What Should a Baccalaureate Curriculum in Conservation Law Enforcement Emphasize in Wisconsin?

Abstract

The job duties of a conservation law enforcement (CLE) officer have been expanding and getting more complex. Many baccalaureate programs are now offered in conservation law enforcement, but it has been 30 years since research has examined what curricular components to emphasize in such a program. This study surveyed CLE officers in the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to determine their opinions on probationary officer strengths & weaknesses, preparedness for entry-level training, relative importance of academic subject areas, relative importance of modes of instruction, and officer demographics. Results (65% response rate; n = 108) indicated that the top three skills to develop in a baccalaureate program were CLE field techniques, natural resource sciences, and basic law enforcement skills. Specific courses rated extremely/very important included oral/written communication, CLE fundamentals/field skills, criminal justice investigation, law enforcement academy, resource policy and law, English, human dimensions, internship, and natural resource field skills. Courses rated relatively low in importance included philosophy, economics, arts, history, and math/statistics. The top three instructional methods were practical exercises/application, role playing/scenarios, and case studies. Observations about how to incorporate the results into a CLE baccalaureate curriculum are made as are recommendations for future research.