Texas game wardens make presentations to schools and private groups to promote wildlife conservation. They also enlist the help of the public to catch flagrant game law violators through programs like Operation Game Thief, which offers rewards for telephone tips that lead to convictions. Working with TPW biologists, game wardens investigate environmental crimes against wildlife and protect state threatened and endangered species. They also work closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The cadet class of 2000 logged 1,260 hours of demanding mental and physical training over a 30-week period.
Physical training is a large component of the academy, with daily workouts for six months.
Academy instructors say that one of the toughest challenges the cadets face in the physical training program is the swimming and water rescue training. Drowning is the leading cause of on-duty deaths. The reason is that our cadets must learn everything that other peace officers learn as well as all of the Parks and Wildlife regulations. That's a vast amount of knowledge they absorb. This is a fine class and we're proud to send them into the field.