After years of only having two, Polk County now has four game wardens serving its citizenry. This is just one of the items learned when three game wardens recently presented a program for the Livingston Lions Club.
Brandon Mosley previously served as a game warden in Polk County prior to relocating to Tyler County. However in 2022, Mosely was promoted to captain for Region 3, District 3, in Lufkin.
Accompanying Mosley were two new game wardens assigned to Polk County, having just been out of the academy for six months – Brady Crump and Justin Cristoph.
Originally from Alpine, Crump graduated from Texas Tech University before entering the game warden academy. He said he is excited to be here. While at the academy, Crump won the swimming and marksmanship competition for his age category.
Cristoph most recently worked in the Montgomery County Jail. From the Spring area, he earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Sam Houston State University. He said it is a blessing to have this opportunity.
Providing some information about his own background, Mosley said after graduating from the game warden academy he was assigned to Port Lavaca where he spent three years before coming to Polk County.
“This area welcomed us as a young family and I cherish that,” he said referring to his wife and two children. “I was in Tyler County for nine years and then promoted to district captain for Region 3 which includes Houston, Trinity, Tyler, Angelina and Polk counties.
Mosely said that in Region 3 Lake Livingston is one of the most dangerous lakes with a high number of boating fatalities and accidents.
“Lake Livingston is a hot spot. We get a lot of boaters and have a lot of BWIs. Water safety is very important to us. This is a busy area. The guys are staying busy with a lot of different tasks. A game warden’s job during the summer months is on the water. During the winter months, it’s working the hunting and fishing,” Mosley said.
The game wardens talked about how competitive the game warden academy is. Of approximately 1,000 applicants each year, only about 50 are admitted to the academy. Additionally, a four-year degree is required, in addition to meeting the rigorous physical standards.
“The role of a game warden is not just fish, feathers and fur. It has evolved into a well-rounded professional law enforcement officer,” Mosley said, explaining that game wardens are licensed state police officers very similar to a state trooper.
“Throughout my 20-year career I’m amazed at where technology has taken us,” he said.
Mosley said his first love was the conservation side of the work and that the local guys spend a lot of time promoting conservation and education.
In addition to Brady Crump and Justin Cristoph, the other two game wardens in Polk County are David Johnson and Nolan Arnold.
