Minnesota DNR Recognizes Local Conservation Officers for Lifesaving Efforts

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Enforcement Division recently recognized nine conservation officers for their lifesaving efforts in the past few months, including several from the immediate Lakeland viewing area.

Those include Matt Brodin of the Brainerd area and Levi Brown of the Staples area. On Nov. 9, 2025, the two responded to a report of two waterfowl hunters whose boat had capsized in Todd County. The temperature was 18 degrees when Brodin and Brown arrived on the scene and rescued the two.

Coby Fontes of the Warroad area was also recognized for rescuing two men whose boat had capsized on Lake of the Woods on Sep. 1 of last year.

In addition, James Veit of the Bemidji area and Brice Vollbrecht of the Blackduck area, as well as Danielle Reuss of the Benson area, were all involved in locating a lost hunter whose cell phone had died in Beltrami County on Nov. 21. The DNR says the hunter was located in a remote, hard-to-reach area and the man’s body temperature was 93 degrees, an indication he likely wouldn’t have made it through the night without help.