Academy at Butte College

State Park Peace Officer Ranger/Lifeguard Academy at Butte College

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. 

Location: 
Allied Health and Public Services, Room 144
3536 Butte Campus Drive
Oroville, CA 95965

The Program: The California State Parks Academy seats up to 50 cadets. 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. This typically means an approximate 30/10 ratio of sponsored to self-sponsored cadets.

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 1400 hours of instruction in the 42 Learning Domains and Parks Operations instruction. Examination Announcement for State Park Peace Officer Cadet (Ranger) or State Park Peace Officer Cadet (Lifeguard) are posted on the Jobs Section of the Public Website.

 For more information on becoming a Park Ranger or Lifeguard, please email recruiting@parks.ca.gov.