U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

For more information:

www.fws.gov/refuges/lawenforcement

1/800-344 WILD (9453)

July 2012

Item: FW 1023

Federal Wildlife 

Officer Protection, Conservation, 

and Service

...Since 1903

Do You Have What 

It Takes To Protect 

America’s Natural 

Resources?

To become an FWO you must Successfully:

•	 Apply	through	USAJobs.gov	or	other	hiring	

programs	(1801	Job	Series)

•	 Complete	a	comprehensive	screening	process

•	 Complete	an	arduous	17-week	course	at	the	

Federal	Law	Enforcement	Training	Center	in	

Glynco,	GA

•	 Complete	three	weeks	of	advanced	officer	

training	at	the	National	Conservation	Training	

Center	in	Shepherdstown,	WV

•	 Complete	10	weeks	of	field	training	and	

evaluation

•	 Complete	a	one-year	probation	period

Benefits:

•	 Higher	paying,	law	enforcement	pay-scale,	

starting	at	GL-05	($33,829)	with	a	noncompetitive	promotion	increase	to	GL-09	

($61,031)

•	 Opportunities	to	work	in	locations	all	across	the	

U.S.	including	Pacific	&	U.S.	Virgin	Islands

•	 Low-cost	health	and	life	insurance,	annual	and	

sick	leave,	paid	Federal	holidays

•	 Opportunities	for	advancement:	Supervisory	

Federal	Wildlife	Officer,	Zone	Officer,	Regional	

Chief,	Branch	Chief,	and	Division	Chief

•	 Specialized	positions	as	Academy	Instructor,	

Federal	Wildlife	Canine	Handler,	Special	

Operations,	Diver,	or	Pilot

•	 Potential	advancement	from	GL-05	to	GS-15

Horse patrol

Honor Guard

Conducting a 

compliance check

Assisting visitors

Checking bag limits.

All photos: USFWS
National Wildlife Refuge System(NWRS)

Law Enforcement

The	mission	of	the	National	Wildlife	Refuge	System	

Law	Enforcement	program	is:		“Through	Education	

and	enforcement	we	protect	our	employees,	

volunteers,	and	visitors;	safeguard	the	public’s	

investment	in	facilities	and	equipment;	and	protect	

the	integrity	of	the	habitat	and	the	wildlife	resources	

of	the	National	trust	resource	which	is	the	150	million	

acre	National	Wildlife	Refuge	System.”	

What is a Federal Wildlife Officer (FWO)?

Federal	Wildlife	Officers	are	Land	Management	Law	

Enforcement	Officers	whose	priority	enforcement	

activities	are	focused	on	NWRS	lands.	They	are	

charged	with	duties	related	to	the	mission	and	

objectives	of	the	Refuge	System.

Federal Wildlife Officers:

•	 Perform	the	full	range	of	law	enforcement	

duties,	including	patrols,	surveillance,	

investigations,	apprehensions,	participation	

in	raids,	detentions,	seizures	and	arrests,	and	

interaction	with	the	judicial	system.

•	 Regularly	conduct	enforcement	operations	

off	of	refuge	lands	and	must	coordinate	their	

activities	with	other	Federal,	State,	local,	

and	tribal	law	enforcement	agencies	having	

jurisdiction	within	or	adjacent	to	NWRS	lands.

•	 Have	cooperative	work	relationships	with	other	

law	enforcement	agencies.

•	 Provide	an	immediately	accessible	point	of	

public	contact	to	aid	and	educate	visitors	about	

NWRS	lands,	programs,	and	resources.	For

some	refuge	

visitors	FWO’s	

are	often	the	only	

Service	employee	

they	contact,	

and	the	public	

relies	on	them	to	

provide	a	visible	

and	vigilant

deterrent	to	

crime.		

Where do Federal Wildlife Officers work?

Officers	may	work	in	any	one	of	the	nine	Refuge	

System	regions	in	the	U.S.,	which	includes	over	

550	refuges	and	38	wetland	management	areas	that	

make	up	the	NWRS.	Wildlife	refuges	are	found	in	

every	one	of	the	50	states	and	over	a	dozen	U.S.	

territories.	The	terrain	ranges	from	beaches	and	

deserts,	to	mountains	and	plains.

Patrolling the shoreline of a refuge

Talking with visitors

Checking fishing licenses