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Section I: General Position Description

After graduation from the Game Warden Academy and receiving a commission as a state peace officer, the game warden will perform responsible field enforcement duties involving the enforcement of all provisions of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code, Texas Penal Code and relevant provisions of other Texas laws; provide testimony in court and administrative hearings; execute and serve all criminal processes resulting from enforcement activities; provide public safety and emergency management functions including working in response to natural disasters and in homeland security operations; safeguard departmental equipment; prepare reports of activities and present programs concerning department activities to the public; may conduct investigations of holders of permits and licenses issued by the department; maintains contact with landowners, resource users and the general public; assist other law enforcement agencies as needed.

Section II: Minimum Qualifications

Age: An applicant must have reached the age of 21 years on or before the date of entry into the Game Warden Training Academy. There is no maximum age limit for employment.

Background: Applicants will be subjected to, and must successfully pass, a thorough and comprehensive background investigation prior to appointment to a cadet position. The applicant must be of good moral character and not have any of the following incidents in their criminal history:

Drug Use: The applicant may have no current illegal drug use.

Physical Condition: The applicant must be examined by a licensed physician and be declared to be able to physically perform the duties of a game warden cadet prior to employment.

Psychological Condition: The applicant must be examined by a licensed psychologist and be declared to be in satisfactory psychological and emotional health for law enforcement duty prior to employment and the issuance of a peace officer license.

Military Service: The applicant must not have been discharged from any military service under less than honorable conditions.

Peace Officer License: The applicant must not have had a commission license denied by final order or revoked, or have a voluntary surrender of a license currently in effect.

Citizenship: Must be a citizen of the United States.

Work Eligibility: Federal law requires that all new employees present original documents that establish identity and U.S. employment eligibility. These documents must be presented at the time of employment.

Education: Applicants must have successfully completed and have conferred a Bachelors level degree from an accredited college or university.

Vision: The applicant must have binocular vision of 20/30 or better with or without corrective lenses, soft contacts or hard contacts. If correction with corrective lenses (glasses) or hard contact lenses is required, uncorrected vision must be no worse than 20/40 in the best eye and 20/100 in the worst eye. If soft contacts are used for correction, there is no minimum uncorrected visual acuity. Applicant must have uninterrupted peripheral vision of 140 degrees or better, have night vision and be able to distinguish red and green colors (lights and placards).

Physical Agility: The applicant must successfully complete a physical agility test, which includes the following activities: 24 sit-ups in one minute; 16 push-ups in one minute; 1.5 mile run in no more than 16 minutes 11 seconds; 300 meter run in no more than 76 seconds; sit and reach flexibility stretch of at least 14.5 inches; handgun stability test involving dry fire of a revolver; five consecutive trigger pulls with each hand from a standing position while holding the barrel inside a 5 inch ring, and dry firing a revolver from an unsupported kneeling position, holding firearm in both hands, while holding the barrel in a 5 inch ring; swim test, an applicant must fall backwards in the water and remain afloat for 30 seconds, then continue by swimming 100 meters without touching the bottom, in no more than 5 minutes. Note: Before being allowed to take the physical agility test, the applicant will be required to provide a description of the test to a physician and obtain a written medical clearance.

Applicant must successfully complete ALL components of the physical agility test on the assigned day of testing. Since all activities must be completed in one (1) day, applicants should consider some form of advance preparation for this test. Applicants are encouraged to seek professional medical advice prior to beginning a regimen of physical activity to prepare for this test. Individuals selected for cadet positions will be required to again meet these standards at the beginning of the cadet class.

Hearing: The applicant must have binaural hearing at 35 decibels or better in each of the following four frequencies: 500, 1000, 2000 and 3000 Hz.

License: The applicant must possess a valid driver’s license.

Section III: Working Conditions

Station Assignment: The applicant must be willing and able to accept assignment anywhere in the State of Texas upon graduation from academy training and commissioning as a Texas Game Warden. Assignments will be made where vacancies exist statewide and shall be made in the best interest of the department. Assignments will be made after the successful completion of the academy training period.

Work Schedule: The applicant must be willing and able to: work state and federal holidays; work hours other than 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with days off other than Saturday and Sunday; is subject to call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Cadets may be required to work up to 171 hours in a 28-day work period.

Overtime Compensation: In accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act, the department uses a system of compensatory time off in lieu of overtime payment, at a rate of 1.5 hours of compensatory time for every hour actually worked in excess of 171 hours in a 28 day work period.

Work Environment: Cadets and game wardens work extensively out-of-doors, during inclement and sometimes hazardous weather conditions, during natural disasters and under other possibly dangerous conditions. At times, wardens and cadets are required to work in highly stressful situations that may be hazardous to their health and safety, which could include working with people who are injured, violent, emotionally upset or otherwise pose a danger.

Dress Code: Cadets and game wardens are required to wear a prescribed uniform and adhere to established dress and grooming standards. Uniforms include equipment such as firearms and other defensive equipment.

Residence: Cadets will be required to live at the Game Warden Academy in Austin, Texas, for the duration of the training period, approximately 29 weeks. All rules, regulations, policies and procedures of the Academy must be followed while in residence.

Section IV: Selection Criteria

The following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities will be used in selecting cadets from the list of applicants meeting minimum qualifications: (1) Skill in communicating effectively, both verbally and in writing; (2) Skill in using appropriate interpersonal skills; (3) Skill in making decisions and using discretion appropriately; (4) Ability to work independently; (5) Ability to conduct affairs with integrity; (6) Ability to patrol land and public water for hunting, sport and commercial fishing, boating, water safety, and other natural resource conservation violations; (7) Ability to take enforcement action when law violations are observed, reported, or suspected; (8) Ability to enforce the statutes and laws of the Texas Penal Code and other relevant state statutes; (9) Ability to secure, search, and process crime scenes for evidence and contraband; (10) Ability to assist local, county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies; (11) Ability to provide assistance and respond to calls from the public; (12) Ability to work with local landowners, sports groups, and other constituents; (13) Ability to prepare and submit investigative reports, arrest and case reports, citations, dispositions, warrants, and other records related to enforcement activities, programs and operations; (14) Ability to testify in court, administrative hearings, and other official proceedings.

Warning: All information provided by the applicant will be verified during the background investigation. Any incorrect, false or misleading information provided may result in immediate disqualification from consideration for employment as a Game Warden Cadet.

Section V: Selection Process

  1. Recruitment of Game Warden Cadets will occur on an ongoing basis. The testing and selection of Game Warden Cadets will occur as needed. The appointment of Game Warden Cadets will occur when there are vacancies in the field and when a Game Warden Academy class has been scheduled. Appointments will be made from an eligibility list maintained by TPWD. Eligibility lists will remain in effect until the selection process is complete. Being on an eligibility list is not a guarantee or promise of employment.
  2. An applicant desiring an accommodation for a disability in any selection procedure (e.g. tests, interviews, physical agility test, etc.) must notify the Game Warden Academy in writing of their request at least 5 working days prior to the activity for which the request is made.
  3. Interviews will be conducted by an interview board at a location to be determined. Applicants will be required to travel and attend this interview at the applicant’s expense. The board will recommend names of successful applicants to be placed on an eligibility list and move forward to background investigation and physical agility testing.
  4. Applicants on an eligibility list will be subject to a comprehensive and in-depth background investigation. Applicants who progress to this phase will be required to furnish the background investigator with official college transcripts, DD214 (page 4), a copy of a valid Drivers License, and verification of US citizenship. Only applicants who successfully pass the background investigation and physical agility testing will be considered for hire.
  5. Applicants considered for employment as a Game Warden Cadet will be required to pass a physical and psychological evaluation as a condition of employment. These evaluations will be conducted in Austin and may require 3 separate trips, at the applicant’s expense. Follow-up evaluations, if necessary, may require additional travel to Austin, also at the applicant’s expense. The Executive Director of Texas Parks and Wildlife reserves the right to approve or disapprove recommended appointments to cadet positions.
  6. Each Game Warden Cadet must successfully complete the Game Warden Training Academy, conducted by this department in Austin. The academy is approximately 29 weeks in length and includes courses in fish, wildlife and natural resource management; physical training; first aid; water rescue; boat operations; defensive tactics; use of firearms; driver training; civil defense training; homeland security; law enforcement curriculum and tactics. Cadets will also receive instruction pertaining to all department and division administrative policies and procedures. During training, cadets will be required to reside at the academy in Austin.
  7. After successfully completing the training curriculum, and passing the required state peace officer licensing exam, cadets will be commissioned by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as a State Game Warden, be promoted to the position of Game Warden I, and receive their field assignments (which may be anywhere in the State of Texas). Moving expenses to the assigned duty station will be the responsibility of the employee.

Section VI. Pay and Advancement (as of 9/1/06)

All career ladder advancements are based on a combination of longevity, job knowledge, job performance and adherence to agency and division work rules. All salaries are subject to change without notice:

Additional promotional opportunities within the Law Enforcement Division include Investigative Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Assistant Chief, Major, Lt. Colonel, and Colonel.