A selfless man
On a cold, rainy Friday night in November 1998 an unforgettable man lost his life while doing what he had stood for throughout his existence on Earth - the right thing.
Jim was a devoted son, brother, uncle, friend and Conservation Officer. He was an exceptional person. Everyone knows a person in their life who seems to light up the whole room the moment they enter. That was Jim.
He was funny, kind, compassionate, extremely hardworking and deeply dedicated to causes he believed in. As he's been described by so many, “Jim made you want to be a better person just by knowing him”. That's the kind of guy he was.
He had a passion for exercise and nutrition because he knew his health would carry over to all facets of his life and help him to become the best version of himself. He loved the outdoors and dedicated his life to protecting public safety, public land and wildlife.
This world isn't ours to abuse. We have a coexistence with our environment and all living things that needs to be monitored. Jim's life work was to protect the environment for everyone to enjoy. Jim graduated from the University of Connecticut in 1975 with a B.S. in Natural Resource Conservation and then went on to become a Certified Wildlife Biologist for 14 years. He then wanted to combine his love of biology with law enforcement and became a Connecticut Conservation Officer. Conservation Officers are law enforcement officers who specialize in the outdoors, studying and monitoring wildlife populations while also educating the public and enforcing proper hunting and fishing laws and practices. Whether you agree with hunting or not, it plays a vital role in our relationship with our planet. It provides valuable resources and ensures that there is a balance of populations between animal species. While Jim himself wasn’t an avid hunter, he wasn't against it and respected it - as long as it was done prudently and safely. This is why it is completely accurate to say that he died for something he believed in.
On that cold, rainy night in November 1998 Jim was on patrol in Scotland, CT with his partner. It was deer hunting season in Connecticut. Earlier in the evening, the officers happened upon a father and son finishing a day of hunting. Jim and his partner stopped to have a conversation, discussing the day’s events and current hunting regulations. Following Jim's death, the father wrote an open letter stating his appreciation for the respectful encounter with Jim and wrote that his death was a sad loss for the residents of Connecticut.
Later on that night, Jim and his partner spotted a car parked in an area that had been receiving complaints about reckless hunting practices. After inspecting the vehicle the two officers did not find the driver but noticed hunting equipment in the car and suspected the driver may be nearby and could be violating two major rules of hunting - hunting after sunset and in a residential neighborhood. This would not only be breaking the law, it would also be completely reckless and irresponsible. Jim and his partner immediately set off on foot to see if they could locate the owner of the vehicle.
Not long after their arrival on scene, the lone crack of a high powered hunting rifle cut through the quiet night air and a single bullet struck Jim in the chest, killing him instantly.
November 20th, 1998 was a day that we lost a true hero - an extraordinary man who died doing the right thing, protecting the safety of his fellow citizens and the appropriate use of our natural resources.
He has been missed every single day since.
