Sean Nelb, a National Park Service ranger at the Colorado National Monument near Fruita, was honored as the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center honor graduate for 2019.

Delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the recent awards ceremony honored both the 2019 and 2020 honor graduates. The award recognizes near-perfect academic performance, exceptional physical fitness and proficiency with firearms and other skills. Nelb is the first National Park Service ranger to win the award since 2003.

The land management police training program lasts 16 weeks and covers a wide range of topics, including control tactics, law and policy, patrol skills and use of firearms.

Nathan Souder, superintendent of the Colorado National Monument, praised Nelb. “Ranger Nelb is a great example of the high standards and quality of our law enforcement work force at Colorado National Monument and across the National Park Service. We are very fortunate to have a truly outstanding group of rangers here at the monument.”