California State Parks Graduates 29 Peace Officers from Law Enforcement Academy
Contact: Dennis Weber I Communications Office Manager I (916) 651-8724
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California State Parks announced today the addition of 29 new peace officers to serve in the nation’s largest state park system. Yesterday, family members, friends and department staff applauded the class of cadets as they received their badges to officially make them peace officers (rangers and lifeguards).
Since the appointment of Galen Clark in 1866 as California’s first state park ranger, rangers and lifeguards have provided public safety and protected natural and cultural resources. Their role to enforce laws continues to be an important one, as is connecting individuals with the outdoors and building stewardship for current and future generations.
“Be the rangers and lifeguards that the public expects you to be and don’t lose the spirit of service that brought you here in the first place,” stated California State Parks Director Lisa Mangat to the cadets during the ceremony. “It is a job where real leadership matters and you will be working for a department where a good idea can touch the lives of millions of Californians and people around the world.”
For eight months, cadets participated in Basic Visitor Services Training to prepare them to serve and educate visitors to California’s 280 state parks. This year’s class of 29 cadets were chosen from a field of approximately 600 applicants. Thirty-six were accepted to the cadet academy. Graduates of this class will be stationed at 18 park units throughout the state.
Their training included lessons in making physical arrests, conducting investigations, performing search and rescue activities, defensive tactics and firearms use. Cadets were also trained in visitor assistance, public education and interpretation, and park resource protection and management. Academy instruction prepares the students mentally, morally, emotionally and physically to enter and successfully complete the Field Training Officer’s Program, which is comprised of 13 more weeks of on-the-job training.
The following is a list of the graduates and the state park unit or sector each will join:
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Basic Visitor Services Training Group 41 California State Parks |
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PEACE OFFICERS
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PARK UNIT/SECTOR |
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LIFEGUARDS |
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Alfaro-Gullett, Carlos
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Silverwood State Recreation Area San Bernardino County |
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Carey, Ross
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Ventura Sector Ventura County |
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Mason, Evan
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Malibu Sector Los Angeles County |
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RANGERS |
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Ackemann, Scott |
Hollister Hills Sector San Benito County |
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Buckley, Ericka |
Carpinteria Sector Santa Barbara County |
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Buis, Sabrina |
Clear Lake Sector Lake County |
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Dingman, Westley |
Lake Perris State Recreation Area Riverside County |
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Dooley, Matthew |
Candlestick Point State Recreation Area San Francisco County |
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Drew, Alex |
Candlestick Point State Recreation Area San Francisco County |
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Escamilla, Eduardo |
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park San Diego County |
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Evans, Claire |
Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area San Diego County |
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Faber, Eliot |
Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area San Diego County |
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Guzman, Nicholas |
MacKerricher State Park Mendocino County |
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Haney, Zachary |
Monterey Sector Monterey County |
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Hedlund, Erica |
Asilomar Sector Monterey County |
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Holle, Stephen |
San Diego North Sector San Diego County |
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Joseph, Sabrina |
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park San Diego County |
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Lawrence, Michael |
San Diego North Sector San Diego County |
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Nye, Ryan |
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park San Diego County |
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Phelps, Christopher |
Hollister Hills Sector San Benito County |
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Pinkerton, Amber Lynn |
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park Santa Cruz County |
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Reynoso, Sandra |
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park San Diego County |
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Sanchez, Megan |
Four Rivers Sector Merced County |
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Streit, Nicholas |
Samuel P. Taylor State Park Marin County |
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Toohey, Kierstie |
Lake Perris State Recreation Area Riverside County |
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Turner, Nicholas |
Samuel P. Taylor State Park Marin County |
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Vecchione, Teodoro |
Carpinteria Sector Santa Barbara County |
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Weber, Brett |
Oceano Dunes Sector San Luis Obispo County |
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Weber, James |
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park Santa Cruz County |
California State Parks recently launched a new recruitment effort encouraging people to “Live the Parks Life” and experience the adventure, excitement and beauty by working within the nation’s largest state park system. Job opportunities are available statewide in the fields of interpretation and education, recreation, law enforcement, cultural or natural resources, administration, operations or facility maintenance. The department is currently recruiting and accepting applications for the next cadet program. Applications are due no later than tomorrow, June 14. Learn more about this career opportunity and others online at www.LiveTheParksLife.com
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California State Parks provides for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high quality outdoor recreation.