Largest academy graduating class CDFW history, 54 new wildlife officers pinned

 “I was honored to attend the CDFW academy graduation and see our 54 new officers be badged in front of their family and friends. I want to congratulate each and every graduate and especially thank all of the new CSLEA members. I had the chance to speak to the all of graduates about the benefits of union membership and stressed the importance of having CSLEA legal defense as a peace officer in California in 2024. I am truly looking forward to seeing the new officers progress through field training and their careers and wish them the best of luck.”

Trevor Pell, ACWO President and CSLEA Director

BUTTE COUNTY – On August 1, 2024, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Wildlife Officer Academy graduated and pinned badges on 54 new officers in a ceremony held in Paradise. This group of officers represents the largest academy graduating class in CDFW history.

“One of the best days of the year for us is adding a graduating class of wildlife officers to CDFW’s Law Enforcement Division,” said Nathaniel Arnold, CDFW Deputy Director and Chief of Law Enforcement. “It is a pleasure to see 54 eager new officers ready to support our mission to protect California’s natural resources and provide public safety through effective and responsive law enforcement.”

The newly sworn peace officers will soon begin a Field Training Program where they will apply their academy training under the immediate supervision of seasoned field training officers (FTO). Field training with experienced FTOs is also mandated by POST to ensure new wildlife officers can apply the skills they learned during the academy to real life circumstances. FTO is the final stage of formal training. Upon successful completion, these officers will begin patrolling California to protect the natural resources of the state.

The wildlife officers will be deployed across the Law Enforcement Division’s programs: regular patrol, marine enforcement, investigation of petroleum spills and response, and cannabis enforcement, to name a few.

The academy is California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certified and offers training consistent with every law enforcement agency in California. In 2008, CDFW partnered with Butte College to provide peace officer academy training for prospective wildlife officers. The college provides CDFW with a state-of-the-art POST-certified academy facility with nearly 50 years of police training history.