TRAINING
Washington State Fish and Wildlife Officers, or Game Wardens as they are commonly called, are perhaps the best trained law enforcement officers in the state.
Defensive Tactics
Fish and Wildlife Officers practice defensive tactics several times a year. Some of the areas they focus on are take downs, compliance holds, weapon retention, and ground fighting.
Firearms
All officers are provided firearms instruction throughout each year. Techniques and skills are honed every year which encompass and not limited to low light shooting, shooting from cover, positional shooting, shooting while moving, shooting at moving targets, shoot or no-shoot scenario drills, shooting from a patrol vehicle and several others. Officers are trained in their pistols, patrol rifles and shotguns.
Emergency Vehicle Operations
Washington Game Wardens patrol in Chevy and Ford quarter and half ton pickup trucks. They are trained in operating those vehicles at high speeds as well as a slow speed skills course, which emphasizes sharp turns and backing the vehicle through a series of obstacles.
Game Wardens are also trained to use All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs/quads), which they also use for patrolling Washington State.
Reality Based Training (RBT)
Instructor Cadre from the Firearms, DT, EVOC and Tactical First Aid programs, develop reality based training scenarios. Officers in every Region across the state go through several scenarios every year which will encompass these different skills.
Tactical First Aid
Officers are trained in Tactical First Aid and are issued large tactical first aid kits as well as individual first aid kits (IFAK) for patrols away from their patrol vehicles