How to Become a Cop in New Jersey
- 1). Meet the baseline education requirements. At the local level, applicants are commonly eligible for consideration with a high school diploma. The New Jersey State Police requires that applicants have a bachelor's degree from a college or university or the combination of an associate's degree or 60 credit hours of college education with at least two years of professional working experience. Check with your local police department to confirm the academic requirements.
- 2). Confirm that you meet all personal requirements. New Jersey officers must be at least 18 years old in some locations and no older than 35 at the time they apply for consideration. State police candidates must be at least 21 years old for consideration. Regardless of the location in the state, candidates must possess a state-issued driver's license in good standing, active U.S. citizenship and a clear criminal record including no felony or misdemeanor convictions. You will be required to provide proof of residence in the area you wish to serve at the time of application. You should be physically fit to endure the rigors of the fitness test and physical training required if you are accepted into the police academy.
- 3). Contact a police recruiter. Visit your local police department website for preliminary information about becoming an officer and instructions on how to apply. For state police, contact a recruiter by calling 1-877-NJSP-877. Discuss your interest in a state police career with the recruiter to learn more about the application process and future hiring and police academy admission periods. Inquire about career nights or open house events that present the recruitment and training process for recruits.
- 4). Complete an application. The application will be used to screen your initial qualifications and determine whether your education, previous experience and personal record are suitable for consideration for the police academy. During hiring periods, the application will be available for download directly on the police department website. You can also contact your local police department to inquire about applications if no information is provided online.
- 5). Pass all pre-qualifying physical, mental and behavioral evaluations. All police departments in New Jersey will require candidates to pass a combination of written and fitness tests and complete a personal evaluation to be accepted into a formal police training program. A medical examination, including a drug test, will be required prior to your acceptance into any police academy to confirm that you are physically healthy enough to endure the training process.
- 6). Pass policy academy training. If you have satisfactorily passed all evaluations and the basic qualifications, you may be selected to complete police training at the designated police academy for the state or local department to which you have applied. Programs may last 20 or more weeks and will include physical training in self-defense, physical conditioning as well as firearms training and classroom instruction. Individuals will be required to pass evaluation exams for all learning units to demonstrate readiness. Successful completion of training at the academy will mark the beginning of your career as an entry-level officer ready to be assigned to the field.