Name:Derek Ridgway Duty Station: Cimarron District Officer Special Area of Responsibility/Game Mgmt Units: Valle Vidal, GMU’s 55A, 55B, 54, 48 Length of Service: 2.5 years Field Training: Ruidoso Education:High School: Franklin High School, Franklin, Massachusetts College Attended: Framingham State University, Framingham, Massachusetts Degree: Environmental Studies and Sustainability Hometown: Franklin, Massachusetts Current Projects/Assignments: Responding to and resolving wildlife complaints. Conducting patrols within areas wildlife and trespass violations occur frequently. Best Thing About the Job: The outdoor work environment that can lead to great views of the local wildlife in their natural environment. What made you want to be a NM Game Warden?: The freedom of the job, the ability to work in the outdoors, and the desire to protect natural resources. Special Interest: Assisting in wildlife management and fisheries surveys. Investigating Operation Game Thief (OGT) reports. One piece of advice for anyone interested in becoming a NM Game Warden: Maintain a high level of physical fitness.

Help protect your wildlife! If you see a violation please report it to the OGT Hotline at 1-800-432-4263. Contact Information Phone: (505) 500-6761 Email: derek.ridgway@state.nm.us