What wardens do
Inland Enforcement Districts (NED, CED, SED)
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) Law Enforcement Division (LED) consists of hundreds of sworn Game Wardens and Lt. Specialists who are responsible for resource protection and public safety within all 58 counties in the State. California contains 1100 miles of coastline, 30,000 miles of rivers and streams, 4800 lakes and reservoirs, and 80 major rivers. California also contains three of the four North American Desert habitats, and scores of high mountain peaks. California is home to more than 1000 native fish and wildlife species, as well as 6300 native plant species. Within these, at least 360 species are threatened or endangered. CDFW issues over three million licenses and permits per year. California’s population continues to grow, with over 39,000,000 people calling California home. It should come as no surprise to learn that inland Game Wardens are protecting all of the diverse wildlife species and habitats within their assigned areas of responsibility. Inland Game Wardens demonstrate an unparalleled tenacity in apprehending natural resource violators. This is evident by the numerous significant natural resource cases made by Game Wardens every year. Whether it’s salmon poaching on one of California’s many rivers, bear poaching in one of the numerous forests across the state, or trophy deer poaching in the Sierra Nevadas, Game Wardens have routinely demonstrated their innate ability to apprehend those who wish ill will on the State’s natural resources.
Game Wardens accomplish these tasks every day by utilizing a wide array of law enforcement resources which allow them to patrol by land, air, and sea. These resources include vessels, ATV/UTV’s, UAV’s, and even dedicated K9’s which assist Game Wardens in detection of evidence and apprehension of violators.
Inland Game Wardens routinely collaborate with local, State, and Federal law enforcement partners which fosters long term relationships used to enhance public safety and the mission of LED. Inland Game Wardens have historically assisted allied law enforcement agencies with large scale investigations and even rapidly evolving active shooter situations.
Inland Game Warden’s patrol responsibilities are as diverse as the citizens and habitats they protect. There’s an old adage that Game Wardens are the “swiss army knife” of law enforcement due to their multidisciplinary experiences and responsibilities. This adage also undoubtedly rings true for all Game Wardens within California. Due to the variety of rural areas throughout the state that Game Wardens call their office, they are frequently called upon for their local knowledge during search and rescue operations, or assisting local-agencies with catching at-large criminals.
Over-limit of kokanee at Huntington Lake
Felony firearms and narcotics arrest of OMG prospect while on deer hunting patrol
Suspect posing with trophy buck poached out of season and without a tag
Two anglers in possession of 73 landlocked salmon at Huntington Lake
Band tailed pigeons poached out of season with air rifle.
Marine Enforcement District (MED)
Marine Enforcement District Wardens spend most of their time enforcing laws involving the sport and commercial take of marine fish and invertebrates including squid, lobster, abalone, clams, shrimp, and sea urchins. MED Wardens regularly check fisherman and fish businesses to ensure they have the proper licensing and fish landing receipt paperwork. MED Wardens patrol aboard small and large vessels to ensure compliance with state and federal laws involving how marine species are being taken with lines, traps, and nets as well as ensuring fishermen are not taking marine resources in closed marine protected areas. Additionally, MED Wardens check fishermen for compliance with state and federal limits as well as size requirements for marine resources they are taking. Some examples of cases made by MED Wardens recently include individuals illegally taking abalone for commercial purposes and selling them on the black market, unlawful commercial and sport fishing in marine protected areas, unlawful use of gill nets to harvest prohibited species, failure to land large quantities of commercially caught fish from far offshore fisheries, violations involving the unlawful importation of fish, mollusks, and crustaceans, and unlawful take of over limits of fish including lobsters, and other assorted mollusks.
Oil Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR)
It is the policy of CDFW's Law Enforcement Division that Game Wardens will provide an immediate response to not only oil spills, but also Hazmat incidents and other deleterious substances that threaten Waters of the State. OSPR Wardens are the primary response and investigatory enforcement personnel for all petroleum spills to marine and inland waters. During responses, these wardens will typically serve as the State On-Scene Coordinator to ensure the spill is remediated to minimize impacts to wildlife and wildlife habitat. Also, these wardens have the authority to enforce criminal and civil pollution statutes contained in a variety of California Codes. OSPR wardens conduct investigations into the cause of the spill, collect evidence, coordinate with allied agencies, and prepare comprehensive reports submitted for prosecution. OSPR wardens also contribute to spill prevention efforts through participation in drills and exercises and assisting other OSPR personnel with vessel and facility inspections.
Cannabis Enforcement Program
CDFW’s involvement in cannabis enforcement began long before the existence of the Cannabis Enforcement Program (CEP). CEP is the culmination of the years of experience Game Wardens have had dealing with illegal cannabis grows on both public and private land throughout California. Game Wardens bring an expertise which other agencies do not have, in that they can investigate and enforce the numerous environmental protection laws contained within the Fish and Game Code. Illegal cannabis activity in California has historically had a massive detrimental impact on the state’s natural resources. Because of CDFW’s historical involvement in cannabis enforcement, along with their expertise in environmental protection, California has made CDFW’s CEP co-chairs of the Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force (UCETF), along with the California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC). Together, these agencies combat illicit cannabis, with the ultimate goal of ensuring public safety, protecting consumers, and preventing further environmental damage.
Within CEP, The Marijuana Enforcement Team conducts investigations and tactical planning related to environmental crimes associated with illegal cannabis cultivation on public land, private timber lands, and trespass cultivation on private lands, including covert and overt operations, special reconnaissance, and eradication and reclamation of clandestine cannabis cultivation sites.
The MET is a full spectrum tactical response team. The team operates and deploys some of the most technologically advanced and diverse enforcement equipment to fulfill the CDFW Mission. Though their origin story and the mainstay of their work is related to illegal cannabis, their extensive training and experience provide CDFW with a statewide team able to handle high-risk or complex enforcement details that exceed the capabilities of field officers. The MET serves high-risk search and arrest warrants for the CDFW at large, and other agencies as needed. The MET has responded to active shooter and fugitive recovery details in some of the most rugged terrain in California and is a premier team for any rural high-risk operation.
Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET) officers making entry into public land trespass cannabis grow.
MET K9 with firearms located and seized during public land trespass cannabis operation.
MET K9s with firearms and cannabis product seized during public land trespass cannabis operation.
MET Officer patrol trucks parked at landing zone utilized during public land trespass cannabis operation.
Special Operations
Special Operations game wardens cover five main segments of wildlife law enforcement. These Wardens are highly specialized, and each segment within our Special Operations Division has a well defined mission. Wardens assigned to the Delta-Bay Enhanced Enforcement Project (DBEEP), focus on enforcing fishing and boating laws across the vast array of anadromous waters that flow from the mountains of California, out to the San Francisco Bay and its estuaries. These Wardens frequently patrol by boat, and work as a team. Salmon,steelhead, and sturgeon (as well as striped bass) are key species that enforcement is focused around. The DBEEP program is funded through the Department of Water Resources as part of a mitigation effort to offset fishery losses caused by water diversions that destroy eggs, larvae and young fish in the system.
The Special Operations Unit (SOU) is a team of undercover Game Wardens that focus on combating the illegal commercialization of California’s wildlife (namely sturgeon, salmon, lobster, abalone and bear parts). This team consists of highly dedicated officers that work to infiltrate and dismantle organized poaching groups that target fish and wildlife for profit. The Special Operations Division also contains a group of Warden investigators that focus on three sects of wildlife trafficking: illegal import/export (Ports enforcement), illegal possession and sales of live animals (Restricted Species enforcement) and online wildlife trafficking. This team of investigators works in conjunction with each other, as well as Wardens from SOU and the other patrol districts to combat this substantial portion of California’s illicit trade (wildlife trafficking ranks in the top four illegal markets worldwide, along with drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and human trafficking).
CDFW has an extensive K9 program, which consists of “detection” and “dual-purpose” K9’s that work with Game Warden handlers. These K9 teams are trained and certified to locate people, protect officers, and apprehend suspects; as well as being trained and certified in the detection of certain odors and evidence. They are also trained for on-line or off-line tracking or trailing. Many K9s are trained to detect quagga mussels, narcotics, firearms, and associated odors. Depending upon their deployment locations, individual teams are trained in: bear, bear gallbladders, deer, fish, abalone, lobster, shark fin, quail, pangolin, and ivory.
CDFW Special Operations also contains an Air Services Unit. Game Warden Pilots provide high-risk, high-quality support and investigation from above. Game Warden Pilots have been conducting flights for years to locate outlaw night hunters. As California changes though, Wardens have adapted. Pilots are no exception. Many flights are focused on coastal and marine poaching, habitat destruction, illegal cannabis cultivation, and overwatch for tactical operations. The Air Services Unit is also home to CDFW’s Drone Program.