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Integrity, Service and Protection

The Conservation Officer Service (COS) is the enforcement program of the Ministry of Environment. It supports the ministry's operational Divisions, and other government departments, by delivering compliance and enforcement services under both provincial and federal environmental legislation. The COS is also the lead program for managing and responding to wildlife/human conflicts where there is a risk to public safety.

As part of the ministry’s Compliance Division, the COS is overseen by the Chief Conservation Officer / Director of Enforcement and is administered from its headquarters in Victoria, B.C. The Deputy Chief in charge of Provincial Operations and the Deputy Chief in charge of HQ Program Resources are also based in Victoria. Provincial Operations consists of the Commercial Environmental Investigations Unit, the Special Investigations Unit, and the Ceremonial Unit. HQ Program Resources provides overall program direction in policy, training, planning, standards and information and reporting systems.

Field services, including inspections, investigations, public outreach and wildlife/human conflict response, are delivered regionally from 44 office locations by full time and seasonal conservation officers. District field offices report up to one of three regional centres, located in Nanaimo ( South Coast), Kamloops (Interior) and Prince George (Northern). Each region is headed by a Regional COS Manager who reports to the Chief Conservation Officer.

In cooperation with the Provincial Emergency Program, the COS operates a 24-hour Call Centre in Victoria to handle public reports of environmental violations and calls related to wildlife/human conflicts. Calls to the Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) tip-line are answered here.

The Conservation Officer Service is established under section 106 of the Environmental Management Act.