State Park Peace Officer (Ranger) and Cadet Minimum Qualifications

Ranger Candidates must meet all the following requirements:

Two Years of College*
 Valid Driver's License **
Be Physically Sound
Eighteen Years of Age***
 Pass a Comprehensive Background Investigation
Must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident Alien in the process of applying for citizenship****
20/20 Corrected Vision AND 20/40 Uncorrected Vision*****
No Felony Convictions

* By time of appointment, a Candidate must have completed 60 Semester Units of study at a state accredited college or university, including a minimum of 21 semester units of course work satisfying General Education curriculum standards with courses including Natural Science, Social Science, Mathematics, Language, and Humanities.  A degree in Park Administration, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Law Enforcement, or related fields is desirable.

** Out-of-State candidates must obtain a valid California Driver's License before being appointed to the academy.

*** State Peace Officer mandatory retirement age is 65 years of age. Reference: GC §21132

**** Candidates have three years, per Penal Code §1031.5, to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship from the date of application.

***** Candidates who have LASIK vision correction surgery must have completed a 6-month stabilization period, and candidates who have RK or PRK vision correction surgery must have completed a 12-month stablization period before being medically eligible for this position.

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