Sisk’s AGFC Career Concludes With Meritorious Service Award; Other Honors Bestowed to Officers

Ben Sisk, who recently retired after a 30-year career as a captain in the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Enforcement Division, was one of many game wardens honored at the AGFC’s annual Enforcement Awards banquet July 16 at North Little Rock’s Wyndham Riverfront.

Maj. Brian Aston joined Col. Joe Williams and AGFC Director Doug Schoenrock in presenting Sisk with the Meritorious Service Award for a career filled with “the utmost integrity, professionalism and visionary leadership,” Aston said.

Sisk, who retired after leading Enforcement District A-2 based in Fort Smith, mentored other game wardens and colleagues alike, Aston said, “ensuring that the next generation of leadership is fully prepared to carry on the agency’s mission.” Sisk was a previous winner of the agency’s Lifesaving Award and the Warden’s Cross, and was awarded the Attorney General’s Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. He was an instructor at the AGFC’s Enforcement Training Center in Mayflower and also supervised the Enforcement Division’s Disaster Response Team from its inception until 2018.

Lyndle Crownover was presented the 2026 Butch Potts Boating Law Enforcement Officer of the Year for the fifth time. Crownover, who patrols north Arkansas from his base in Mountain Home, has been nominated 12 times for the honor. This past year, while conducting 610 hours of boating patrols, he issued 68 boating citations and warnings, including 11 boating-while-intoxicated citations, one boating-under-the-influence citation, and he assisted on four other arrests.

“Cpl. Crownover’s efforts have made our lakes and rivers a safe place,” Aston said. Crownover is also very active in boating and youth education. This year alone, he organized or assisted in 13 boater education classes, reaching more than 360 students, and he helped establish a boater education program in area schools while also conducting or helping with more than 18 public relations programs.

The 2025 National Wild Turkey Federation Officer of the Year in Arkansas was presented to Game Warden Stephanie Carter. Carter, who is based at the AGFC’s regional office in Monticello, logged 258 hours of turkey-related enforcement in 2025, finding 12 illegal bait sites. Her investigations led to citations for turkey hunting over a baited area, taking turkey during a closed season, hunting without permission, nonresident hunting without a license, and turkey permit requirements. Outside her investigative work, she delivered seven presentations to school-aged children, introducing 850 students to the AGFC, hunting and the state’s outdoor heritage.

Senior Cpl. Robby King repeated as 2026 Mississippi Flyway Waterfowl Protection Officer of the Year (King was featured in a “Scales of Justice” story in the 2025 Nov.-Dec. Issue of Arkansas Wildlife for his efforts to introduce youth to duck hunting). During the 2025-26 season, King made 742 contacts and conducted 204 hours of waterfowl enforcement. He made 102 officer-violator contacts and assisted with 82 additional waterfowl violations alongside other state and federal game wardens. King has been recognized three times as Mississippi Flyway Waterfowl Protection Officer of the Year in Arkansas.

K-9 Dax, under the handling of Cpl. Wade Grayson, was the AGFC’s K-9 of the Year, as chosen by the agency’s K-9 handlers. Dax was called upon 31 times and played a crucial role in over 27 AGFC and state criminal violations. Some of the violations included two cases of hunting turkey over bait, hunting big game out of season and hunting endangerment. Dax and Grayson also assisted multiple outside agencies last year. Dax and Grayson were also selected as the Conservation Canine Officer Association 2025 Conservation K-9 Officer of the Year.

CUTLINES

1. Retired Capt. Ben Sisk (center) receives the AGFC Enforcement Division’s Meritorious Service Award from AGFC Director Doug Schoenrock (left) and Enforcement Chief Col. Joe Williams.

2. Lyndle Crownover has won the Butch Potts Boating Law Enforcement Officer of the Year award five times in 12 nominations.

3. K-9 Dax was tops among AGFC K-9s in 2025-26, led by his handler, Game Warden Wade Grayson (center), who is flanked by AGFC Director Doug Schoenrock and Col. Joe Williams.