorcycle officer in pursuit of a suspect who would not yield to his lights and siren. Jones joined the pursuit as it passed his location. During the chase, the female suspect hit another vehicle and put her vehicle in reverse in an attempt to hit the officer. Because the CHP officer was on a motorcycle, and was more vulnerable to a collision, the warden led the pursuit. The suspect drove down a dead end county lane and stopped in a long private driveway. As she attempted to turn the vehicle around, Jones positioned his vehicle to block the escape. Jones and the CHP officer approached the suspect’s vehicle, and she again attempted to flee, driving her vehicle directly toward the CHP officer. Jones ordered the suspect to stop. When she ignored the commands, Jones fired two rounds hitting her in the upper arm and she finally stopped.

Jones’ ability to quickly assess the situation and take action that saved the CHP officer from injury or death helped bring a dangerous situation under control.

Lt. John Nores and Warden Adam Kavanagh

On Aug. 5, 2005, Warden Adam Kavanagh, of Placerville, and Patrol Lt. John Nores, Los Gatos, risked their personal safety in order to save the life of a fellow game warden who had been shot.

At approximately 7:15 a.m., a team of law enforcement officers from DFG and the Santa Clara Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Unit went into the mountains west of Los Gatos in Santa Clara County on an early morning marijuana eradication detail. DFG officers with the marijuana eradication detail included Nores, Kavanagh, and Warden Kyle Kroll.

The team hiked several miles to reach the marijuana plantation. As they moved into the area, at least two growers ambushed the team, shooting Kroll through both legs. Kroll fell to the ground, and Nores returned fire and positioned himself between Kroll and the growers in an attempt to protect his fellow warden from being shot again. Sheriff’s deputies also returned fire and later discovered they had shot and killed one of the growers.

After the initial firefight, the team was unable to locate any other growers due to dense brush. They immediately set up a defensive perimeter, and Nores assessed Kroll’s injuries and administered first aid. The gunshot wounds to Kroll’s legs were bleeding profusely so Nores applied direct pressure, covered, and tied-off both leg wounds. The team held on and radioed their situation to dispatch.

The rescue helicopter crew could not land for more than two hours until the hillside was secured from the possible sniper fire from the still unknown location of the armed growers. The wardens maintained a perimeter as Nores continued to apply first aid and monitor Kroll for vital signs. Kavanagh volunteered to break cover to cut a landing pad in the dense vegetation for the helicopter, making him a possible target for the armed growers. With a landing pad established, the rescue helicopter lowered a medic and basket to safely rescue the injured warden.

Due to the efforts of his fellow wardens, Nores and Kavanagh, Kroll survived, recovered, and ultimately returned to full duty.

Warden Frank Milazzo

On Dec. 6, 2006, Warden Frank D. Milazzo, Mariposa County, risked his personal safety to help apprehend a suicidal man.

Milazzo was on patrol near Coulterville when he overheard radio traffic from the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s office was sending an officer in response to an armed, possibly suicidal, man who was under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Milazzo responded to the remote foothill location to assist. On scene, they were confronted by a man waving a loaded revolver. The man threatened to kill himself and then wanted the officers to kill him, and proceeded to point the weapon in the direction of the officers. Milazzo talked to the suspect, and encouraged him to surrender his weapon. In order to keep talking to the suspect, Milazzo was forced to move towards him, occasionally exposing himself to potential gunfire. He kept the man talking for 35 minutes before additional backup units arrived. When additional deputies arrived, they were able to subdue the man.

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