A Life of Service

USFS Law Enforcement Officers Reardon (left) and LaPrade (right)

U.S Forest Service Law Enforcement Officer Daniel Reardon

As a young man growing up on a small farm in upstate New York, Daniel Reardon knew that a life in public service was his calling.

“Since a youngster, I have always wanted to work for a law enforcement agency,” said Reardon. “I knew I could do the job and I had the drive to help others in need.”

Reardon enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2001 and was in basic training during the attacks on September 11, 2001. In February 2003, Reardon deployed on the initial invasion into Iraq where he served as a Combat Engineer in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Following his deployment, Reardon attended college at State University of New York attaining a college degree and was hired on with the Ak-Chin Indian Police Department in Arizona in 2007 as a State, Tribal and Federal Police Officer as well as serving as a Field Training Officer and Glock Armorer. A few years later, Reardon moved back to New York and accepted another Federal, Tribal Police Officer position with the Oneida Indian Nation Police Department as well as serving as a Field Training Officer and Control Tactics Instructor. In total, Reardon has been in law enforcement for 12 years, eight of those years are with the U.S. Forest Service. As well as normal Law Enforcement duties, Reardon is a designated Court Liaison for the U.S Forest Service and currently holds numerous Instructor certifications including Control Tactics Instructor, Use of Force Instructor, Taser Instructor and Non-Lethal Training Instructor.

U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement Officer Nicholas LaPrade

Nicholas LaPrade, a native of Massachusetts, has vivid memories of running around as a child wearing plastic police helmets and being excited about holiday parades, ambulances, fire trucks and police cars.&

During high school, LaPrade worked at a local Wal Mart in the electronic section. He showed interest in computer programming, but ultimately sought something more challenging. After graduating high school, LaPrade enlisted with the Marine Corps as a Military Policeman.

LaParade has been a Law Enforcement Officer with the U.S. Forest Service since 2017. Prior to this, he was employed by United States Marine Corps as a Conservation Law Enforcement Officer as well as working for Department of Defense as a Traffic Collision Investigator and Police Officer and over 8 years of active service in the US Marine Corps as a Military Police Officer. He served on two deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006 and 2008.

Answering the Call

On May 12, 2020, Officers Laprade and Reardon were driving together in their Forest Service patrol truck when they received a Search and Rescue medical report involving a dirt bike accident that occurred in the Spring Mountain National Recreation Area. While search and rescues or a common occurrence on the Spring Mountain National Recreation Area, this particular rider was in a much more remote area than rescues usually occur.

The officers quickly determined the laceration on the man’s leg required life saving measures to prevent further loss of blood. Officer Reardon made the decision to apply a tourniquet on the man’s leg just above the knee to restrict the bleeding.

The officers continued to provide treatment and care until the Las Vegas Metro Police Department Search and Rescue team could arrive.

However, due to the remote area, and no landing zone available for the medivac helicopter, the victim was loaded up in the back of Officer Reardon’s patrol truck bed and transported an hour down the canyon to the life flight landing zone. From there, the victim was taken by medical helicopter to a hospital in Las Vegas.

Due to their swift actions that day, medical professionals were able to save the victim’s life, as well as his leg, and is expected to make a full recovery.

On November 5^th, 2020, officers Reardon and LaPrade were awarded the Regional Law Enforcement Investigation Award at the annual Regional Foresters awards ceremony in recognition of their life saving efforts on the Spring Mountain National Recreation Area.

Why we do it

For LaPrade, the love of law enforcement and the fascination with our National Forests and Grasslands go hand in hand.

“Growing up in Massachusetts, the idea of public lands is far less apparent. When I discovered that a law enforcement profession existed with the purpose of protecting lands and resources, I was immediately invested in pursuing such a position,” said LaPrade.

“This very specific law enforcement career has really opened my eyes to the need for all Americans to take a vested interest in protecting our natural resources and lands and focus and reinvigorate ways to better use them in sustainable ways. I have also seen the passion of many Americans who visit and use the National Forests for a variety of reasons, and it is an honor to do my best to protect it. This Juxtaposition really makes it worth coming to work.”

“From traffic pursuits, timber theft, wildfire arson, animal poaching, natural resource damage and search and rescues; this career has given me a full rounded experience in dealing with numerous situations,” added Reardon.

“The value of the career to me is being able to see a case or incident through from start to finish, and to help others, whether it be educational in nature, or hands on like locating a lost person or aiding someone in dire need. We also work with many other law enforcement agencies, which is a great networking experience.”

"Waking up every day knowing it can be different and knowing that I provide a service to the community keeps me coming back," said Laprade.

"Forest Service Law Enforcement is in my opinion the front like protection for the National Forest and its visitors. It gives credence to something that can't voice its own concern."