Conservation officer recognized as one of the best

KAMLOOPS – A local conservation officer has been honoured by the province for his outstanding service.

Kevin Van Damme is one of ten members of the Conservation Service awarded with the Peace Office Exemplary Service Medal by the Lieutenant Governor Friday.

Van Damme was started off in as a fisheries officer in Quesnel, before spending 22 years as a conservation officer in Surrey, Clearwater and presently Kamloops.

He’s an expert in predator attack investigations.

In December of 2013, Van Damme had a harrowing experience tracking a cougar.

The cat killed one of his two specially trained dogs.

The cougar had a wire wrapped around its paw so was unable to climb a tree to escape the dogs. Instead, it turned on its pursuers; killing one dog named Bust and biting the second dog, named Boomer, in the head.

"The Peace Officer Exemplary Service Medal is a tangible way to honour dedicated conservation officers for their years of outstanding public service,” Lieutenant Governor Judith Guichon said during Friday’s presentation. “It is an honour to congratulate them on this achievement and thank them for their dedication and courage."

To contact the reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infotelnews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.