What is better than an amazing community?
Having a rewarding career to support it!
Public safety jobs are among the most important jobs in West Virginia because they ensure safe communities and support the high quality of life that the Mountain State is known for.
What are public safety jobs?
The goal of almost all public safety workers is to protect and support citizens and communities. Some common public safety jobs you’ll find in West Virginia are:
- State trooper
- Correctional officer
- Natural resources police officer
- Parole services worker
Why you should consider a job in public safety
These roles are not only critical to the local communities where they serve, but many public safety roles offer training, career paths, compensation and impressive benefits.
Are you ready for a job that’s more than just a job? Opportunities in West Virginia public safety are demanding but also extremely rewarding. Keep reading to find out where they’re hiring.
Which agencies are hiring in West Virginia?
The Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation
The Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation operates West Virginia’s prisons, jails and juvenile justice facilities.
The West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation is hiring now! There are opportunities to serve as correctional officers and non-uniform staff at agency facilities throughout the state. There are additional opportunities for recruits who excel: Special Operations, which includes the Corrections Emergency Response Team (CERT), the Crisis Negotiators Team (CNT), and K9 units.
They’ve raised the pay! The longer you stay, the more you earn
The starting salary for a correctional officer is now $30,664/year. Officers who complete one year of employment are guaranteed a promotion and a 7% pay hike, bringing their annual salaries to $32,810.
Pay increases further, to $35,106, after one year in that promoted position and officers advance further up the ranks as part of a clearly defined career path.
The benefits package for starting officers is around $13,776. It includes comprehensive indemnity health insurance, term life insurance, and a defined benefit pension plan.
Training is provided through the agency’s Corrections Academy.
West Virginia State Police
The West Virginia State Police is the premier law enforcement agency of the Mountain State, and the fourth oldest state police organization in the United States.
WV state police training
Potential cadets undergo competitive examinations, and upon acceptance complete a rigorous, 25-week course of training at the West Virginia State Police Academy. Training at the WV State Police Academy is paid: $2,833/month (for entry level). The starting salary after training is $45,784.
Career paths with the state police
In addition to a defined salary schedule, the West Virginia State Police offers a Career Progression System that allows members to remain in non-supervisory positions and receive elevation through the rank of corporal.
Members may also participate in a competitive process to pursue the supervisory ranks of sergeant through first lieutenant.
State police benefits
Pay with the WV state police is on a defined schedule, and salaried. Benefits include health and life insurance, including the option to join a managed care plan, as well as a defined benefit retirement plan.
West Virginia Division of Natural Resources
How about a job where you spend your time in West Virginia’s wonderful outdoors while also protecting it? The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WV DNR) Law Enforcement Section is home to the state’s oldest statewide law enforcement agency, established in 1897.
Natural Resources Police are primarily responsible for enforcing West Virginia’s game and fish laws and recreational boating safety laws and rules. The WV DNR Law Enforcement Section prides itself on certifying safe and ethical hunters with its Hunter Education Program, and safe boaters through its Boater Education Program.
Want to learn more about law enforcement jobs at the WV DNR?
West Virginia lies entirely within the Appalachian Mountains, and boasts more than 50 state parks, state forests, and management areas. Its mountains, rivers, highlands, and plateaus combine to offer a diverse habitat and a beautiful place to live and work. The agency’s most visible employees, Natural Resources Police Officers, operate throughout the state.
As state and national natural resource and recreation areas overlap, DNR officers frequently work in tandem with special agents from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the state’s animals and plants. Natural Resources Police Officers in West Virginia also perform search and rescue operations, take part in natural or manmade disaster recovery, and even work undercover to apprehend wildlife violators.
Public safety jobs in West Virginia: with challenges come rewards
DNR police officers in training are paid $31,222/year (starting pay) with increases based on rank and years in service. Officers also receive health and life insurance benefits, and a defined benefit retirement plan.
Being sworn law enforcement officers, Natural Resources Police Officers must attend the WV State Police Academy, and are required to pass a Physical Agility Test (PAT).
| DNR PAT Activity | Time limit | :——: | :——: | | 18 properly executed push-ups | 1 minute | | 28 properly executed sit-ups | 1 minute | | Swim 37.5 yards fully clothed + run 1.5 miles | 14 mins 36 seconds |
Once the PAT has concluded, a WV Division of Personnel written exam will be administered.
All DNR officer applicants must complete a a psychological evaluation, undergo a background investigation, and a medical fitness for duty examination before receiving an employment offer.
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This article is sponsored by WorkForce West Virginia. All opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.