(Southeastern IN) – Indiana Conservation Officer Josh Thomas, has been selected as the 2025 District 9 Officer of the Year.
District 9 includes Ripley, Decatur, Franklin, Dearborn, Jennings, Rush, Fayette, Union, Jefferson, Switzerland, and Ohio.
Thomas, who serves Jefferson County, previously served in the United States Marine Corps and has been a conservation officer for 13 years.
Prior to transferring to Jefferson County in 2015, he served in Fayette County.
In addition to his normal duties as a field officer, Thomas serves as a field training officer, use of force instructor, division armorer, and honor guard member for the Department of Natural Resources Division of Law Enforcement.
The district award puts Thomas in the running for the Pitzer Award, which is presented to the top overall conservation officer in the state and is selected from the 10 district winners.
The Pitzer Award is named after Conservation Officer James D. Pitzer, who was fatally shot while investigating illegal hunting activity on Jan. 2, 1961, in Jay County.
