Applying for police jobs in NJ/PA

[DontBurnMyFlag]

Hey guys, my names Kevin. Im just interest in How i would go about applying for a regular police officer job at a local department. Would I have to take a civil service exam, and then apply to the department or vice versa? Im still in school right now for criminal justice, Id just like to get a jump on how it works. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[ChesCopPodz]

The departments will give the civil service tests. If you apply to a certain department, you will take their test.

[mcsap]

Look for the ads ( typically in the Sunday papers) , see what they require ( if anything) and than start applying. You will usually have to pay an app fee of $25-$30. Thats gets you in the door for the written and the agility tests. The rest is how well you do.

[ExUSPP]

In New Jesey there are two types of police departments. There are Civil Service and Chief's Tests. To apply to the civil service departments check out the New Jersey Department of Personel website (I think it is NJDOP.gov). They give a test every two years and it covers you for all civil service departments you don't do any other applying until you are contacted by the department. They maintain a list of scores and they go right down the list. There is a catch though must departments have a residency requirement, if you don't live in the town at the time of the test they will not contact you. This test can also be used for the State Police, State Corrections, State & County Park Rangers, County Sheriffs, and County Corrections as well as municipal cops. Now for the chief's test you usualy have to hear about the test somehow first, which can be difficult. Check classified ads and contact the departments directly to find out about them. The problem with these are that the department usualy charges around $50 to take the test and then they can hire anyone that passes they do not have to go in order. So someone who has connections usualy gets the job.
It is a screwed up system. I was a county corrections officer in NJ for two years before moving to Virginia. The state is so corrupt, I couldn't live there anymore. One other thing you might try to do is a program called "Alternate Route." I know the Monmouth County Academy does it but I am unsure what other counties do it. In this program you pay your own way through the academy and then apply for jobs. Once you have been certified the towns that run chief's test will job all over you.