Become a State Park Police Officer!

Diverse group of state park police officers posing in nature at Inks Lake State ParkTexas State Park Po­lice pro­tect the state’s natural and cultural resources through community-oriented policing and providing safe and secure environments for about 10 million state park visitors each year.

Along the coast, in the forests and mountains, in the desert, cities, and on the border, the State Park Police are on duty in some of the state’s most beautiful places.

Learn how you can become a state park police officer:

Job duties

Three photos of park police officers on duty: conducting a traffic stop, measuring a fish, talking with campers.The job of a state park police officer is diverse and exciting. You will:

  • Conduct pro­active patrols.
  • Enforce state and federal law, and Texas Parks and Wild­life Code.
  • Provide community-based policing.
  • Educate citizens and park visitors.
  • Perform investigations.
  • Conduct search, rescue and recovery operations.
  • Provide public safety and emergency management functions throughout the state, including working natural disasters and homeland security operations.
  • Provide testimony in court and administrative hearings.
  • Execute and serve all criminal processes resulting from enforcement activities.
  • Work closely with and assist other law enforcement agencies as needed.

Working Conditions

Officer holding a rope attached to a person in rough water.Female officer driving a boatBeing a state park police officer is not a 9-to-5, Monday-through-Friday type of job. This job requires a dedication to service. 

  • State park assignment:  We will assign you to a state park once you graduate from the TPWD Academy.
  • Work schedule: You must be willing and able to work state and federal holidays, hours other than 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and days off other than Saturday and Sunday, and be available for emergency call-out.
  • Overtime: In accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act, TPWD provides compensatory time off in lieu of overtime pay.
  • Work environment: Expect to work extensively outdoors, sometimes during inclement and hazardous weather, natural disasters, and in other dangerous conditions. At times, you must work in stressful situations that may be hazardous to your health and safety. This includes working with people who are injured, violent, emotionally upset, or otherwise pose a danger.
  • Dress code: You must wear a prescribed uniform and adhere to established dress and grooming standards. Uniforms include equipment such as firearms and other defensive equipment.

How to apply

two commemorative coins for state park police 50 year anniversary