Officer Awards and Accolades

Lieutenant Joseph Soell has been selected as the 2022 Shikar Safari Club International Wildlife Officer of the Year.

Lt. Soell has a bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Management from Rutgers University and a master’s in Coastal Environmental Management from Duke University. Joe began his career with the Bureau of Law Enforcement as a Conservation Police Officer in 2004. He was first assigned to the Marine Unit, District 7.

A few of the highlights of his time there include a case of unmarked lobster pots in federal waters that brought $67,000 in penalties and forfeitures, and a case involving a vessel landing overages of fluke and black sea bass that resulted in $15,800 in penalties and forfeitures. Lt. Soell was also active in pollution investigations. On two occasions he brought successful prosecutions for the spilling of diesel fuel into the Forked River, resulting in penalties of $8000 and $6800.

Lt. Soell transferred to the Administration Unit in 2015 and has been instrumental in the daily function and survival of the Bureau of Law Enforcement ever since. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in 2022. Lt. Soell has become the Bureau’s IT officer earning the nickname “Cody Joe” after the records management system that he manages. He is the lead on all major projects such as body worn cameras, computer aided dispatch (CAD), vehicle purchases, software purchases and many more. Joe’s hard work and dedication continue to have a tremendous impact on the success of the Bureau of Law Enforcement.

Please join us in congratulating Lieutenant Joe Soell on a job well done and an award well deserved.

On March 20th, 2022, CPO Allen Sutton was presented with the 2021 National Wild Turkey Federation, Wildlife Officer of the year award for his Outstanding Commitment to New Jersey’s Natural Resources, Dedication to Conservation, and Participation in Outreach Programs. Officer A. Sutton, through his years of service, has dedicated a significant portion of his spring time patrols to unlawful turkey hunting practices. He has also assisted with many outreach programs focused on introducing new hunters to the outdoors.