Steve Milton knew he wanted to be a game warden before he was even in high school. SMCC provided him with the edge to succeed once he joined the law enforcement ranks.
After returning from the start of his Army Reserve service following high school, Milton came to SMCC because it was affordable and the Criminal Justice program was known as being top-notch. He attended school full-time while also working full-time as a correctional officer at the Cumberland County Jail.
After earning his degree, he went to work for the Freeport Police Department before joining the Maine Warden Service in late 2019. He’s now assigned to western York County, where he enforces fish and game laws and ATV, snowmobile and boat regulations. He also participates in search and rescue operations statewide.
When he was growing up, Milton fished, hunted and rode snowmobiles and ATVs. He loved the outdoors and attended a Junior Maine Guide program, learning wilderness camping and outdoor leadership skills.
At SMCC, he gained vital skills that have benefited him in his career. Crime scene reconstruction and juvenile law are among the courses that have stuck with him to this day, and now he’s making a living protecting Maine’s resources while interacting with people and educating them about the outdoors — just like he planned when he was young.
“The most important thing about SMCC was that it prepared me in things like how to read law books and how to talk to people. Having that knowledge base has sharpened my skills in law enforcement.”