West Virginia Conservation Officers are some of the highest trained and professional law enforcement officers in the state.  A Conservation Officer in West Virginia is a fully certified police officer with the same state wide authority as a State Trooper, Deputy Sheriff or Municipal Police Officer within their jurisdiction, although the primary responsibility and focus of a Conservation Officer is the natural resources laws and regulations of the state.  A person chosen to serve as a Conservation Officer must posess a high degree of moral and ethical standards.  He or she must also maintain a high degree of physical conditioning due to the rough terrain and amount of foot patrol necessary to perform the job properly along with the fact that he or she must be able to aprehend and control any person or persons who may resist arrest.  Due to the lack of adequate man power, a Conservation Officer usually works alone at all hours of the day or night, most of which is in the remote and rural areas of the state.  Many times a Conservation Officer is the only law enforcement officer the residents of these rural areas ever see patrolling the area.  A Conservation Officer is bound by law and moral standards to provide these residents with the protection, information and security in all areas of law enforcement that they are entitled to as residents of the state.

The dangers a Conservation Officer encounter are many, including working alone, working in remote secluded areas of the county, confronting armed, and in many cases subjects who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  All Law Enforcement Officers face a very real and serious element of personal danger due to the very nature of the law enforcement profession.  Conservation Officers are faced with these and many other dangers, the most prominent danger is working alone without backup.  Many times the only backup available to a Conservation Officer would be a State Trooper or Deputy Sheriff, and because of the workload placed on them in the more populated areas, most of these officers are unfamiliar with the outlying areas of the county.  If, and when, a Conservation Officer needs assistance, his or her backup may be an hour or more away, and only if the other officers responding are familiar with the area.  Many times backup may not even be available due to a variety of reasons such as poor radio communications, no other police officers working, the terrain is too rough for the other responding officers to enter with their vehicles.  These are but just a few of the many dangers a Conservation Officer faces in the performance of his or her duty.

The inherent dangers are but one problem a West Virginia Conservation Officer must overcome.  Also, due to a lack of man power a Conservation Officer is required to have his or her home telephone number listed.  No other law enforcement agency in the state has this requirement, but to be effective, a Conservation Officer must.  Again, due to lack of man power.  Many officers do not have an office in their assigned county and must use their home as an office.  Essentially, a Conservation Officer is on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays.  They are required to answer all calls and complaints from the public at any time of the day or night.  The personal stress is placed not only on the officer himself, but also on his family.   Many times the Conservation Officer's wife or children become unpaid secretaries for the state when the officer is not at home.

West Virginia Conservation Officers are far behind their counterparts in the areas of compensation, funding, equipment needs and manpower, to mention a few although in the eight states surveyed, WV Conservation Officers are among the highest trained and professional men and women in their profession.

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with preferences given to majors in natural sciences, law enforcement, criminology or criminal justice.  Substitution: Employment for a period of four years as a law enforcement officer as certified by the Law Enforcement Training Subcommittee of the Governor's Committee on Crime, Delinquency and Correction or International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (ADLEST), or an associate degree in natural sciences, law enforcement, criminology or criminal justice plus two years of military police service or two years continuous employment as a law enforcement officer certified by the Law Enforcement Training Subcommittee of the Governor's Committee on Crime, Delinquency and Correction or International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (ADLEST).

Must be licensed to operate a motor vehicle in West Virginia.

Must be bonded in West Virginia.

Must complete annual firearms qualifications.

Must be able to swim 37.5 yards fully clothed.

Must successfully complete the fourteen week basic police training program an the West Virginia State Police Academy.
Complete a five to six week education and orientation program conducted by the Law Enforcement Section of the Division of Natural Resources.

Must successfully complete firearms qualifications with issued pistol, shotgun and off
duty weapon in both daylight and low light conditions. Qualifications are conducted twice annually.
Complete quarterly firearms training as conducted by the Law Enforcement Section.

Complete required yearly in-service training as conducted by the Law Enforcement Section.
Attend and complete numerous specialized training programs such as, self defense, public protection, interview and interrogation techniques, man tracking, marijuana eradication, search and rescue, motor boat accident investigations, Prosecuting Attorney sponsored seminars and law updates, criminal investigations and numerous other training and informative programs to stay updated on laws and criminal procedures relating to effective law enforcement.

1. Each officer is primarily assigned to a particular county to patrol and enforce any violations of the State's natural resources laws. Some counties, or areas of a county, may require more attention due to the heavy concentration of people hunting or fishing. Checking for violations of hunting and fishing laws, rules and regulations. Check that persons engaged in hunting, fishing or boating activities have the proper license as required by state law. Dealing with both residents and non-residents of the state.

2. Receive and investigate all complaints from the public concerning hunting, fishing, boating, trapping, littering, solid waste disposal or other natural resources related law violations .

3. Enforce all boating regulations and laws on all rivers, reservoirs, lakes or impoundments to ensure the safety of all persons using the waters of this state.

4. Investigate all hunting related incidents including minor injuries, serious injuries or fatalities. Prepare all criminal investigation reports and other related reports required for investigation and prosecution of criminal acts relating to hunting incidents . Provide and administer first aid to any victims of incident as required.

5. Provide information concerning hunting, trapping and fishing laws, rules and regulations to the public on a daily basis and explain such in a manner in which they can be understood by the public.

6. Attend various public meetings as well as hunting and fishing club meetings as they are requested by such organizations or individuals.

7. Arrest without delay or warrant, any subject who commits any crime or violation of any of the state laws or regulations. Prepare and file all reports and documents necessary in the prosecution of each criminal offense, and submit such reports the Law Enforcement Section's District office, Charleston office, County Prosecutor's office and any defense attorney ifrequested. Assist in such prosecution by obtaining, maintaining and providing to the courts all evidence necessary for the prosecution. Maintain a chain of custody for all evidence and testifjr in court to the facts and evidence discovered during the investigation.

8. Obtain, serve and execute any arrest or search warrant as needed or required in a criminal investigation.

9. Investigate and file reports pertaining to any motorboat related accident and assist any law enforcement or rescue personnel in any rescue related operations including drowning.

10. Enforcement of the white water rafting laws, rules and regulations to insure that the outfitters are complying with the governing laws and rules to promote the safety of all persons taking part in these activities.

11. Investigate damage to crops, livestock, bee hives or other property caused by any wildlife. Issue kill or trapping permits as required to remove animals causing damage. Recommend any alternative methods to help control any damage caused by wildlife.

12. Investigate any applications for pet permits for any wildlife of the state. Assuring that such animals were legally obtained and that they will receive the proper care.

13. Investigate license applications for commercial game farms and pet stores which raise or sell any wildlife of this state.

14. Investigate any violation pertaining to the illegal sale of wildlife orthe illegal transportation of wildlife across state lines. Assist U. S. Fish and Wildlife Agents with such violations as requested.

15. Prepare and maintain accurate and thorough weekly and monthly reports on activity and work performed. Maintain records ofprosecutions and submit records for the revocation of any hunting or fishing license for a conviction ofa criminal violation ifrequired.

16. Set up and conduct hunter education classes both in the school system and for the public.

17. Attend yearly training and certification schools mandated by state law.

18. Investigate the validity of any class Q, or lifetime license applications.

19. Investigate and enforce all litter related and illegal solid waste disposal violations pursuit to state law.

20. Investigate and prosecute all stream liner violations pursuit to state law. 21. Investigate and provide security for any hazardous waste spills and accidents as requested.

22. Provide and assist in traffic and crowd control for any special events and festival throughout the state.

23. Assist any municipal, county, state of federal agency in any national or natural emergencies such as floods, fires or other emergency that may arise including evacuation of persons stranded by such disasters.

24. Complete yearly mast surveys for the Wildlife Section.

25. Investigate complaints dealing with dogs chasing and killing wildlife or complaints on wounded, injured or sick animals.

26. Patrol on foot inaccessible areas of the state to detect illegal activities. 27. Conduct game kill surveys and periodic road checks in areas of heavy hunting activities. 28. Provide information and recommend rewards for a person giving information leading to the arrest and conviction ofpersons, guilty of an illegal bear or turkey kill when applicable.

29. Take statements from witnesses, victims and offenders for a criminal offense being investigated.

30. Investigate and prosecute violations offorestry laws including forest fires, arson, illegal burning, and timber theft.

31. Enforce all state laws when a violation is observed including, but not limited to traffic laws, DUI, drug related cases and domestic violence.

32. Perform undercover investigations to apprehend subjects commercially killing, selling or transporting wildlife illegally.

33. Search by warrant as provided by law to locate and secure any evidence ofa criminal offense any where such evidence may be found, including, houses, outbuiidings, campers, vehicle, ect.

34. Examine, without a warrant as provided by law, any vehicle, creel, land or water conveyance, fish box, cooler, game bag or any other place where evidence of a crime may be hidr transported whenever there is reason to believe that a violation of state law has been committed.

35. Investigate and approve or disapprove applications for agents to sell hunting and fishing license. Collect and seize all equipment, unsold license and other property of the state from an agent when such agent has defaulted on the conditions set forth by the state.

36. Investigate and prosecute all destruction of property and theft of State Park, national Forest and other property leased or owned by the Division of Natural Resources.

37. Patrol all rural areas of assignment to detect any violation of state law with the primary responsibility being on the natural resources laws of the state.

38. Respond to and control any criminal violation of any state law, public safety issues, medical emergencies or other situations encountered while performing his or her duty.

39. Assist and back up any state, county, municipal or federal law enforcement officer when needed.