Law Enforcement Academy - Basic/State Parks EmphasisAS DegreeCertificate of Achievement

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Community of interest
Health & Public Services
Award
AS Degree
Program code
35937.00AS
Department
State Parks Academy
CIP code
43.0107: Criminal Justice/Police Science.
TOP code
2105.00 - Administration of Justice*
The Law Enforcement Academy program (State Parks emphasis) is designed to prepare students to meet entry-level requirements for jobs in the law enforcement profession generally, and with the California Department of Parks and Recreation specifically. The curriculum has sufficient breadth to allow students to pursue a career in a variety of law enforcement agencies in peace officer positions. This academy also emphasizes laws and regulations regularly enforced by the Department of Parks and Recreation. Careers in law enforcement as peace officers are constantly open statewide. There are currently thousands of peace officer job openings in the State of California, with at least 2770 additional openings expected each year for the next several years. Additionally, the State of California, Department of Parks and Recreation has over 125 current vacancies and is experiencing approximately 55-60 peace officer vacancies each year. Satisfactory completion of the Butte College Basic Law Enforcement Academy with a State Parks emphasis meets the 42 Learning Domain requirements for the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training and qualifies graduates to apply for these entry-level peace officer positions. Admission to the Program: Students are admitted to this program by special application only. Students must either be approved, accepted and employed as State Park Peace Officer Cadet Rangers or Lifeguards for the California Department of Parks and Recreation or as peace officer trainees by a California law enforcement agency, or they must meet the following requirements: Must have a high school diploma from an accredited high school, or a GED Certificate; Must pass Peace Officer Standards and Training Entry Level Law Enforcement Test Battery (PELLET-B) exam with a score of 42 or higher; Must pass Law Enforcement Academy Physical Training Test, a 1.5-mile run which must be completed in 15 minutes or less, or another agency developed physical agility test, no more than 3 months prior to the first day of the academy; Must complete Butte College Law Enforcement Academy Orientation; Must possess a valid, unrestricted driver's license with no current or recent suspensions; Must provide California Department of Justice clearance within 90 days of the start of the academy which confirms that the applicant has no felony or misdemeanor convictions or circumstances which would prohibit possession of a firearm; and Must provide proof of completion of a medical suitability examination Additional information about the Butte College Law Enforcement Academy-Basic/State Parks Emphasis, and application for admission to the program, is available at: www.butte.edu/departments/careertech/publicsafety/state-park-ranger.html
Program detailsAward, code, department, CIP/TOP

Program Snapshot

Community of interest
HPS Health & Public Services
Award
AS Degree
Program code
35937.00AS
Department
State Parks Academy
CIP code
43.0107: Criminal Justice/Police Science.
TOP code
2105.00 - Administration of Justice*

Next Steps

Map Class Schedule

Pick a term:

Fall 2026Winter 2027Spring 2027Summer 2027

This will open the term course schedule not including GE requirements.

Program Schedule ReportMeet with a counselor
Law Enforcement Academy - Basic/State Parks Emphasis
AS Degree — expand to learn about this award

The Associate of Science is typically awarded for Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) and Career Technical Education (CTE) programs. Like every Butte College associate degree, it has two parts: a general-education curriculum that gives you a broad base of knowledge, and an academic program where you specialize.

About General Education. GE is an integrated program of learning designed to foster intellectual curiosity, cultural understanding, critical thinking, creative reasoning, oral and written communication, and the capacity for ethical reasoning. By graduation, you'll have developed the ability to think critically, communicate clearly, apply quantitative reasoning, understand how the major academic disciplines ask their questions, comprehend diverse cultures and historical periods, and assess ethical problems — alongside the depth you build in your major.

See the 2026-27 Catalog for official program details

Semester-by-Semester Map

Term 1

Class Schedules

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Fall 2026Winter 2027Spring 2027Summer 2027

This will open the term course schedule not including GE requirements.

47.5 units
AJLE 100
Law Enforcement Academy Physical Training
2 units
course details

This course conforms to the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Basic Law Enforcement Academy requirements for Learning Domain #32, Lifetime Fitness. The course provides an overview of physical fitness for a healthy lifestyle for peace officers. Topics include proper nutrition, common health problems, causes of stress, stress management and physical conditioning.

Corequisite: AJLE 130, AJLE 140 or AJLE 141

View full course outline for AJLE 100

AJLE 130
Law Enforcement Academy; Basic/State Parks Emphasis
45.5 units
course details

This course prepares the student for a career as a peace officer with an emphasis on the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), under the authority of the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.). The curriculum covers learning domains (LDs) ranging from academic subjects in criminal law, investigation and patrol procedures to psychomotor skills in defensive tactics, firearms training, driving skills and officer-violator contacts. The successful completion of this course will allow the student to meet a prerequisite for employment as a peace officer in California (valid for three years after graduation) and lead to the issuance of a Basic Law Enforcement Certificate from P.O.S.T. after field training and one year of approved field service at a law enforcement agency. Graded only.

Prerequisite: Must be approved, accepted and employed as a State Park Peace Officer Cadet (Ranger or Lifeguard) for the California Department of Parks and Recreation or as a peace officer trainee by a California law enforcement agency OR must have a high school diploma from an accredited high school, or a GED certificate. Additional requirements: Must pass Peace Officer Standards and Training Entry Level Law Enforcement Test Battery (PELLET-B) exam with a score of 42 or higher; AND must pass Law Enforcement Academy Physical Training Test, a 1.5 mile run which must be completed in 15 minutes or less, and no more than 3 months prior to the first day of the academy; AND Must complete Butte College Law Enforcement Academy orientation; AND must possess a valid unrestricted driver's license with no current or recent suspensions; AND must provide a Department of Justice clearance within 90 days prior to the start of the academy which confirms the applicant has no felony or misdemeanor convictions which would prohibit possession of a firearm; AND must provide proof of completion of a medical suitability examination.

Corequisite: AJLE 100

View full course outline for AJLE 130

Term 2

Class Schedules

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Fall 2026Winter 2027Spring 2027Summer 2027

This will open the term course schedule not including GE requirements.

12–15 units

General Education: Area 1A

about Area 1A

English Composition

Baccalaureate-level academic writing — expository and argumentative. The foundation for every other course you'll write in.

General Education: Area 2

about Area 2

Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning

College-level mathematics or quantitative reasoning — the toolkit behind science, business, and informed citizenship.

General Education: Area 4

about Area 4

Social and Behavioral Sciences

The systematic study of people as members of society — cultural anthropology, cultural geography, economics, history, political science, psychology, sociology — and the methods these disciplines use to ask their questions.

General Education: Area 6

about Area 6

Ethnic Studies

The histories, experiences, and contributions of the four autonomous disciplines: Black / African American / Africana studies, Native American studies, Chicano/a/x and Latino/a/x studies, and Asian American studies.

Term 3

Class Schedules

Pick a term:

Fall 2026Winter 2027Spring 2027Summer 2027

This will open the term course schedule not including GE requirements.

9–12 units

General Education: Area 1B

about Area 1B

Oral Communication and Critical Thinking

Baccalaureate-level oral communication and/or critical thinking — speaking with structure to a live audience, analyzing arguments, identifying assumptions.

General Education: Area 3

about Area 3

Arts and Humanities

How people and cultures, across time, respond to themselves and the world through artistic and cultural creative production. Visual and performing arts, art history, foreign languages, literature, philosophy, religion.

General Education: Area 5

about Area 5

Physical and Biological Sciences

The physical universe, its life forms, and its natural phenomena — astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, meteorology, oceanography, physics — taught alongside the scientific method that makes them work.

Career Connections

2-Year Degree Paths

Entry points students may pursue after associate-level study, technical preparation, or licensure pathways.

Example roles: 4

  • Private Detectives and Investigators
  • Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers
  • Detectives and Criminal Investigators

4-Year Degree Paths

Roles that more often open up after transfer and a bachelor's degree.

No locally mapped occupations in the current dataset are grouped into the 4-year pathway for this program.

Graduate School Paths

Advanced roles commonly associated with graduate, professional, or post-baccalaureate study.

Example roles: 1

  • Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, Postsecondary

Local Job Market

Private Detectives and InvestigatorsSOC 33-902137 nearby openings

Search keyword used: investigator · Search window: last 30 days, 25-mile radius · Avg listed salary: $77,587/yr

Top employers in sample

  • Tyme Maidu Tribe 6
  • Butte County 2
  • Victor Careers 2
  • Air Methods 1
  • Amain.com 1

Where the postings are

  • Chico, Butte County 9
  • Las Plumas, Butte County 6
  • Thermalito, Butte County 2
  • Butte Creek, Butte County 1
  • Chapmantown, Butte County 1

Sample current postings

  1. Safety CoordinatorK2 Staffing · Chico, Butte County · today
  2. Helicopter PilotAir Methods · Live Oak, Sutter County · 1 day ago
  3. Analyst - IT Service ManagementMaximus · Chico, Butte County · 2 days ago
  4. Drop/Count Team MemberTyme Maidu Tribe · Las Plumas, Butte County · 2 days ago
  5. OSP Utility Locator Technician - Chico, CARace Communications · Chico, Butte County · 3 days ago

See all openings on Adzuna

Police and Sheriff’s Patrol OfficersSOC 33-305119 nearby openings

Search keyword used: law enforcement · Search window: last 30 days, 25-mile radius · Avg listed salary: $81,378/yr

Top employers in sample

  • Butte County 8
  • Armed Guard Private Security 2
  • Enloe Health 2
  • Salvation Army Careers 2
  • Target 2

Where the postings are

  • Thermalito, Butte County 9
  • Chico, Butte County 8
  • Butte Creek, Butte County 1
  • Linda, Yuba County 1

Sample current postings

  1. Executive Personal Assistant (Administration)Armed Guard Private Security · Chico, Butte County · today
  2. Correctional Technician IButte County · Thermalito, Butte County · 1 day ago
  3. Contract PhysicanButte County · Thermalito, Butte County · 2 days ago
  4. Asset Protection SpecialistHome Depot · Thermalito, Butte County · 3 days ago
  5. Case ManagerSalvation Army Careers · Chico, Butte County · 4 days ago

See all openings on Adzuna

Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsSOC 33-302113 nearby openings

Search keyword used: detective · Search window: last 30 days, 25-mile radius · Avg listed salary: $58,733/yr

Top employers in sample

  • CORA 3
  • HALO Diagnostics 3
  • Armed Guard Private Security 1
  • Bank of America 1
  • Enloe Medical Center 1

Where the postings are

  • Chico, Butte County 8
  • Oregon, Butte County 3
  • Las Plumas, Butte County 1
  • Pennington, Sutter County 1

Sample current postings

  1. Senior Operations EngineerLumen · Chico, Butte County · 3 days ago
  2. OSP Utility Locator Technician - Chico, CARace Communications · Chico, Butte County · 3 days ago
  3. Vice President; Software EngineerBank of America · Pennington, Sutter County · 4 days ago
  4. Tech - MTEnloe Medical Center · Chico, Butte County · 2 weeks ago
  5. Patient Navigator - Chico, CAHALO Diagnostics · Chico, Butte County · 2 weeks ago

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BailiffsSOC 33-30111 nearby opening

Search keyword used: court security · Search window: last 30 days, 25-mile radius · Avg listed salary: $49,368/yr

Top employers in sample

  • Butte County 1

Where the postings are

  • Thermalito, Butte County 1

Sample current postings

  1. Correctional Technician IButte County · Thermalito, Butte County · 1 day ago

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Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-11114 nearby openings

Search keyword used: criminal justice · Search window: last 30 days, 25-mile radius · Avg listed salary: $64,430/yr

Top employers in sample

  • Butte County 2
  • Superior Court of California, County of Butte 2

Where the postings are

  • Chico, Butte County 2
  • Thermalito, Butte County 2

Sample current postings

  1. Compliance Specialist ISuperior Court of California, County of Butte · Chico, Butte County · 2 days ago
  2. Lead Compliance SpecialistSuperior Court of California, County of Butte · Chico, Butte County · 2 days ago
  3. Public Safety Dispatcher IButte County · Thermalito, Butte County · 7 days ago
  4. Deputy Probation Officer II/IIIButte County · Thermalito, Butte County · 3 weeks ago

See all openings on Adzuna

Posting counts come from Adzuna's index of US job boards, covering the last 30 days within 25 miles of ZIP 95965. Coverage and salary visibility vary by employer. Empty searches expand the radius and posting window before the section gives up.

Source Notes

Course sequencing is generated from the Acadia Program Mapper cache. Career groupings use local CIP-to-SOC mappings and BLS occupation data when available. Confirm education plans with Counseling and Advising.

Live wage data was not available from the BLS helper for the mapped occupations, so some pay fields may be blank.

Last generated 2026-07-05T17:02+00:00