HENDERSON Ky. (WEHT) – Officials say Indiana Conservation Officer Jon Watkins has been recognized by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) for his years of exemplary service and dedication to protecting Indiana’s waterways since January 2017.
A news release says on October 11, Watkins was presented with a USCG certificate of merit at the Area Maritime Security Committee (AMSC) meeting in Chrisney. He has served in multiple leadership positions of the Evansville, Owensboro, Henderson, and Mount Vernon regional AMSC.
“The superior performance, attention to detail and initiative displayed are wholeheartedly commended and are in keeping with the noblest traditions of inter-agency cooperation and maritime safety and security on and along our nation’s inland waterways,” reads a portion of the certificate.
Officials with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources say Watkins, who is originally from LaPorte County, has been assigned to Dubois County since 2006. He has been honored as the District 7 Officer of the Year and Indiana’s Boating Officer of the Year multiple times during his career and currently serves as a National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) instructor, boat accident investigator, passenger-for-hire inspector and sonar operator.
