Environmental Conservation Officer (ECO) Michael Wheeler has been selected as the 2008 Officer of the Year by the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association.

 Wheeler received the award for his dedication to and participation in all forms and levels of firearms training during his career. He has served as an ECO for 23 years, the last 20 based out of Tioga County. 

 As a Senior Defensive Tactics Instructor, ECO Wheeler worked with other training staff to develop the Division of Law Enforcement force-on-force, scenario-based training. He provided this training to police officers at recruit basic schools, in-service schools and firearms instructor schools. The curriculum he developed is currently used as the certification course by the New York State Department of Criminal Justices Service.  

 The award also recognizes that ECO Wheeler has given over 200 presentations to students at firearm and archery hunter education courses in the last 20 years. These courses are state mandated for new hunters to qualify to purchase a hunting license. 

 In 2008, ECO Wheeler shot at the "master" level at the annual police pistol qualification. He has been a long-time pistol competitor at the State of New York Police Olympics, GLOCK Shooting Sports Foundation, Tioga County Sheriff's Practical Pistol Course and the International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA). He won his shooting class for the 2008 season at IDPA competitions held at the Tioga County Sportsman Club in Owego. 

 In his spare time, ECO Wheeler enjoys hunting. On his own time and land, he has mentored youths during the youth spring turkey season every year since the inception of the youth season. He resides in Tioga County with his wife, Terri Lynn.