Fulfilling a dream

You may have seen the woman with the short blond hair in the forest service law enforcement truck around Saratoga or out on the forest. Her name is Hannah Nadeau and she is working a career that she decided she wanted to follow when she was a teenager.

"I decided I wanted this job when I was 14," Nadeau said, noting, "I read an article in the Salt Lake Tribune about a park ranger that was a law enforcement officer at Zion National Park, and I decided that's what I want to do."

Nadeau cites a job description that includes spending a lot of time outdoors, helping people, working with people and doing search and rescue as some of the main attractions to Forest Service law enforcement for her.

Nadeau is a native of the Salt Lake City, Utah area but worked in law enforcement in Colorado before being stationed at the Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District (BCHRD) of the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests (MBRNF) since July 2015.

Her journey towards becoming a full-time, permanent, law enforcement officer for the MBRNF began by working with the Boy Scouts of America, then becoming a seasonal forest service employee working at campgrounds and finishing with a two-year internship in law enforcement.

Along the way, Nadeau attended Utah State University, in Logan, graduating with a bachelor of science degree in recreation resource management and an associates degree in criminal justice.

It was during her college years when she began to work for the United States Forest Service (USFS) and realized that she was more in tune with the multiple use aspect of the national forest more than the national parks preservation management focus. The Pathways internship with the forest service had her working with law enforcement trainers and mentors in Silverthorne, Colo. and Durango, Colo. Once she completed that two-year internship, Nadeau became eligible for a permanent job with the USFS.

At the discretion of the USFS Nadeau was stationed in July 2015 at the BCHRD based on their need for a full-time law enforcement officer.

Nadeau said there is no typical day in her job, but she does patrol most every day. Where she goes depends on the time of year and activity on the forest. Most commonly Nadeau deals with off-road travel, fishing license checks, unpermitted tree removal and speeding on forest roads.

"That's a big one because its not just a resource issue. It's something that is important for the safety of forest visitors," Nadeau said of speeding on USFS roads.

Because of the smaller workforce now employed by the USFS, Nadeau's duties take her to the Colorado portion of the forest and she sometimes works out of Steamboat Springs, Colo. and assists the Laramie district on the east side of the forest.

Nadeau said the kidnapping and drug investigation on Sage Creek road in late October was the most memorable experience since she has been on the BCHRD. "All these different law enforcement agencies cooperated, and none of us had ever worked together before," Nadeau said. This was important to her as she likes interacting with other officers and agencies because of the learning opportunities.

Her favorite area of the MBRNF is the west fork of Battle Creek because it is relatively hidden, scenic and a little less explored than other areas of the forest.

With the demands of her job, Nadeau has not had as much time to explore the town of Saratoga as much as she would like, but the slower pace of the winter should allow her to get out a little more. At the end of a hard day Nadeau likes to decompress by baking cookies and treats to share with her neighbors. She also enjoys fishing and hopes to cast more next year.

"I'm enjoying being here. I hope that I can make a difference. I know that sometimes its frustrating when people get to meet me for the first time because of something they have done and I have to write them a citation. My main goal is to keep the forest safe and help take care of it," Nadeau said.