By Captain Irvin "Sandy" Dares

Do you ever look out of your office window and dream about cruising the bayou? Or maybe, while you are sweating under that welding shield, you long for days spent tramping in the woods. Do you just love the outdoors and want to spend every moment there? Then, we have a job for you!

What if I were to tell you that in addition to your pay and benefits, your clothing, footwear, foul weather gear, firearms, camera, binoculars, and just about everything else you will need will be provided free of charge? And to top it all off, we will give you a four-wheel drive truck, a boat, and a credit card for fuel and oil? And that we will expect you to use that boat or truck to patrol the woods and waters of our state? Does this sound too good to be true? Well, it’s not! We have a job for you!

The Law Enforcement Division of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is looking for those legendary "few good men" to serve as law enforcement agents. And of course, as in all things, there are a few catches to deal with.

First of all, we will not pay you to hunt and fish. And, if you do the job right, you may not even want to go back out and hunt and fish when you get a day off. You will work most weekends and holidays, especially those opening days to which all hunters and shrimpers look forward to. On the other hand, you will have days off during the week, when the competition for our natural resources is not so great.

If you like variety, you will love this job. In some areas, it is possible and even common for agents to work a different detail every day of the week. There will be a mix of day and night work. Since we don’t have enough agents to have shifts, your work schedule can vary from day to day. You must be able to function independently without close supervision, so self-reliance and the ability to make decisions are necessary traits. You will be expected to make every effort to enforce the laws and make your presence felt. You must be able to confront a variety of challenges.

In order to qualify for this job, you will need at least two prior years of full-time law enforcement experience or sixty hours of college credit (any curriculum). You should contact the Louisiana Department of Civil Service if you have questions about your qualifications.

Starting pay is about $19,000.00 per year. With the present career ladder, you will be up to about $22,000.00 per year in two years. Merit increases of 4% per year are usually granted if funds are available.

This job is not for everyone. You must be very adaptable to changes and dedicated to the protection of our natural resources. You must be able to put your personal feelings aside and fairly and impartially enforce all applicable laws. It helps to have the conviction that you are contributing to a worthwhile effort.

If you are still interested in that "dream job", contact the Louisiana Department of Civil Service and apply today.

If you have any questions, you may call the Wildlife and Fisheries Personnel Office at 225-765-2850.