AUGUSTA – Joel Wilkinson of Greenville, a game warden of 11 years, was promoted to the rank of sergeant during a ceremony with family and associates at the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife recently.

“Sgt. Wilkinson is an outstanding selection,” said Roland D. Martin, commissioner, Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. “His dedication and drive will serve the warden service, the state and its citizens well.”

As a sergeant in the Warden Service Northern Division, Wilkinson will oversee six district game wardens in a section that includes northern Washington County and southern Aroostook County.

Wilkinson will be based out of the Ashland regional headquarters, but will also have an office in the Houlton State Police Barracks. There are 14 field sergeants supervising 94 district game wardens in the warden service, overseen by two lieutenants.

Since joining the Maine Warden Service, Wilkinson has been an investigator and a sergeant. He received an exemplary service award for his work as in investigator in 2004 and a colonel’s award in 2001 for his work in locating the body of homicide victim.

He also served as the incident commander for the search, rescue and recovery team, and is the administrative dive team leader.

Wilkinson started as a deputy game warden in the Gray-New Gloucester area in 1992, and his first district was patrolling the Rumford area.

Wilkinson grew up in Gray and graduated in 1990 from Gray-New Gloucester High School. He later received an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Southern Maine Community College.