Natural Resources Police Trainee - State Parks Unit & Fish & Wildlife Unit

Natural Resources Police Trainee position(s) for the State Parks Unit and Fish and Wildlife Unit, focusing on crime prevention and detection, public safety, enforcement of Delaware criminal and traffic laws, responding to calls for service, and enforcing Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Rules and Regulations. Responsibilities include enforcing state park regulations, fishing, hunting, and boating laws, and conducting patrols by motor vehicle, foot, bicycle, ATV/UTV, and vessel in varying weather conditions.

Essential Functions

• Implements appropriate law enforcement action in response to complaints, traffic, criminal, regulatory, and other activities.
• Investigates suspicious and criminal activity, including detecting, collecting, and preserving physical evidence, interviewing victims, witnesses, suspects, and defendants, processing charging documents, executing search and arrest warrants, and processing defendants.
• Performs vehicle and foot patrol of assigned areas.
• Performs community policing through informational presentations and educational seminars for other state agencies, schools, the public, and community organizations.
• Provides protective services to state employees, visitors, and the general public.
• Conducts surveillances and performs undercover assignments.
• Provides assistance to other law enforcement agencies as back-up or primary response.
• Takes custody and transports felons and prisoners.
• Presents evidence and testimony and prosecutes cases in court.
• Prepares and maintains a variety of reports pertaining to response of an incident, daily activity, and investigations.
• Calibrates, maintains, and uses various technical instruments and equipment to determine safety compliance and operational readiness.

Requirements

Applicants must meet one of the following sets of qualifications:

• At least 20 and 1/2 years of age with an Associate's degree or higher in Criminal Justice, Natural Resources, Environmental Science, Sociology, or a related field.
• At least 20 and 1/2 years of age with a High School Diploma or equivalent, plus:
  • Six months of experience in conducting investigations, including interviews to obtain confidential information, gathering evidence, and documenting findings.
  • Six months of experience in applying natural resources laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies, and procedures.
  • Six months of experience in narrative report writing.

Additional requirements include:

• Legally authorized to work in the United States; DNREC does not provide sponsorship for holders of H-1 B Visas.
• Valid driver's license (not suspended, revoked, cancelled, or disqualified from driving).
• Successful completion of a criminal background check as a condition of hire.
• Successful completion of State of Delaware approved psychiatric/psychological exam, medical examination, eye exam, and a physical ability test to demonstrate fitness for duty for admission to a POST approved Delaware Police Academy.
• By the end of the probationary period, proof of boater education (a state-issued card or NASBLA-approved certificate) or successful completion of a NASBLA-approved boating safety course, and completion of the Delaware Hunter Safety Course.
• Passing a physical fitness test and the DNREC/NRP Water Confidence Assessment.
• Passing a baseline medical examination to demonstrate fitness for duty.

This position is part of an exclusive bargaining representative (labor organization). The selected candidate will be asked to join and pay dues or may decline and not pay dues or a fee.

Pay

• Incumbents working four or more hours between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. receive a 5% shift differential pay.
• Eligible for Hazardous Duty Pay upon completion of the basic approved Police Officer Standards and Training Academy.

Benefits

To learn more about the comprehensive benefit package, visit the Delaware Department of Human Resources benefits page.