The Peru Gazette

Albany, Feb. 18, 2026 – New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton today announced DEC is holding academies for its newest classes of Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) and Forest Rangers. The six-month training academies will prepare up to 50 of DEC’s newest recruits for careers protecting New York State’s natural resources in the Divisions of Law Enforcement and Forest Protection.

“DEC Forest Rangers and ECOs each have a rich history of conservation and public protection in New York, and that storied legacy will continue with the newest additions to our ranks,” Commissioner Lefton said. “These specialized and rigorous training academies ensure graduates will have the skills needed to protect our resources and communities, and I am excited for all candidates having safe and educational starts to incredibly rewarding careers.”

ECOs, originally called Game Protectors, were first appointed for service in 1880. The first Forest Rangers, originally known as Fire Wardens, were put into service in 1885 when the New York State Legislature established the Forest Preserve of New York State.

The ECO training for the 25th Basic School for Uniformed Officers began on February 15 at the DEC Division of Law Enforcement Training Academy in Pulaski, which has served as the home for the training program for the last several years. Forest Ranger training begins on March 15 at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) Huntington Wildlife Forest in Newcomb Campus, with transitions to the Ranger School in the Hamlet of Wanakena thereafter. Ranger recruits are also expected to have a short stint at the State Preparedness Training Center in Oriskany.

ECO job duties are centered on the 71 chapters of New York State Environmental Conservation Law and range from deer poaching to solid waste dumping, illegal mining, the black-market pet trade, and emissions violations. In 2025, ECOs and Investigators across the state responded to more than 35,575 complaints and worked on cases that resulted in 15,673 tickets or arrests. Currently there are 279 ECOs serving statewide.

DEC Division of Law Enforcement Director Karen Przyklek said, “ECOs enforce New York’s Environmental Conservation Law that is protective of public health, our air, water, fish, and wildlife. As our new recruits embark on this strenuous training journey, I encourage them to work hard, follow directions, remain focused, and truly embrace the immense responsibility required to safeguard our natural resources and hold lawbreakers accountable.”

Forest Ranger duties focus on the public’s use of DEC-administered State lands and easements and can span from patrolling State properties to conducting search and rescue operations and fighting wildland fires.

In 2025, DEC Forest Rangers conducted 362 search and rescue missions, extinguished 202 wildfires covering 840 acres, participated in 68 prescribed fires that served to rejuvenate 1,649 acres of land, and worked on cases that resulted in more than 1,100 tickets or arrests. Also in 2025, 41 Forest Rangers were deployed to fire assignments in 10 different states. Currently there are 147 Forest Rangers serving statewide.

DEC Division of Forest Protection Director Melinda Seiden said, “We are looking forward to bolstering the ranks of our already impressive force of Forest Rangers to better protect the public and our natural resources. Rangers put their lives on the line when responding to search and rescue missions, wildland fires, and law enforcement. The Academy will prepare the recruits to join other Forest Rangers in the field.”

DEC continues robust recruitment efforts to ensure police forces can successfully meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. The recruits in this newest class were selected from an eligible list of qualifications and passing scores generated from the nearly 10,000 applicants for the most recent Civil Service exam in November 2025.

To view job qualifications for ECOs, visit the “Environmental Conservation Police Officer” webpage; for Forest Rangers, visit the “Forest Ranger 1” webpage.