Editorial unfair
In what appeared to be an attempt at levity, I believe the York Daily Record editorial board has unfairly presented basic requirements for becoming a volunteer Deputy Wildlife Conservation Officer with the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
Applicants must be Pennsylvania residents at least 21 years of age, and hold a high school diploma or GED. Applicants also must pass medical, vision, hearing, physical, strength and agility tests. And yes, as the Daily Record pointed out, "all teeth, normally visible, shall be present with evidence of healthy gums and teeth, or have adequate replacements." This is a standard law enforcement requirement that is similar to that for applicants to become a Pennsylvania State Police Cadet.
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Applicants must possess a valid Pennsylvania driver's license, accrue 20 hours of ride-along time with a district Wildlife Conservation Officer (WCO) prior to entrance exam, and attain a minimum score of 70 percent on a written exam. Finally, a character investigation will be conducted on all applicants by the officer in charge of the district where the applicant resides.
All of the above are required BEFORE the applicant is even accepted for training.
If approved, an applicant is entered into a basic training program conducted at the Game Commission's Harrisburg office, and involves 75 hours of training over the course of a week. Before moving forward, Deputy candidates must attain a minimum score of 80 percent on a certification exam, after completing training school and an extension course.
After completing the basic training, Deputies must accrue an additional 80 hours of on-the-job training with the district WCO during the probationary one-year period. From that point on, all Deputies are required to attend the in-service training sessions annually, which include: at least four district training sessions; firearm qualification shoots; defensive tactics training; legal updates training; verbal communication skills training.
District training sessions cover such topics as law enforcement methods and techniques; wildlife law and regulations; principles of wildlife management; habitat management practices; conservation education; public relations; hazardous materials/employee, and Right-To-Know.
It is important to note that all of this training - both prior to being commissioned and in order to maintain a commission - are done by volunteers who have families and other jobs. This is the level of commitment that these individuals have to protecting wildlife and their habitats, as well as conserving our state's hunting and trapping heritage. If anyone is interested in joining the ranks of these dedicated volunteers, please contact the Game Commission.
Jerry Feaser
Press Secretary
Pennsylvania Game Commission
