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Ted Glass Describes His Role as a Conservation Officer

By Joan Janzen

Conservation Officer Ted Glass and his family moved to Kindersley in the spring of 2010 from the northern community of Pinehouse. “My wife and I have appreciated getting to know our neighbours here. Sometimes it’s hard for law enforcement personnel to be accepted into a community, but I’ve never felt that in Kindersley,” Glass said.

As one of two Ministry of Environment conservation officers in the Kindersley area, Ted is responsible for a field area of roughly 17,000 square kilometers (6,500 square miles). “Other conservation officers assist us from from time-to-time, and we rely on landowners and the public reporting to help us cover such a large area,” he said, noting they get more than 1,400 calls every year to the Turn in Poachers and Polluters (TIPP) line, resulting in 1,200 persecutions each year.

Conservation officers also have full Peace Officer Status, which includes traffic safety, which means “yes” they can pull you over. “Some of our vehicles are equipped with special cameras that can automatically read a vehicle’s licence plate and confirm if the driver is insured and licensed. We also may stop hunters, trappers and anglers to ensure they’re complying with resource laws.” Glass explained.

Protecting the environment is a year round responsibility, with part of the year focussed on the various hunting, trapping, fishing and ice fishing seasons.

“Our officers work in partnership with a number of agencies, including the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, for wildfires and emergency management, and the Ministry of Energy and Resources to ensure oil and gas industry compliance. This spring, I assisted the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency with the COVID-19 checkpoints in northern Saskatchewan.”

Conservation officers also respond to 911 calls and RCMP requests for assistance, in order to improve response times in rural areas. Occasionally, Ted may be in Douglas and Danielson Provincial Parks to help mentor conservation officers, and check anglers as they come off the water.

Conservation officers also educate the public. “We attend events and go to schools to talk about choosing a career as a conservation officer. We also do school presentations on the fur trade, fish biology, lake ecology, forest succession and wildlife diseases. Every year, we assist in training first time hunters in a hunter safety/firearm course in various communities.” Glass said, adding that they also find time for their own training and enhancing of skills.

So if you happen to drive by Conservation Officer Ted Glass, be sure to give him a friendly smile and a wave. We’re certainly grateful for all that our conservation officers do in our community.

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