PC 830.2(e), FISH AND WILDLIFE

In this new series of profiles, we spotlight the wide variety of California peace officer classifications that are defined under Penal Code Section 830 and represented by PORAC.

An 11-year veteran of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), Fish and Game Lieutenant Specialist Trevor Pell is assigned as a Restricted Species Lieutenant in the Special Operations Unit. He is also the president of the Association of California Wildlife Officers, an affiliate of the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA). 

What led you to a career in this classification?

I went to university at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for biology, looking at going into health care. I pivoted toward wildlife biology after really enjoying the hands-on marine biology and ornithology classes. I took a wildlife management class, which emphasized the importance of natural resource law enforcement in being able to enjoy the fish, wildlife and wildlands that we have in the U.S. After going on a few ride-alongs with game wardens as part of a natural resources law enforcement class, I was hooked! I worked as a field biologist for two and a half years before being accepted to the CDFW academy.

What specific powers, duties and responsibilities are granted to your classification under PC 830?

Fish and game wardens (otherwise known as wildlife officers) are full peace officers. However, our primary duties are the enforcement of the California Fish and Game Code and regulations adopted thereto (primarily hunting and fishing regulations). Wardens wear many hats, and our job can vary wildly based on our specific assignment and location. Wardens assigned to traditional patrol districts have a geographic area they are responsible for; often only two or three wardens cover a county. Wardens are assigned a take-home vehicle and can have a home office if they live within 25 miles of their district. Depending on the district, they can be assigned boats, ATVs, UTVs, dirt bikes and snowmobiles. 

Wardens conduct compliance checks to ensure hunters and anglers are following the law and regulations, including licensing and catch limits. Wardens are able to conduct warrantless inspections of containers and coolers of people engaged in hunting and fishing, a power upheld in a 2011 California Supreme Court decision (People v. Maikhio). Wardens make arrests and issue citations for violations. They can also conduct warrantless inspections of fish businesses, meat processors and taxidermists to ensure businesses are complying with the law and protecting natural resources. 

Wardens are their own CSI and detectives, and handle cases from beginning to end. They investigate poaching cases, get search warrants, make their own arrests, process their own evidence and put a bow on the case for the DA or AG’s office. CDFW has a Marine Enforcement District, where officers are assigned to large patrol boats that will go offshore for up to three days at a time and focus on commercial and recreational fishing enforcement.

CDFW has developed a number of specialized teams and programs to tackle the ever-increasing demands of natural resource policing in the modern world. The Cannabis Enforcement Program is staffed by approximately 60 game wardens, whose main job is to conduct enforcement of environmental laws surrounding cannabis cultivation (both permitted and unpermitted). The Marijuana Enforcement Team is CDFW’s tactical team, primarily focusing on public land trespass grows, which are often staffed by armed cartel members. The Office of Spill Prevention and Response has game wardens assigned to prevent and investigate oil spills. The Special Operations Unit focuses on the unlawful commercialization of wildlife, including high-value wildlife such as white sturgeon, salmon, black bear and abalone. SOU officers often work undercover, conduct extensive surveillance often in both rural and urban areas, and deal with large criminal networks. SOU also spends a lot of time on enforcement of restricted species regulations and has been making many cases regarding the illegal smuggling, possession and sales of exotic animals like monkeys, tigers and reptiles — which are highly associated with gun and drug smuggling and often possessed by gang members.

What specialized training or certifications are required for your job? 

Game wardens go through CDFW’s POST-certified academy. It is one of, if not the, longest academies in the state. In addition to all normal POST requirements, it covers topics such as hunting and fishing regulations, bird ID, fish ID, reptile ID, hunter casualty investigations and many others. Wardens are also fully HAZWOPER trained for oil spill responses. Wardens are required to meet all POST CPT requirements.

Could you describe the primary jurisdictional boundaries and limitations of your authority? 

Game wardens are full peace officers and have peace officer powers on and off duty. CDFW has agreements to enforce federal fisheries laws with NOAA and patrol up to 200 miles offshore, the extent of U.S. territorial waters. CDFW officers are also cross-sworn as law enforcement officers with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and are authorized to enforce federal fish and wildlife laws. Wardens work closely with our counterparts in our bordering states, especially those we share a waterway boundary with (Colorado River, Lake Tahoe, etc.). While our job is primarily the enforcement of the Fish and Game Code, wardens can and do conduct traffic stops, make warrantless arrests for violations of all codes and take people to jail.

What unique challenges or safety considerations does your classification face?

Game wardens generally work alone, often in areas that have no cell service and little or no radio reception. If we can call for help, the nearest officer may be over an hour away. Because of this, wardens are generally good communicators and work hard to de-escalate situations. Almost everyone we contact, legal or not, is armed in some way. One of the most common violations found during hunting season is driving with a loaded rifle or shotgun in a motor vehicle. Although 90–95% of hunters and anglers we contact are law-abiding sportsmen and women, we take the threats that come with the job seriously. 

CDFW’s cannabis enforcement teams are exposed to a wide variety of pesticides and herbicides when dealing with cannabis grows; officers will often find chemicals that are banned in the U.S. that have been smuggled in, including carbofuran. Officers are exposed to live and dead wildlife, which can carry zoonotic diseases. Officers assigned to marine enforcement are put in the position of regularly boarding boats at sea, which can be dangerous in good conditions, let alone in poor ones. Finally, game wardens are outside for most of their working hours, and many deal with skin cancers. Unfortunately, game wardens are not covered by a workers’ comp presumption for skin cancer.

How does your classification interact with other peace officer classifications during multiagency operations or mutual aid situations? 

Game wardens are often called on to assist other agencies, especially in rural counties where staffing is an issue. Wardens have assisted with fire evacuations, looter suppression patrols and many other details. CDFW K-9 teams are often utilized by allied agencies for article and suspect searches. CDFW officers often back up other agencies on traffic stops and calls for service, and have been in multiple critical incidents while assigned to mutual aid for fires. CDFW co-chairs the governor’s Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce.

How has your classification evolved, and what emerging challenges do you anticipate?

Our role as game wardens has really been expanding. CDFW recently went through a legislatively mandated multiyear service-based-budgeting analysis that showed that CDFW as a whole, and the Law Enforcement Division specifically, is funded for about 33% of what we are required to do. CDFW only has about 500 law enforcement positions, including supervisors and management. With our current vacancies, there are less than 315 field-level officers for the entire state, including all of the specialty programs. Unfortunately, with the current budget, we are looking at losing about 50 positions, or almost all of our vacancies; however, CSLEA’s advocacy has led to a pause in position cuts. With our current pay, retaining current game wardens is also an issue, with multiple veteran officers leaving for other state and local agencies. The 2023 CalHR salary survey showed that uniformed patrol officers in CSLEA (including game wardens) are lagging behind police and sheriff patrol officers by about 26% in total compensation, and the salary for new game wardens is about 60% of that of a new CHP officer.

What are some highlights of your job?

Being able to protect and conserve the fish and wildlife resources that belong to the people of California is truly rewarding. Most of the people we interact with are highly supportive of game wardens and our mission. Since most of our patrols are self-directed, you have the ability to work the activity the way you feel it needs to be worked (such as nighttime spotlight patrols or early morning fishing patrols). Being part of the thin green line is a highly rewarding career field. As the oldest statewide law enforcement agency (the first wardens were hired in 1871), the men and women of CDFW take their mission to protect California’s fish and wildlife seriously.

What makes your classification integral to the overall public safety mission?

Game wardens not only protect our environment from poachers and polluters, but provide valuable public safety resources statewide. Game wardens know rural areas and national forests like the back of their hands. When criminals leave the city, the crime doesn’t stop where the blacktop ends, and game wardens are there to meet them.

Is there anything else would you would like your fellow law enforcement officers to know?

Just because you don’t see or hear us on patrol, it doesn’t mean we don’t see you! Many game wardens actively scan allied agency frequencies and will respond to help calls or backup requests. Get to know your local game wardens. Most of us have lots of equipment that we can put to use, including night vision, FLIR, drones and K-9s.