Do you have a love of the outdoors and a passion for fish and wildlife conservation? The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Law Enforcement Division (LED) is currently accepting applications for wildlife officers and cadets.
Applicants who are current peace officers must fill out a warden application by July 31, 2018.
Applicants who are not current peace officers must fill out a warden cadet application by Sept. 30, 2018.
All prospective candidates are encouraged to extensively review informational materials on the LED website before contacting CDFW with questions.
CDFW wildlife officers are fully sworn California peace officers with a fundamental duty to serve and protect the public.
Wildlife officers focus their efforts on enforcing the Fish and Game Code and regulations promulgated under that code, but they have the authority to enforce all California laws, including the Vehicle Code, Penal Code, Health and Safety drug laws and more. Most know how wildlife officers protect California fish and wildlife from poachers – but there’s much more! Wildlife officers protect our waterways and habitat from destruction, pollution and litter, provide the public with hunting and fishing information, and promote and coordinate hunter education and safe weapons handling.
Wildlife officers patrol the mountains, valleys, deserts, creeks, streams, rivers and up to 200 miles out to sea. They frequently work alone and cover both rural and urban areas.
California’s diverse ecosystem spans 159,000 square miles divided into 58 counties, with a human population nearing 40 million. The state has 1,100 miles of coastline, 30,000 miles of rivers and streams, 4,800 lakes and reservoirs, and 80 major rivers. Wildlife officers patrol utilizing trucks, ATVs, personal watercraft, boats, snowmobiles and airplanes, making contact with Californians in the great outdoors. Wildlife officers work undercover,
