Game Warden Sergeant

Minimum Qualifications (Education and Experience):

The knowledge, skills, and abilities of this position are attained with a bachelor’s degree in Fish and Wildlife Biology or Management, Park Management, Outdoor Recreation, Criminal Justice or a closely related field and three or more years of job-related work experience.

An applicant must be:

• At least 18 years of age on the date of appointment.
• A United States citizen and must be or become a Montana resident in conjunction with appointment as a Fish, Wildlife & Parks Warden.
• In excellent physical and mental health and must be able to pass a medical examination and a strength and agility test according to standards set forth by the Montana Board of Crime Control and prescribed by the department (minimum visual acuity is 20/100 corrected to 20/20 in both eyes).

Physical and Environmental Demands:

• By the nature and complexity of warden sergeants’ duties, typically the warden sergeant is available 24 hours a day / 7 days a week to support field staff, respond to the public and address wildlife issues. Job demands are heaviest during weekends & holidays. Warden sergeants may work odd hours, generally alone with no backup. Officer must be regularly respond to verbal communication, alarms, telephones and radio communications. 
• Officers must be in excellent physical health and condition. This position requires frequent climbing, bending, pushing, pulling, dragging. Requires lifting 50lbs unassisted. Working with sick or injured wildlife, removing illegal kills, trapping and relocating animals, back packing, horseback patrols, loading and unloading, operating boats, snowmobiles, and OHV’s, physical labor in deep snow, and use of force incidents require physical strength, stamina and/or force. Officers must be in excellent mental condition as a warden sergeant must deal with all types of personalities and stress levels.
• The warden sergeant is required to function in all weather extremes, under adverse working conditions for prolonged patrols and activities. Patrolling often requires sitting for long periods of time in a vehicle. Handling various wildlife and equipment, traversing rough terrain, including water, operating vehicles/vessels at high speeds and under unstable conditions may result in injury. Dangerous interactions with criminals, executing arrests and being subject to assault and to dangerous substances including drugs and bodily fluids is to be expected.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (Behaviors):

• Proficient knowledge of major fish and wildlife species and their habitats
• Proficient knowledge of the wide variety of outdoor recreation in Montana.
• Extensive knowledge of theories, principles, and practices of law enforcement and its functions commonly obtained through peace officer certification.
• Extensive knowledge in the use of force continuum and officer survival.
• Excellent oral & written communication skills are required so as to interact with the media in addition to an extensive understanding of sociology, psychology, conflict management & resolution, and criminal behavior patterns in order to communicate with and understand the general public and those who recreate outdoors and in department owned recreational areas.
• Proficient in the use of a variety of firearms and standard law enforcement equipment including all types of motorized vehicles & equipment, complex monitoring devices, simulated wildlife, computers, electronics, traps, immobilizing agents & a working knowledge of equipment used by other department divisions.
• High proficiency in the use of Mobile Computer Terminals and their functions, programs and systems as well as proficiency in the use of various computers, programs, and electronic systems.
• Thorough knowledge of department organization, policy, operation and budget, fish, wildlife, parks and recreation laws, rules and regulations.
• Possess professional & technical knowledge in each of the department's responsibilities; enforcement, fish, wildlife & parks management, conservation education, and field services to ensure constituents and the department's needs are addressed.
• Working knowledge of standard administrative procedures and practices, state budgeting rules and procedures.
• Knowledge of personnel management concepts and practices and possess the ability to analyze data and make professional judgments in the course of supervising and working with other people.
• Skilled in procedures for mitigating wildlife damage/depredation, infectious wildlife diseases, trapping & transplanting, immobilization & relocation of wildlife.