Conservation Officers/Park Rangers for the Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation

Conservation Officers & Park Rangers
within the State of Utah

Another opportunity in law enforcement in the State of Utah is with the Department of Natural Resources. Persons interested in a career in law enforcement and want to spend a great amount of time in the out of doors should consider the unique activities with the Department of Natural Resources. DNR is one of the few agencies in the State of Utah that requires a bachelor’s degree prior to employment.

Conservation Officers

Conservation Officers are employed with the Division of Wildlife Resources and after graduating from basic training go into an extensive FTO program to understand laws and rules that affect wildlife. One day they will be investigating and making arrests for poaching and the next they will be helping local agencies make arrests for burglaries.

Park Rangers

Park Rangers are employed with the Utah Division of State Parks and Recreation and are recognized for their professionalism in managing the state’s natural, cultural, and recreational resources, providing educational and interpretive opportunities, and their proficiency in law enforcement in the parks, on recreational lands, and in promoting off-highway vehicle (OHV) and boating safety, education, and compliance with laws and rules.

Both positions are certified law enforcement officers with a full spectrum of authority. In addition to the regular duties of law enforcement some of the following duties also apply:

Patrol on foot, vehicle, vessel, and OHV
Participate in boating and OHV search and rescue efforts
Perform wildland fire suppression activities, operate mechanical and recreational vehicles, supervise seasonal employees, interns, and volunteers
Trails development and management
Animal rescue and relocation
Necropsy and dead body analysis
Enforce laws relating to endangered species
Enforce hunting and fishing rules and laws
Provide assistance to other state and federal land management agencies