DARLINGTON - Recruit Conservation Warden Matthew Groppi will be training in Lafayette County this summer. Groppi was hired by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Bureau of Law Enforcement in the fall of 2007 and began his training at the DNR Law Enforcement Academy at Fort McCoy in January of 2008. Groppi completed his law enforcement certification in April and will be working with Conservation Warden Jeff King, Darlington, for his first training assignment.
Groppi is originally from Milwaukee where he grew up fishing for salmon and trout on Lake Michigan. He received a bachelor of science degree from University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point where he majored in resource management and minored in environmental law enforcement. While at Stevens Point, Groppi worked as a teaching assistant for the Environmental Enforcement Course, served as an Officer of the Student Law Enforcement Association, and completed Warden Internships in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Groppi is also currently serving in the US Army Reserves with a Military Police Unit out of Sheboygan. He deployed with the same unit to Mosul, Iraq in 2004.
While at the Academy, Groppi received extensive classroom and scenario based training on current law enforcement practices used by the DNR and other agencies around the state. In addition, he learned about the DNR's past, present, and future role in protecting Wisconsin's abundant and diverse natural resources.
Groppi will be required to work with three other field training officers from around the state prior to receiving his own permanent field station. This training will take place in the first year and is mandatory for all recruit conservation wardens.
Groppi is originally from Milwaukee where he grew up fishing for salmon and trout on Lake Michigan. He received a bachelor of science degree from University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point where he majored in resource management and minored in environmental law enforcement. While at Stevens Point, Groppi worked as a teaching assistant for the Environmental Enforcement Course, served as an Officer of the Student Law Enforcement Association, and completed Warden Internships in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Groppi is also currently serving in the US Army Reserves with a Military Police Unit out of Sheboygan. He deployed with the same unit to Mosul, Iraq in 2004.
While at the Academy, Groppi received extensive classroom and scenario based training on current law enforcement practices used by the DNR and other agencies around the state. In addition, he learned about the DNR's past, present, and future role in protecting Wisconsin's abundant and diverse natural resources.
Groppi will be required to work with three other field training officers from around the state prior to receiving his own permanent field station. This training will take place in the first year and is mandatory for all recruit conservation wardens.
