The application period for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division’s 37th Cadet Academy opens today, Jan. 6 and will stay open until Jan. 26.

This Cadet Academy is solely for candidates that are already Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certified and will be shortened from the usual 26 weeks of training to 14 weeks of training.

The LDWF Enforcement Division is looking to hire up to 30 law enforcement professionals for this Cadet Academy that is scheduled to start in May.

“This next academy will be a first for the department as we are seeking people that already have law enforcement experience and are POST certified,” said Col. Stephen Clark, head of the LDWF Enforcement Division. “So if someone is already POST certified and looking for a career change, now is the time to join our team with this abbreviated academy.”

Applicants can search for the job title “Wildlife Enforcement Cadet” on the Louisiana Civil Service website at www.civilservice.louisiana.gov.

It is a requirement that all applicants take the Protective Services Exam (PSE) Series 2100 Exam and get a score of 77 or above to be eligible for the academy. A PSE 2100 score of 77 or higher is valid for two years.

In order to schedule the PSE 2100 civil service exam, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/louisiana/jobs/3147666/2100-protective-services-exam-pse.

Applicants must be POST certified and meet one of the following requirements in order to qualify for the this academy:

Two years of law enforcement experience as a POST certified peace officer commissioned with the power of arrest; or

An associate’s degree from a technical college or completion of a two-year program at a vocational or technical school; or

Three years of continuous active military service (all Military Occupational Specialties apply).

Experience Substitution:
Every 30-semester hours earned from an accredited college or university will substitute for one year of the required experience.

Once the academy begins, the cadets will train at the department’s training facility housed within the Waddill Training and Emergency Response Complex in Baton Rouge. Successful completion of approximately three and a half months of intensive physical and academic training is required to graduate.

At the academy, cadets train to enforce the state's recreational boating laws, the state and federal wildlife and fisheries laws, and general law enforcement work on the state's many wildlife management areas.

For more information on becoming an LDWF enforcement agent, please visit https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/become-an-agent.