With the busy summer season around the corner, Haines’ new wildlife trooper has arrived just in time.

Trent Chwialkowski, 39, started on the job last week. “I’ve been here a total of six days,” he said Monday. “So right now it is getting everything squared away equipment-wise and maintenance-wise, with a couple of crab patrols snuck in between these last couple low tides.”

Chwialkowski transferred to the Haines post from the Anchor Point and Homer area, where he worked for the past five-and-a-half years. Before that he worked in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, one year as a state trooper and one as a wildlife trooper.

Chwialkowski will work the Haines post along with blue shirt Andrew Neason, who has been on the job since September 2013.

Originally from Stephen, Minn., Chwialkowski said he moved to Southeast because it’s “an outdoor paradise.” He worked in Haines temporarily in 2008 as a public safety technician, and has had his eye on returning.

Chwialkowski started on the job sooner than anticipated, and said he plans to spend the extra couple of weeks before the busy hunting and fishing seasons begin identifying enforcement priorities.

“I’m fairly new to all the ins and outs of the Haines area. I know once I have a little bit of experience under my belt, I’m going to be able to really devote time specifically to what needs to be addressed, whether it’s commercial fishing or it’s taking undersized crab or hunting without a guide or whatever,” he said.

Chwialkowski follows the news in the area, and is aware of the human-bear interaction problems that have plagued the Chilkoot River corridor for years.

“If there are issues that arise out there with people getting too close and harassing an animal, that’s our job to prevent that from happening or hold those people accountable for harassing animals,” he said.

Chwialkowski was involved in a high-profile case in 2012 when he returned fire on an Anchor Point woman who shot at him when he tried to stop her car. The woman was charged with attempted first-degree murder.

Haines has been without a wildlife trooper since June, when former wildlife trooper Ken VanSpronsen switched from the position to become a temporary officer at the Haines Borough Police Department. Both agencies have refused to reveal under what circumstances VanSpronsen parted from the troopers.

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