According to the New York City (NYC) Police Benevolent Association, an estimated 24,000 sworn police officers protect and serve the citizens of NYC. If you wish to join them, you must first demonstrate that you have what it takes to succeed in this challenging role.
Unlike other jobs that simply require a resume and an interview with a hiring manager, becoming a cop in the Big Apple requires an NYPD application, civil service exam, psychological evaluation, background check, NYPD physical test and more. Reading a summary of the steps involved helps demystify the process outlined in the NYPD Candidate Resource Booklet.
To be eligible for hire with the NYPD, you must be a U.S. citizen, have a valid New York driver's license and agree to reside in one of five New York boroughs or a nearby county. The NYPD recruiting website also states that candidates must also be between the ages of 21 and 35 at the time of appointment; however, waivers may be granted for candidates with a history of active duty in the military.
Advertisement Article continues below this adEducation and training requirements can be met by providing transcripts verifying 60 college credits and a 2.0 minimum GPA. Or you can submit papers attesting that you served two or more years of active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces. Either will suffice.
You will be disqualified from moving forward in the process if you have a prior felony conviction, domestic violence charges or a dishonorable military discharge. Other disqualifiers include a history of job termination, problems with authority or disregard for the law. Such red flags suggest instability, volatility and questionable motives for wanting to become a cop.
You must pass a written entrance exam before you will be allowed to move forward in the hiring process. This civil service exam assesses powers of observation, attention to detail, memory, reading comprehension, logical reasoning, visualization and spatial orientation. Impressive scores on the test offer a competitive edge.
Advertisement Article continues below this adA test-preparation booklet with sample questions and answers is available on the NYPD website. The exam is administered by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services and takes up to two and a half hours.
Police work demands agility, stamina and physicality. NYPD requires candidates to pass a gender-neutral job standards test to demonstrate that they are able to carry out everyday law enforcement duties. Candidates have four minutes and 28 seconds to perform a series of exercises similar to the tasks that a police officer performs in the line of duty. Report for the NYPD physical test wearing a sweatshirt with sweatpants, athletic footwear and batting-style gloves.
Advertisement Article continues below this adNew York City police officers must be emotionally stable and mentally equipped to handle stressful situations. As part of the interview process, candidates will be asked to complete forms authorizing and releasing the results of a medical examination and a thorough background check with fingerprinting, along with alcohol and drug screening. Further, you must take extensive written psychological tests and meet with a psychologist for an oral interview.
The highest-scoring candidates will be invited to a pre-employment interview and placed on a list for upcoming police academy training. If offered a job, you will report to the police academy in Queens for several weeks of training. Along with other trainees, you will study subjects such as community policing, counterterrorism measures, intelligence gathering, surveillance and de-escalation strategies. You will also participate in realistic training scenarios on the 32-acre Queens campus.
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Base salary for an NYPD police officer starts at $42,500 per year. In roughly five years, the NYPD officer averages $85,292. In addition to their base salary, officers may receive compensation for overtime, holidays and nights. The earning income potential for experienced officers can exceed $100,000 per year.