Police Officer Preparation & Law Enforcement Resource - Archive

I will graduate from college in early may with a 4 year degree in criminal justice and am very interested in becoming a PA state trooper, does anybody have in advice with preparation to do so and have a heads up on some of the competition I will face?

I have to admit that you may be coming into a good time to get on the job with PSP. About 25 years ago, they started a major hiring phase with excellent retirement benefits. Now, 20-25 years later, those guys are starting to retire and they will need a lot of new bodies to fill those gaps.

As for competition, if you get on the job you are looking at full retirement benefits while recieving 75% of your highest year's pay for the rest of your life. Not too shabby, so they tend to attract pretty good people. Also, military folks get a 10 point bump with their combined written and oral exams, so that can be tough, though not impossible (I managed to get on without any military background).

As for what to do, I assume you have checked the website. It should be PATrooper.com (if memory serves me correctly).

I would recommend signing up for the written test now. The entire applicant process takes at least ten months and usually a year, if not more. You can always delay your entry class if needed. Also, you may want to look into taking as many law enforcement written exams as possible just to get that experience. They have different tests, so the more you see the better prepared you will be. Like the SAT's, there is generally no real way to study for it.

And, just in case I have to coach you one day. Do me a favor and learn where the period button is on your keyboard. Just a pet peeve of mine.

That said, if you have anything else you'd like to know, please ask. I'll help you as best as I can with information.

One word of advice-
RUN RUN RUN RUN RIUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN