Conservation Corner: October 22, 2001

Collum Receives Officer Of Year Award
by James L. Cummins

James M. Collum, a conservation officer in Webster County, has received the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks' Officer of the Year Award. Collum was one of seven conservation officers recently honored. Other officers were given Officer of the Year Awards for their respective districts. They were James Hinds (District 1), Hugh Johnson (District 3), Bobby Wilder (District 4), Kenneth McVay (District 6) and Johnny McKinion (Metro District).

Howard Miller, the late former Commissioner for the Department, once told me "This responsibility (being a Commissioner) is a delicate blend of protecting our resources and allowing the public the opportunity to enjoy them." Collum, or "Shorty" as I have called him since I was about 10-years old, conducts his job by that definition too.

But am I qualified to write about Shorty as a person? Maybe. But it is obvious from other conservation officers of the Department that he is well-respected and has many friends. Many of these friends could probably write volumes about Shorty - his commitment to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, family, community, his maker and them.

Officer Collum demonstrates his excellence in his paperwork, complaints, citations and preparation for court. He has a superb relationship with other state, local and federal law enforcement agencies. He never leaves a situation until a resolution has been reached and the problem solved.

He is passionate about teamwork. He volunteers his assistance with other divisions within the Agency. For example, he has worked to certify over 400 students in hunter education and boating education. He conducts farm pond checks, assists with wildlife habitat improvements, assists with health checks on wildlife management areas and helps other conservation officers in other counties.

Officer Collum makes sure that his county is aware of changes in laws and regulations pertaining to hunting and fishing. He also spends many hours talking to civic clubs, hunting and fishing groups as well as conducting conservation programs for schools and attending youth field days and fishing rodeos. In fact, I do not have enough space to list all of his contributions.

Officer Collum always takes the time to return calls and gather the most information about an issue and, above all, treat everyone with respect and courtesy, even in bad situations. Mississippi needs more Shorty Collumns who strive to make this great state reaches its full potential and make our government do a better job and respect the needs and opinions of ordinary citizens.

James L. Cummins is Executive Director of the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation in Stoneville, Mississippi. Known as "Wildlife Mississippi," the Foundation is a non-profit, conservation organization founded to conserve, restore and enhance fish, wildlife and plant resources throughout Mississippi.