Environment DEC
From the October 2006 issue
Applications for the Environmental Conservation Officer Exam Are Being Accepted
At the forefront of New York's effort to clean our air and water, save our wilderness, protect our wildlife and make the environment a better place for us all, is the Environmental Conservation Officer (ECO). As a uniformed law enforcement representative of DEC, the ECO is the person in the field responsible for enforcing New York's environmental laws and regulations, and detecting and investigating suspected violations. DEC's Division of Law Enforcement comprises more than 300 sworn police officers.
Not Just a Job
Being an ECO is a challenging and rewarding career. For our officers, it is not just a job, but an avocation where they can combine their interest in the environment and outdoor activities with work that serves and protects the public and the state's natural resources. ECOs are involved in diverse activities as they enforce laws applicable to: hunting, trapping, hazardous waste, pesticides, habitat protection, recreational and commercial fishing, air pollution, off-road vehicles, commercial trucks and others.
Rigorous Training Process
ECOs are trained to use snowmobiles,
ATVs, mountain bikes and personal
watercraft to respond to a
variety of situations
ECOs begin their careers as Trainees 1 by attending a 26-week residential police academy. The program at the academy is designed to provide trainees with the academic foundation, physical fitness and technical skills necessary to perform their complex, varied police activities. The ECO Trainee is constantly tested by the academy's demanding and rigorous academic program including: defensive tactics and use of force; wildlife identification and natural history; public relations; environmental, constitutional and criminal law procedures; navigation, motor vehicle and penal law; hazardous waste identification and safety; first aid; physical training, and other police skills. Firearms training, Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC), ATV and snowmobile training, and seamanship involve both classroom and off-site training.
Following successful completion of the academy, the ECO Trainee is assigned to a Field Training Officer to gain supervised experience in applying what he or she has learned in the Academy to the real world. An ECO, dependent upon assignment, operates a variety of motorized equipment, which may include snowmobiles, ATVs, boats and jet skis in a variety of settings, from deep in the wilderness to miles out in the Atlantic Ocean.
Come Join Us!
To join us as an Environmental Conservation Officer, review the examination announcement and if you have the qualifications and a strong commitment to serve the public and the environment, apply for the examination before October 30. See "Related Links" below for a link to the examination announcement and other relevant web pages.
If you have additional questions, contact the DEC Personnel Office at mailto:decprsnl@gw.dec.state.ny.us?subject=ECO Careers, or call us at 518-402-9277.
