Wildlife Officer Employment

December 28, 2023

Question: I’ve seen on social media CDFW is hiring for its law enforcement division. Are there any helpful tips for breaking into that line of work?

Answer: CDFW Captain Patrick Foy is well equipped to help with this topic since he’s served as a biologist, wildlife officer and information officer with the department. The following are several helpful tips for prospective applicants from Capt. Foy.

First, having the ability to speak a second language is incredibly helpful. Spanish is the second leading language spoken in California followed by Cantonese, Mandarin and Tagalog. It is also helpful to continue learning outdoor skills such as hunting, fishing, boating, hiking and backpacking, to name a few. Those skills contribute to effective patrols for poachers and polluters.

Also, there are minimum requirements before someone can be hired as a wildlife officer. A potential candidate must be at least 21 before they can join the department and the applicant must have finished 60 units of college courses. It’s not a requirement that someone have a degree in a criminal justice related field. There are wildlife officers in the department whose college degrees are in English, communications and chemistry.

For more information go here to learn more on becoming a CDFW wildlife officer at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Enforcement/Career?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery