Austin -

The Texas Game Warden Academy’s largest class ever will graduate at 9 a.m. Tuesday morning in the House of Representatives chamber at the capitol, after which the 51 cadets will disperse to their first duty stations across the state.

Game wardens perform water rescue operations, respond to natural disasters, and conduct public outreach programs, in addition to enforcing traditional hunting, fishing, and water safety regulations.

"Basically, game wardens are the primary law enforcement off the pavement in Texas," said Major Danny Shaw, director of training at the academy.

This 54th Game Warden graduating class was the first to be trained at the academy’s new site in Hamilton County, in a facility donated by the nonprofit Police Activities League. Previously, cadets trained at a converted warehouse in Austin and various borrowed facilities around the state, adding extra costs and travel time to the training schedule.

Construction began in April on a $20 million training complex at the new Hamilton site. Fundraising is needed to complete the ambitious projects, and Texans are encouraged to support future Texas game wardens. More information is on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Web site.

Current graduates received 1,400 hours of training over seven months in areas such as peace officer training, firearm use, public speaking, police driving, all terrain vehicles, and various Texas Parks and Wildlife statutes and other state codes.

The new game wardens will report for duty in different counties across Texas within the next week.

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On the Net:

• http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/warden/

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