Chief Ranger - Public Safety & Law Enforcement

Virginia Information Technologies Agency•Chesterfield, VA

1d•$44,000 - $60,564•Onsite

About The Position

If you have always wanted to work in a beautiful and serene environment? Then we have the perfect position for you at Pocahontas State Park! We are hiring a Chief Ranger - Public Safety and Law Enforcement. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is the state’s lead conservation agency, and it takes a diverse agency to conserve resources for a diverse commonwealth. Virginia’s award-winning state park system, a division of DCR, boasts an incredible and diverse array of natural, cultural, historical, and recreational resources including parks in the mountains, on the ocean, on the Chesapeake Bay, on 8 major rivers, on 4 major lakes, 4 rail trails, 3 battlefield sites, and 32 sites listed on the National Historic Registry. Our parks encompass over 75,000 acres, offering campsites, cabins, trails, shorelines, lakes and ponds, international dark sky sites, and over 20,000 educational programs and workshops each year. The Chief Ranger – PS&LE position serves as a sworn, commissioned, and certified law enforcement officer as defined in the Code of Virginia § 9.1-101, with the responsibility to enforce the laws of the Commonwealth and the regulations of the Department.

Requirements

Experience working with the public and/or customer service experience.
Ability to problem solve and develop solutions.
Ability to work with teams or independently with minimal supervision.
Familiarity with 2-way radios, electronic devices, and computers, including Microsoft Office Suite.
Basic knowledge of home/grounds maintenance (e.g., cleaning, debris removal, or minor home maintenance).
Must possess and maintain Law Enforcement Officer certification through the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS).
Employee will be expected to obtain and maintain appropriate SAR certification(s) and support the DCR Search and Rescue (SAR) Team/Virginia Department of Emergency Management during operations at their group of assigned parks or a geographic area.
Employee will be expected to obtain and possess knowledge of controlled burns and wildfire response to provide appropriate public safety and law enforcement response at their assigned park(s) or a geographic area as approved by leadership of the Division of State Parks and OPSLE.
May also be required to obtain and maintain certifications to serve as First/Aid CPR Instructor, or obtain CPTED certification, or other similar activities as approved by leadership of the Division of State Parks and OPSLE.

Nice To Haves

Basic knowledge of park/recreation operations (e.g., building and grounds maintenance, resource management, etc.)
Experience in planning and conducting programs and events.
Experience in leading, directing, and training others.
Experience reaching logical conclusions from interpreting policy and regulations.
Experience in responding to or handling emergencies.

Responsibilities

Support Pocahontas State Park programs and services with special emphasis on providing public safety, law enforcement, and resource protection by enforcing park rules, regulations, and state laws.
Ensure the protection of people, property, and resources on land owned, leased, or operated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation through articulated and displayed specialized knowledge of public safety and law enforcement activities.
Patrol properties in a vehicle, on foot, and by other modes of transportation.
Assist with special events and search and rescue operations.
Respond to and conduct initial investigations of incidents, including felonies, crimes, and violations of rules, public use, safety requirements, and motor vehicle accidents, crowd control activities, responding to calls for public safety and law enforcement services, and proactively protecting property resources from all forms of degradation.
Serve as a public safety resource by interacting with park visitors.
Provides PSLE oversight at home and nearby park as required, including reviewing reports as requested and ensuring compliance with General Orders, laws, codes, and regulations. - serves as primary contact for daily LE operations with District Ranger, serving as Acting District Ranger when requested.
Provides ongoing law enforcement operational awareness and statistical awareness to the site PM for assigned sites, ensuring PM awareness of trends or issues that could impact site operations.
Requests and coordinates site-specific LE special operations proactively and in response to issues, coordinates preparation of assigned site event operational/security plans for routing to District Ranger and DM.
Coordinates scheduling of site Park Ranger PSLE with site PMs and District Ranger PSLE to ensure appropriate coverage.
Assisting in wilderness management, boundary enforcement, protection of natural and cultural resources (e.g., wildlife, plants, archaeological sites, historic buildings), and supporting wildland fire suppression protection, including such duties as wildlife management.
Maintaining Park boundaries and signage, marking forest roads/trails, and completing quarterly written trail inspections as well as other forms of written documentation.
Facilitates stewardship (e.g., diagnosing basic maintenance issues and ensuring public safety through basic facilities and grounds maintenance) and use of appropriate safety equipment and equipment.

Benefits

paid leave
a minimum of 13 paid state holidays per year
medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
retirement plans (including 401a Cash Match and 457 Deferred Compensation Plan for classified positions, and VaLORS for law enforcement positions)
federally recognized Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) employer
Free parking or admission to all Virginia State Parks.
DCR classified, retired, and wage staff (after six months of service) are entitled to overnight facility discounts, such as:
Free camping outside of the Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day period in sites designed for up to six people.
Free camping Sunday night through Thursday night (excluding the night before a holiday) from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.
Fifty percent discount on cabins (up to 3 bedrooms) outside of Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day, for a maximum of 14 nights. All reservations require a two-night minimum. Bunkhouses, camping cabins, and yurts are included; one-night yurt stays only receive a 25% discount.