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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly 2
Regular Session, 2025 HCR 1004 3
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By: Representatives Wardlaw, Beaty Jr. 5
By: Senator Gilmore 6
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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 8
TO CONGRATULATE GAME WARDEN AUSTIN POWELL ON 9
RECEIVING THE MONTY CARMIKLE OFFICER OF THE YEAR 10
AWARD AND THE 2024 ROBERT M. BRANTLY LAW ENFORCEMENT 11
OFFICER OF THE YEAR AWARD. 12
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Subtitle 15
TO CONGRATULATE GAME WARDEN AUSTIN 16
POWELL ON RECEIVING THE MONTY CARMIKLE 17
OFFICER OF THE YEAR AWARD AND THE 2024 18
ROBERT M. BRANTLY LAW ENFORCEMENT 19
OFFICER OF THE YEAR AWARD. 20
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WHEREAS, in July 2024, Game Warden Austin Powell was presented with the 22
Monty Carmikle Officer of the Year Award at the Arkansas State Game and Fish 23
Commission Enforcement Division's Awards Banquet in Little Rock; and 24
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WHEREAS, at just twenty -six (26) years old, Powell became one of the 26
youngest game wardens to ever receive this honor; and 27
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WHEREAS, after playing college baseball at Arkansas State University, 29
Itawamba Community College, Ole Miss, and the University of Arkansas at 30
Monticello, Powell entered into the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission's 31
Enforcement Cadet School in 2021; and 32
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WHEREAS, while Powell has been working as a game warden for only four 34
(4) years, he has already made a huge impact on the community through both 35
the cases he has worked and the additional time he has spent spreading his 36 HCR1004
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love of the outdoors at events such as the National Wild Turkey Federation's 1
JAKES Day in Rison; and 2
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WHEREAS, Powell was also named the National Wild Turkey Federation's 4
Arkansas Officer of the Year; and 5
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WHEREAS, in addition to these impressive awards, Powell received a 7
Lifesaving Award along with fellow Game Warden Aaron Dillard for their 8
bravery and heroic efforts to save a girl being swept downstream by the 9
Mississippi River current and barge wakes by working quickly to get her into 10
their boat and back to shore safely; and 11
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WHEREAS, Powell was also featured in a "Scales of Justice" article in 13
the June 2024 issue of Arkansas Wildlife for his work in using shot shell 14
forensics and DNA analysis to prove that two (2) Mississippi turkey hunters 15
were using Arkansas hunting licenses to illegally hunt turkeys; and 16
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WHEREAS, Colonel Brad Young, the Arkansas State Game and Fish 18
Commission Chief of Enforcement said this about Powell: "We're very, very 19
proud of him. He had some very hard to make cases. It took a lot of hours 20
to apprehend some of those violators"; and 21
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WHEREAS, Powell's hard work in focusing on major violators resulted in 23
twelve (12) charges of night hunting, thirteen (13) charges of road hunting, 24
seventeen (17) charges for hunting during a closed season, four (4) charges 25
for boating while under the influence, five (5) cases of hunting turkey over 26
bait, eight (8) cases for hunting without permission, four (4) cases for 27
hunting waterfowl over bait, and three (3) cases for falsifying information; 28
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WHEREAS, in December 2024 in Augusta, Georgia, Powell was once again 31
recognized for his hard work and dedication when he was named the 32
Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 2024 Robert M. Brantly 33
Law Enforcement Officer of the Year; and 34
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WHEREAS, Powell is only the fourth Arkansas State Game and Fish 36 HCR1004
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Commission game warden to win this prestigious honor, which is awarded to one 1
(1) law enforcement officer out of the fifteen (15) states in the association 2
who excels in teamwork and public outreach, excellence and innovation, 3
attitude and leadership, and achievements and accomplishments in job -related 4
duties, 5
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NOW THEREFORE, 7
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY -FIFTH GENERAL 8
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN: 9
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THAT the House of Representatives and the Senate concurring recognize 11
Game Warden Austin Powell for his outstanding work and to congratulate him on 12
being named the Monty Carmikle Officer of the Year and the 2024 Robert M. 13
Brantly Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. 14
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT upon adoption, a copy of this resolution shall be 16
provided to Game Warden Powell by the Chief Clerk of the House of 17
Representatives. 18
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