Forgotten Lawmen

Officer McCrea is starting his eighth year of service as a South Dakota Game Warden. His status as a naïve, rookie officer is in the distant past. He has matured professionally and has taken on additional, high-liability endeavors such as certified firearms instructor, head range master, and use of force expert. After just eight years he is bestowed with a tremendous professional honor: 1991 Wildlife Officer of the Year. He received this highest honor for his outstanding service to the public and his developing expertise in wildlife law enforcement. But his professionalism and dedication have come at a cost. Warden McCrea not only has to battle against committed, unrepentant poachers, he realizes he has to battle against two new and unexpected foes. The first is the ugly and demoralizing actions of state politicians, some of whom seek to diminish, even destroy, his profession. The second, and most disheartening, battle is waged against elements within his own agency. Specifically, the corrupt, unreasonable, often toxic actions and expectations of unsympathetic co-workers who simply refuse to recognize the seemingly endless demands placed on Warden McCrea and his fellow district game wardens. All the while Warden McCrea is engaged in a mission to catch and hold poachers accountable. That mission will bring him into contact with some of the most vicious, dangerous, and desperate outlaws in his district. Some will try their best to kill him. One is a serial killer. Against all odds, Warden McCrea perseveres and survives. The reason he survives so many close calls and near misses will shock and surprise readers. It is counter-intuitive, especially in the present-day environment where law enforcement officers are judged guilty until proven innocent by a highly-skeptical public. So get ready to experience a wild and largely unpredictable ride where danger and uncertainty is often just around the next corner. Go where Warden McCrea goes. Contact the people he contacts. After reading his many harrowing, true-to-life accounts, be prepared to answer the most compelling and challenging questions Warden McCrea had to ask and reconcile every time he geared up and went on duty: Will I survive my shift? Will I make it home safely? Am I making a difference? Is what I'm doing worth it? Does anyone care?

David (D.B.) McCrea spent over twenty years serving the citizens of South Dakota as a State Game Warden. His career spanned from 1983-2006 and started in the small town of Flandreau. In 1990, McCrea transferred to the Minnehaha County Warden District in Sioux Falls, perhaps the most dangerous district in the state. His career eventually took him to Pierre where he served as Assistant Chief Game Warden and legislative lobbyist for the Division of Wildlife until his retirement. McCrea writes of his unique experiences and dangerous encounters in his series of books The Forgotten Lawmen. The Forgotten Lawmen Part 4: Animals, Poachers, and Politicians! is an eclectic collection of stories that provide a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the often misunderstood life of a South Dakota Game Warden. Readers will learn that game wardens, a.k.a. conservation officers, do more than just drive around and check licenses, which is one of many misconceptions about the game warden profession. McCrea describes in frustrating detail the numerous job duties of a game warden and the complicated system of managerial oversight, which he fittingly describes as "a wobbly house of cards." He tells the story of a young officer who is assigned to a warden district three times the size of Rhode Island. It's a district where the locals are hostile to game wardens. Within four months of his arrival the young officer is shot at and physically attacked. It's a story of how grit and raw determination can overcome nearly any obstacle. There are tales of McCrea's ability to handle complaints involving wildlife and crop damage. Readers will be introduced to the insufferable Judge "Rolle." Judge Rolle takes an intense dislike to the new Moody County Game Warden and considers poaching cases a waste of time. The Judge's legal rulings are so bizarre they impede McCrea's efforts to bring poachers to justice. McCrea takes on the members of the state legislature whom he describes as the most powerful anti-sports men and women organization in the state. He explodes the myths that a game warden has more search and arrest authority than a police officer. There are tales of mistakes and mishaps that reflect McCrea's humanity. Readers will meet Jim, a man who stubbornly refuses to abide by the rule of law. Jim makes the bold claim that he owns the wildlife on his land. McCrea uses sound logic and the rule of law to win the debate. The stories are engaging, funny, enlightening, and insightful. Welcome to McCrea's life as a South Dakota Game Warden where nothing is ever routine. Welcome to The Forgotten Lawmen Part 4: Animals, Poachers, and Politicians!

This book is the fifth in a series called "The Forgotten Lawmen." It is a collection of short stories recounting the life experiences of D.B. McCrea, a retired Game Warden from South Dakota.