DES officer patrols, protects APG waterways, wildlife

By Alan Feiler, APG NewsAugust 19, 2014

DES officer patrols, protects APG waterways, wildlife
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. - About five years ago, APG Directorate of Emergency Services Police Officer Charles Volz was relaxing in his backyard in Edgewood when he spotted a bald eagle sailing through the air near a creek. Immediately, he ran into his house and grabbed a pair of binoculars.

"My wife said, `What are you doing?'" recalled Volz, who works for the APG Marine, Wildlife and Environmental Law Enforcement Division. "And I said, `Looking at eagles on the creek.' It's a great feeling when you bring your work home and there's a mature bald eagle on your street. …

"When I first started here, there were 20 or less eagles' nests. Now, we have 40-plus," he said. "Some guys would say I'm an eagle fanatic. But someone has to speak for the critters. I like to think me and everyone in my unit helped a little bit. It is our nation's symbol. I'm just glad they're back in full swing."

A Baltimore native who served 23 years in the Baltimore County Police Department, Volz has been with DES since May 2002.

"I got a call from a buddy that APG was hiring," he said. "I was retired but got the itch to get back into law enforcement, so I put in for the position and got onto the police force."

Five months later, he was hired as an officer for Marine, Wildlife and Environmental, which operates under the Department of Emergency Services. Volz said he had no idea that APG was a nature and conservation preserve.

"I wanted to be out on the water. I'm outdoorsy, and I was knocked out by the shoreline here," said Volz. "I've always hunted and fished and worked on gardening."

When asked if he considers himself an environmentalist, Volz said, "Well, you want to stay as kind to the environment as possible. But I'm not an extremist. I don't believe the world is coming to an end or anything like that."

Volz said he was immediately struck by the natural beauty and abundance of wildlife at APG.

"The nice thing about the proving ground is it has kept the shoreline pristine, with the largest concentration of bald eagles on the East Coast," he said. "When you go out in a boat or a helicopter, you really see how beautiful it is here. It's like the largest outdoor petting zoo on the Chesapeake Bay."

Volz's responsibilities include patrolling APG's 144 miles of shoreline by boat to protect it from intruders and violators of boating and environmental laws. The patrol areas encompass the waters around APG North (Aberdeen) and South (Edgewood), as well as Carroll Island, Pooles Island, the Churchville Test Area, the Van Bibber Water Treatment Plant, Atkinson Dam and Graces Quarters.

"We are responsible for the physical security of the waterways, the security of the shoreline and fence line, and the airspace for as much as we can see," Volz said of his unit of two sergeants and eight officers. "I really particularly love Carroll Island and Graces Quarters. They're pretty untouched and quite beautiful."

He and his personnel patrol the forests and wooded areas of APG, enforce the rules and regulations of the installation's hunting program, and help rescue and rehabilitate bald eagles and other animals on post.

"I've helped rescue osprey, red tails, blue herons and any other critters that may need assistance on occasion," he said.

Volz has also seen and interacted with some animals and sea life that one might not necessarily associate with the installation, including river otters, coyotes, cormorants and beavers.

"There are a tremendous amount of beavers here," he said of the pesky dam builders. "They can't stand not to hear running water. It's in their nature. That's just how it is."

Volz said he and his colleagues work closely with professionals and academics from other fields, including marine biology, topography and zoology.

"With the work we do, you get introduced to a tremendous amount of folks far more educated than I'll ever be," Volz said. "But if you sit and listen well, you can really learn a lot. I met a lot of interesting folks working for Baltimore County, but I couldn't have had the opportunities there like I've had here."

In his line of work, Volz spends much of his time alone on boats or in the woods late at night. Because of the lack of activity and lighting on post at night, he said it can get a bit lonely and spooky.

"You have to keep your eyes on things all the time," he said. "And you have to be deeply attuned to the weather, especially when you're on the water."

Volz said people often tell him that he has a great job, and he's inclined to agree for the most part. But it's not for everyone, he cautioned.

"I enjoy my job thoroughly," he said. "If you can stand getting up really early in the morning, it's great to see the sun coming up over the water. It has its moments. But then there's times when you're on the water and freezing or in the woods at four in the morning. There's a lot of solitude. It all comes down to intestinal fortitude."

Over the next three to five years, Volz, who is the father of two and grandfather of four, hopes to retire and move to the mountains, preferably in West Virginia.

"I missed Baltimore County when I left, and I'm sure I'll miss this as well," he said. "But I want to enjoy life and not always worry about having to go to work in the morning or the afternoon. So that's my dream. But I'm sure I'll miss this place. I love APG."