Law enforcement officers with the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests joined forces with about 70 other professionals recently to showcase their careers at Clarkesville Elementary School in Clarkesville, Ga.
The Forest Service is a regular participant in the school’s career day. Captain Stuart Delugach and Officer Derik Breedlove talked with the students about jobs in Forest Service law enforcement. This year they met with approximately 500 students and showed off some of the tools of the trade, including their All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) and law enforcement vehicles.
The students were definitely impressed. Youngsters clamored to try out the light bar and public address system on the vehicles and sit on the parked ATVs. And they were full of questions.
“I can relate to their excitement,” said Officer Derik Breedlove who works on the Chattooga River Ranger District. “When I was their age, I dreamed of having this job.”
Law enforcement is an integral part of the overall management of the National Forest System. Encompassing around 867,000 acres across 26 counties, the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests provide the finest outdoor recreation opportunities and natural resources in Georgia. Featuring nearly 118,000 acres of designated wilderness, approximately 850 miles of recreation trails, and dozens of campgrounds, picnic areas, and other recreation activity opportunities, these lands are rich in natural scenery, history and culture.
