Minnesota DNR Accepting CO Prep Applications Through March 31

Anyone with a two-year degree and an interest in conservation work has until March 31 to apply for the Minnesota DNR's Conservation Officer Prep program, which deliberately bypasses the law enforcement experience requirement that blocks many candidates from pursuing the career.

The DNR's Enforcement Division opened the CO Prep application window March 2, describing the program as "one of the ways the DNR creates a workforce that more closely resembles the diverse communities that conservation officers serve." Under Peace Officer Standard and Training Board licensing requirements, candidates need at least a two-year degree but no prior law enforcement background.

The division hosted the first of two virtual open house sessions March 5, livestreamed at noon on its Enforcement Division Facebook page. The second session runs at noon Tuesday, March 17, following the same format: a presentation covering conservation officer careers and the hiring process, followed by a live question-and-answer period. Both sessions streamed at facebook.com/MN.DNR.Enforcement.

Accepted candidates face a demanding multi-phase training schedule stretching more than a year. The classroom phase begins in late November 2026 with 22 weeks at Hennepin Technical College, running through late April 2027. From there, recruits move to the Conservation Officer Academy at Camp Ripley for 16 weeks of academy training, spanning May through late August 2027. The final phase puts new officers in the field alongside experienced conservation officers for roughly four months, from late August through mid-December 2027.

Applications and additional program details are available at mndnr.gov/enforcement/careers. The window closes March 31.