Boating Officer of the Year

nominating: boating officer of the year

Nominations are open to all commissioned, certified or sworn peace officers authorized by the state to enforce the recreational boating safety laws of that state. Boating law administrators should nominate candidates who have made an outstanding contribution to boating safety through enforcement. A nominee should have performed an outstanding service to the agency or state in any facet of recreational boating safety including but not limited to enforcement, education, search and rescue, outreach, innovation, partnership, BUI enforcement, incident investigation, community service, and heroic action. Posthumous nominations are not eligible.

Three regional finalists will be chosen from among the state nominees and will win a paid trip to the NASBLA Annual Conference where the national boating officer of the year will be announced and recognized during the Awards Ceremony.

Nominations for this award must be submitted by a boating law administrator.

The nomination deadline for the Officer of the Year award was March 31, 2025. Nominations for 2025 are now closed.

National boating officer of the year

NASBLA is pleased to announce the regional winners of the Boating Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award. This award symbolizes the highest level of achievement among boating law enforcement officers in the U.S.

The selection process for this award began in January with NASBLA soliciting nominations for each state and territory boating law enforcement officer of the year. Next, each regional association of boating law administrators chose one regional award recipient, making that officer eligible for consideration for the national award. The national award recipient is announced during the NASBLA Annual Conference. 

National Winner 2025

Conservation Officer Nick Rocca
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Conservation Officer Nick Rocca of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has been named the 2025 Northern Region Officer of the Year. Since joining the DNR, Officer Rocca has exemplified outstanding expertise, leadership, and dedication to ensuring safety on Iowa’s waterways. His commitment to maritime navigation and enforcement has made a significant impact on recreational boating safety. Rocca is a mentor and leader, participating in the annual Seasonal Officer training program, where he dedicates over 60 hours to equipping officers with essential skills. His approach fosters trust and teamwork, providing positive reinforcement and constructive feedback to help seasonal officers grow. By emphasizing best practices for public interaction, Rocca ensures officers carry out their duties with confidence and professionalism. Read the full press release. 

Southern Region

Senior Ranger Travis Bernstein
Larimer County Department of Natural Resources
Senior Ranger Travis Bernstein of the Larimer County Department of Natural Resources has been named the Western Region Officer of the Year for 2025. For the past two and a half years, Bernstein has led Larimer County’s boating program with exceptional dedication to public and staff safety on Colorado’s waterways. His leadership, innovative training initiatives, and commitment to excellence in marine safety have set a high standard for boating law enforcement. As a Senior Ranger, Bernstein supervises both full-time and temporary staff while actively patrolling Larimer County’s waters, focusing on rescues, boating under the influence (BUI) enforcement, and safety compliance. His diligence ensures that patrol and maintenance boats are equipped with essential safety gear, including throw bags and serviceable personal flotation devices (PFDs). Bernstein has also championed the adoption of a new, safer law enforcement PFD system for rangers, enhancing field safety. Read the full press release.

First presented in 2000, the Marvin “Butch” Potts Memorial Award, known as the Boating Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award, is presented annually to the boating law enforcement officer who has made outstanding contributions to the field of boating law enforcement. The award program consists of three levels: state, regional and national.

Northern Region

Roland Salvatore, Connecticut

Jack Thatcher, Massachusetts

Taylor Kirchner, South Dakota

Nick Rocca, Iowa

Nick Vandermolen, Indiana

Zachary Rudd, Pennsylvania

Tyler Ramaker, Minnesota

Michael Baker, New Jersey

Drew Johnson, North Dakota

West Rhodes, Delaware

Anthony Esposito, Rhode Island

Mathews Costello, Nebraska

Dustin Wolf, Illinois

Chris Carney, Maine

Southern Region

Johnathan R. Roberts, Missouri

Jacob Manning, Alabama

Jacob Long, North Carolina

Thomas Wolf, Louisiana

Jon Mark, Tennessee

Joseph Braden, Kentucky

Brendan Ryan, Maryland

Benayah Hawkins, Georgia

Bernardo Soliz, Arkansas

Ryan McGinley, Texas

Robert M. Rakes II, West Virginia

William Tim Bostic, Virginia

Western Region

Travis Bernstein, Colorado

Napaul Cavazos, Nevada


(Those in bold text are the regional boating officers of the year.)

Previous Recipients