75th Celebration: Enforcement Tools & Training

It's a long road from applicant to Senior Conservation Officer. Back in the day, game wardens were appointed by the State Game Warden. With no formal training and armed only with a love of outdoor activities, theses appointed "protectors" ventured off to help sportsmen catch poachers and protect wildlife. Today it is much more difficult to enter the wildlife enforcement profession. Just to apply for an Idaho Conservation Officer position a person must have completed a minimum of at least four upper division college courses in fish or wildlife management (or a related field). More competitive applicants generally have at least a bachelor's degree and work experience in natural resources. The applicant then has to make the short list of those who qualify for an interview. The interview process is a daylong affair with at least four different stations including interview panels, a mock public speaking scenario and a written test. The few interviewees who are chosen for conditional hiring then undergo rigorous fitness testing, a psychological evaluation, a polygraph test and a full background investigation. Upon passing those requirements they are offered a probationary position as a Conservation Officer. They go through a short department orientation, are issued equipment, uniforms and other gear and then it's off to Idaho POST police academy where their officer training begins. For more on this story and other 75th Celebration pieces, visit http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/75th.