FWP Warden An Ace At Law Enforcement Academy

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With only six months on the job as a Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Warden in southeast Montana, Jim Smolczynski joined 33 other law enforcement recruits for a three-month basic training course at the Montana Law Enforcement Academy in Helena recently. Smolczynski aced the rigorous 12-week program, receiving the Alex F. Mavity Award for ranking number one in fitness, academics, firearms, skill-based training and performance evaluations. "I learned that law enforcement work requires a lot from you both physically and mentally," Smolczynski said. "You need to learn how to manage stress and your personal attitude." Smolczynski also received the Class Inspiration Award for the leadership he demonstrated throughout the course and his ability to overcome obstacles and succeed. During the Law Enforcement Academy training, recruits complete coursework in emergency medical procedures; CPR; legal issues; arrest; search and seizure law; traffic law; DUI investigation; threat response; weaponless defensive tactics; firearms proficiency; policy vehicle operations; criminal investigation; public relations; interview and interrogation skills; report writing techniques, and other topics. The courses include classroom instruction and hands-on learning. The Alex F. Mavity Award honors a Billings police detective who was killed in the line of duty while attempting to make an arrest. The Class Inspiration Award was created to honor Paul Williams a peace officer in Choteau County for more than 39 years. Smolczynski, 33, earned a B.A. in Wildlife Biology from the University of Montana in Missoula in 1995. He joined FWP in 1996 in Kalispell as a Parks patrol officer and became a FWP Region 7 warden in late 1999. Prior to coming to Montana, he worked as a biological technician in Idaho.