Minimum qualifications and disqualifiers

Ensure you meet minimum qualifications to be a Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Police Officer.

If you have questions about the minimum qualifications or disqualifiers, please contact our Recruitment and Hiring Division at officerrecruitment@dfw.wa.gov.

Minimum qualifications (All applicants)Additional requirements (Entry-level applicants only)Additional requirements (Lateral applicants only)
  • U.S. Citizen or lawful permanent resident
  • 21 years of age (or older) at the time of employment
  • Able to read and speak English
  • No felony convictions
  • At least 20/40 vision (corrected or uncorrected)
  • Must have or be able to obtain a Washington state driver’s license

Two years of college coursework (60 semester or 90 quarter credits)

OR

Three years paid, full-time employment in a natural resource organization

OR

Three years active-duty military service

Three years full time law enforcement experience

AND

Current CJTC Commission or equivalent

Disqualifiers

Potential disqualifying factors will be considered in the context of all information available.  Omissions or oversights in your self-disclosed personal history statement (PHS) may lead to ineligibility to be an officer.  It is better to be honest than risk having your application rejected during the employment process.

Failure to disclose any of the following activities or records may result in automatic disqualification if discovered during the hiring process.

Driving record disqualifiers

Automatic

  • DUI within five years. Includes reduced charges (e.g. negligent driving).
  • Pattern of traffic violations and/or auto accidents in the past five years or while employed in a criminal justice capacity.

Potential

  • Applicant's driving record.

Drug use disqualifiers

Automatic

  • Any use of marijuana in the last 12 months.
  • Illegal drug use other than marijuana in the last 3 years.
  • Illegal drug use while employed in a criminal justice capacity.
  • Manufacture, sale, transporting for sale, or facilitating the sale of illegal drugs (unless under 21 at the time AND the act occurred more than 10 years from the date of application).

Potential

  • Misuse of prescription drugs, unless there was an immediate, emergency medical circumstance to justify the use of a prescription-controlled substance not prescribed to the person.
  • Pattern or history of drug use.
  • Illegal drug use while serving in the military.

Additional notes

  • "Illegal drugs" are those controlled substances listed in drug schedules 1-5 / RCW 69.50.204, RCW 69.50.206, RCW 69.50.208, RCW 69.50.210 and RCW 69.50.212
  • Possession is defined as having actual physical control of any illegal drug for personal use or otherwise.
  • Use is defined as trying, testing, or experimenting, which includes, but is not limited to tasting, smoking, injecting, absorbing, sniffing, or inhaling.

Criminal activity disqualifiers

Automatic

  • Any felony conviction.
  • Any criminal conviction while employed as a criminal justice professional.
  • Conviction for any crime under a domestic violence statute.

Potential

  • Adult misdemeanor convictions.
  • Recent or pattern of Fish and Wildlife and/or natural resource violations.

Employment disqualifiers

Automatic

  • Dishonorable or bad conduct discharge from the U.S. armed forces.
  • Falsification of an application, personal history questionnaire, forms or any other part of the hiring process.
  • Revocation or denial of any Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC)/Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) certified status, or suspension of current CJTC/POST certified status.

Potential

  • Law enforcement applicants involved in open administrative investigations or inquiries.
  • Any termination, or resignation in lieu of termination, from a law enforcement agency, or other form of employment.
  • Patterns of substandard employment performance and/or disciplinary actions.
  • Civil litigation while employed in a criminal justice capacity.

Financial history disqualifiers

Automatic

  • Not in compliance with income tax or child support payments at the time of application.

Potential

  • Failing to pay financial obligations; accounts in collections, garnishment of wages, civil litigation (bankruptcy), etc.

Other disqualifiers

Automatic

  • Any conduct or pattern of behavior that would disrupt, diminish or otherwise jeopardize public trust in the law enforcement profession.

Potential

  • Candidates with any tattoos that are deemed offensive may be disqualified. Visible tattoos will be evaluated by the appointing authority or designee on a case-by-case basis.
  • Visible piercings will be evaluated by the appointing authority and shall not be offensive or indecent in nature.
  • Incomplete Personal History Statement (PHS), or inaccurate/outdated information provided in PHS.