Group 50 Law Enforcement Academy - Basic/Stae Parks Emphasis 
September 3, 2024 - April 11, 2025

PLEASE NOTE:  STATE PARKS WILL FILL ALL SEATS WITH ITS EMPLOYEES. THERE ARE NO SELF-SPONSORED SEATS AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME.

For more information on becoming a State Park Peace Officer please visit http://www.parks.ca.gov/jobs.

Location:  3536 Butte Campus Drive, Oroville, CA 95965

Academy classes are held in the Allied Health Public Service Building on the Butte College Main Campus. The campus is located at the geographical center of the communities of Chico, Oroville, and Paradise at the corner of Clark and Durham-Pentz Roads. There is convenient access from Highway 99 and Highway 70.

The Program: The California State Parks Academy seats up to 50 students. The Department of Parks & Recreation conducts its hiring process during the year and has priority for those seats. Once the hiring process concludes and the department has made its cadet selections, Butte College will fill any remaining seats with individual applicants (self-sponsored) who wish to attend the Academy. 

The program is approved by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.). P.O.S.T. requires law enforcement recruits to receive a minimum of 664 hours of training. Our program exceeds this requirement and offers approximately 1231 hours of instruction in the 41 Learning Domains and CA State Parks specific instruction. 

Certification: The California State Parks Academy conforms to standards for certification by P.O.S.T. Upon successful completion of the academy program, the student is eligible to apply for entry-level positions as a law enforcement officer anywhere in the state of California.

Time: Class is typically held from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Some training sessions are required to be conducted during hours of darkness, and training hours are adjusted accordingly. Some weekend days are required. 

Requirements: You must have a high school diploma from an accredited high school or GED. You must have no felony convictions, or convictions that would prohibit you from possessing a firearm.  You must possess a valid Driver License, without current or recent suspensions. You must complete the P.O.S.T. Entry-Level Law Enforcement Test Battery (PELLET-B) exam with a score of 42 or higher, as well as the Pre-Law Enforcement Academy Physical Training Test 1.5 mile run in 15 minutes or less.  You are required to attend a mandatory Academy Orientation and obtain a Butte College Student ID number.

Fees: (SUBJECT TO CHANGE) It is estimated that the cost for California residents to attend this course is approximately $5,500.00, including tuition, material fees, driving fees, textbooks, uniforms, physical training clothing, ammunition, hearing and eye protection, and facility use fees. This does not include living expenses. Weapons and required safety equipment will be furnished during training. Out-of-state students will be charged an additional $295.00 per unit. PLEASE NOTE the Butte College fee payment requirement at http://zmc.willowsgolfresort.com/7days/. Sponsored cadet fees are covered by California State Parks. 

Academy Entrance Steps for Self-Sponsor:

1. Complete and return the attached "ACADEMY ENROLLMENT APPLICATION."
2. Call our office at 530.895.2402 to reserve a slot to take a P.O.S.T. Entrance Examination. Bring a valid form of photo identification to the examination site. See below for additional information.
3. Call our office at 530.895.2402 if you are notified that you have passed the P.O.S.T. Entrance Examination and reserve a slot to take the Pre-Law Enforcement Academy Physical Training Test 1.5 mile run. Bring a valid form of photo identification to the examination site.
4. Attend the mandatory Academy Orientation if you complete the 1.5 mile run in 15 minutes or less.
5. Obtain a Butte College Student ID number by visiting zmc.willowsgolfresort.com and clicking on the "Apply Now" link.  If you have attended Butte College in the past at any time, DO NOT re-apply for an ID number; contact this office for your ID number.
6. Specific and detailed instructions will be emailed to each applicant who has successfully completed the entrance examination, has successfully completed the Physical Training Test 1.5 mile run in 15 minutes or less, attended the pre-academy orientation, possesses a Butte College Student ID number, and has been selected to attend the academy.

Entry Level Exam: Each applicant must complete a P.O.S.T. Entry-Level Examination (PELLET-B) consisting of basic language skills. Approximately 2.5 hours are allowed for the examination. Examinations are normally offered two times prior to the start of each academy. P.O.S.T. Entry-Level Law Enforcement Test Battery (PELLET-B) examination scores will be accepted from other agencies if the results are documented on agency letterhead. Applicants are encouraged to take the test more than once, as the highest score is used to determine entrance eligibility. You must wait 30 days between exams.  Examination results take approximately 10 working days.    NOTE:  Testing space is limited.  The first 150 to contact this office will be accepted for each testing date.  Location of Academy Testing

POST ENTRY Level Exam

Pre-Academy 1.5 mile Run

Law Enforcement Academy Orientation

To take a sample entry-level examination go to the left side of this page and select "Practice P.O.S.T. Exam."

If you have a disability it is your responsibility to contact Disabled Student Services at 530.895.2455 prior to the PELLET-B exam so that your needs may be accommodated. The Academy office will be notified of the special arrangements prior to the test date.

Pre-Law Enforcement Academy Physical Training Test: Each applicant who has successfully passed the P.O.S.T. Entrance Examination with a score of 42 or higher will be required to take and successfully complete the Pre-Law Enforcement Academy Physical Training Test 1.5 mile run. You must successfully complete the run in 15 minutes or less to be considered for entrance into the Law Enforcement Academy. The test will be administered two weeks after the P.O.S.T. Entrance Examination.

You MUST call ahead of time to reserve a slot to take the PT test by calling 530.895.2402. If your name is not on the list, you may be refused admittance to the test.

The testing will begin PROMPTLY at the time listed. Late arrivals will not be accepted. A valid form of photo identification is required for admittance.

Orientation: Applicants successfully completing the pre-academy 1.5 mile run in 15 minutes or less are required to attend a pre-academy orientation which will be presented immediately following the 1.5 mile run.  During the two-hour presentation we will provide an overview of what will be expected of you physically, mentally, and academically to ensure that you are informed and prepared for a successful experience in the academy program.  Questions are encouraged during the orientation.  Family members are welcome to attend.

Units: Upon successful completion of the program, the student will receive 48 semester units.

Uniforms: All participants will be required to wear the California State Parks Academy uniform. Details will be provided to those who are accepted into the academy program.

Required Equipment: Academy cadets are required to have a laptop computer with WiFi capabilities, the ability to open .pdf files, and have some type of note-taking software.

Financial Aid: Financial assistance may be available to qualified students. Please apply for grants and loans as soon as possible. For more information and to apply:  http://zmc.willowsgolfresort.com/financialaid/

Financial Aid Office:   (530) 895-2311

Veteran's Office:        (530) 895-2566

A Guide to Financial Aid for the Law Academy

California College Promise Grant (CCPG)

Housing: There is no housing on campus. Neighboring Chico and Oroville communities are approximately a 20-minute commute from the campus. There is ample rental housing in these communities.

Information: Please call our office at 530.895.2402 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Services Available to Students: The following link will provide information contained in the Butte College Current Student Webpage related to services available to enrolled students.  http://zmc.willowsgolfresort.com/currentstudents/. 

Examples of available services include:

• Academic Help
• Childcare
• Counselling
• Food/Housing Assistance
• Safe Place and Wellness
• Disabled Students
• Student Health Center
• Veterans’ Services

IF YOU WISH TO APPLY FOR EMPLOYMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION PRIOR TO ATTENDING THE ACADEMY, THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

• Two years of college
• Valid driver license
• Be physically sound
• 21 years of age
• Pass a comprehensive background investigation
• U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident Alien in the process of applying for citizenship
• 20/20 corrected vision AND 20/40 uncorrected vision

By the 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 coursework 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.

For more information on becoming a Park Ranger or Lifeguard, please visit: http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_ID=24134