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News Release

Michael R. Clark Promoted to Rank of Major

Richmond, VA - The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) announced that Michael R. "Mike" Clark has been promoted to the rank of Major in the Law Enforcement Division. Major Clark now reports directly to the Chief of Law Enforcement, Colonel Dabney W. Watts, Jr. In this capacity he will oversee the administrative functions of the VDGIF Law Enforcement Division. His duties include preparation and management of the division budget as well as management of training and outreach programs, procurement and inventory processes and a comprehensive volunteer program.

Clark had previously held the rank of Captain and oversaw all law enforcement operations in Region IV, an 11-county region of the Shenandoah Valley from Frederick and Clarke counties south through Shenandoah, Warren, Page, Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, Bath, Alleghany and Rockbridge counties, as well as the cities of Harrisonburg, Winchester, Waynesboro and Lexington. VDGIF operations are divided into five work regions across the Commonwealth.

Clark joined VDGIF in 1978 as a game warden (now called conservation police officer) and served in the Shenandoah Valley and Tidewater areas. In 1982, he was promoted to Sergeant and was responsible for supervising law enforcement personnel in a five-county area of Tidewater including Middlesex, King and Queen, Mathews, Gloucester, and Essex.

In 1987, he was promoted to Hunter Education Lieutenant and managed all aspects of the Hunter Education Program for a 20 county region in Tidewater and Northern Virginia. In that capacity he supervised and trained volunteer Hunter Education instructors and coordinated all training and public relations activities for that region. In 1990, he moved from the training lieutenant position to a lieutenant position overseeing law enforcement personnel in a 13-county rural and urban district of Northern Virginia including Loudoun, Fairfax, Prince William, Fauquier, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Caroline, Hanover, Madison, Culpeper, Orange, Louisa, and Rappahannock.

Mike Clark was promoted again in 1993 to the position of Captain, supervising law enforcement personnel in an 11-county region in the Shenandoah Valley. In that leadership role he managed the regional law enforcement operations and administration including supervising all law enforcement efforts in that region; developing and monitoring the law enforcement budget; established relationships with sportsmen's groups and local news media; and oversaw the regional radio communication system.

Mike Clark has been highly respected by the people who served under him and has a reputation for working side by side with his officers in the field on special operations and boat patrols, inspiring tremendous loyalty. When his promotion to Major was announced, his regional officers recognized him with a special plaque stating, "For 15 years of dedicated service as captain you demonstrated a quiet strength and professional leadership. These enviable qualities have shaped careers and fostered lasting friendships."

Throughout his career he has expanded his skills by taking extensive training in supervision and management. Additional training has included Internal Affairs Investigations; Inventory and Asset Management; Strategic Planning; Terrorism and Security Awareness; National Incident Management System; and much more.

Over the years he has been at the forefront of numerous developments in conservation law enforcement at the Department. He developed and pioneered the use of inflatable jet outboard powered boats on patrols. Clark developed decoy deer techniques and supervised operations when his work area was assigned one of the original deer decoys purchased by VDGIF. He supervised the initial development of motion-activated video surveillance equipment that is now standard equipment for the Department.

Mike Clark planned and oversaw the first OUI - Operating Under the Influence - checkpoints on Lake Anna and the first joint VDGIF/Virginia State Police OUI/DUI checkpoint operation in the Lake Anna area. While assigned to the Northern Neck, he played a lead role in the Department's first rockfish raid involving the Virginia Marine Resources Commission.

Clark graduated from Matoaca High School in Chesterfield County. He attended the Conservation Resources Course at the College of William and Mary and the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center where he was recognized as the Most Distinguished Graduate of their Boating Safety Course. In 2008, he attended the Commonwealth Management Institute, coordinated through Virginia Commonwealth University, which is the Commonwealth of Virginia's professional development program for managers. More than 1,800 managers in Virginia state government have taken the opportunity to sharpen their skills at CMI in order to more effectively implement public programs and policies.

Major Michael R. "Mike" Clark