Warden

Department of Fish and Wildlife

6/18/2008

Special Act Award (Gold)

On June 18, 2008, at approximately 8:00 a.m., California Department of Fish and Game Warden Wilbur Dwight Brown, Jr. was out of uniform, driving a department vehicle to pick up a department horse trailer at Lake Success in Tulare County. As he was approaching the dam, an Army Corps of Engineers’ Ranger flagged him down and pointed to a man standing by a guardrail who was wanted for breaking into a vehicle and stealing. As Warden Brown drove over to where the man was standing, the man moved downhill away from the highway. Warden Brown parked his patrol vehicle, blocking the man’s access to the highway and walked toward him, advising him that he was a peace officer and was placing him under arrest. Warden Brown commanded the man to get down on the ground and put his hands behind his back. The man did not obey; instead he cursed and yelled at Warden Brown, questioning why he was being arrested. The man then pulled a knife out of his pocket, pointed it at Warden Brown and lunged toward him. When Warden Brown drew his gun, demanding that he drop the knife, the man demanded the warden shoot him. Warden Brown could have used deadly force, but instead kept telling the man to lay down the knife and give himself up. Warden Brown stepped forward slowly with his gun pointed at the man. The man threw his knife at him, turned and fled toward the lake. Warden Brown holstered his gun, returned to his truck, and radioed the Tulare County dispatch for back-up assistance. He then followed the suspect in his truck. Tulare County Sheriff’s Department immediately dispatched two officers to help apprehend the suspect who was now running down the dam’s rock face. Warden Brown followed the man until the officers arrived. He then left his truck to close in on the suspect who was heaving rocks at the officers. Warden Brown and the officers chased the man for almost one mile before they were able to surround him. It took Warden Brown and the two officers combined efforts to finally restrain, handcuff, and take the man into custody. Had it not been for Warden Brown’s actions, training and composure, it is likely this suspect would not have survived.