How to Become a Police Officer in Maryland

Baltimore, Maryland
Bowie, Maryland
Frederick, Maryland
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Rockville, Maryland

Becoming a Police Officer in Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore police jobs involve protecting the more than 641,000 citizens of Baltimore, Maryland. The Baltimore Police Department is the eighth largest municipal police department in the United States. With the Baltimore Police Department planning to hire 300 new police officers in 2013, there has never been a better time to learn how to become a police officer in Baltimore.

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If you want to know how to become a cop in Baltimore by meeting police officer requirements, follow the guidelines below:

Make sure you meet the requirements to become a police officer trainee
Pass a written examination and Physical Agility Test
Pass a psychological exam and turn in application and documentation
Pass a background interview, polygraph test, and physical exam
Complete Baltimore Police Officer training

Step 1. Meet Requirements to Become a Baltimore Police Officer Trainee

The Baltimore Police Department (BPD) has two categories for persons wishing to become a police officer in Baltimore: Police Cadets and Police Officer Trainees. Police Cadets may apply at age 18 and, if they pass all the steps in the hiring process, will work an administrative position until they are 20 years and 9 months old. Then they will enter the police academy for training. The following requirements are necessary in order to become a Baltimore Police Officer Trainee:

Age of at least 20 years and 9 months at the time of application
U.S. citizen
Have a high school diploma or GED
Have a valid driver’s license
Have no felony convictions
Meet prior drug use standards (discussed later)

If you meet these requirements, fill out the application become a Baltimore Police Officer Trainee. Although you will not be mailing your application to the Baltimore Police Department, you must gather the following information to have on hand in the event that you pass the preliminary exams and are called in for application review and processing:

Copy of your birth certificate
Copy of your high school diploma/GED certificate
Official high school transcript copies (must be sent directly from the high school to the BPD)
Copies of any college degrees and transcripts you possess
Copy of your driver’s license
Certified copy of current driving record
Copy of social security card
Official letter on school letterhead verifying graduation
Copies of other necessary documents (such as selective service, military service, marriage certificate, divorce decree)

Hold on to the completed application and information above until you are asked to bring it to the Baltimore Police Department.

Step 2. Pass a Written Examination and Physical Agility Test

You must pass a written examination, the Municipal Police Selection Test (MPST) as the first part of the hiring process to become a Baltimore Police Officer. This written Civil Service test consists of 100 multiple choice general knowledge questions. It is offered at the Recruitment Unit every Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. (at 601 E. Fayette Street, Baltimore, MD 21202). This exam is free to take and you need not schedule ahead of time – you can just walk in and take the exam. Make sure to bring a valid form of identification (such as a driver’s license) to the exam. Review this study guide for more information on the types of questions on the exam.

If you pass the Written Civil Service Exam, you must next schedule a Physical Agility Test. It consists of the following:

Complete 29 sit-ups in 60 seconds
Complete 10 push –ups (females) or 20 push –ups (males) in 60 seconds
Sit and reach 16.5 inches
Bench press 64% of your body weight
Complete a 1.5 mile run in 16 minutes 28 seconds
Show familiarity and control of a department .40 caliber Glock pistol with your strong hand and with your weak hand

You must pass all elements of the Physical Agility Test in order to move forward in the hiring process. If you fail the Physical Agility Test, you may reschedule and take it again.

Step 3. Pass a Psychological Exam and Turn in Job Application and Documents

The next step is to take a written psychological multiple-choice exam. At this time, you will also turn in your completed application for employment and supporting documentation (you will need an original and two copies of the application and each document). This information will be reviewed with you in a preliminary interview. You must be prepared to stay for at least four hours to complete this step.

Step 4. Pass a Background Interview, Polygraph Exam, Physical Exam and Background Investigation

If your application is reviewed favorably, you will be contacted to meet with a Background Investigator of the BPD Application Unit who has been assigned to you. This background interview should last approximately four hours. The Background Investigator will then begin a thorough background investigation of the information you have presented.

You will next undergo a polygraph exam, physical exam and psychological exam. Trained and licensed examiners will conduct all of these exams. Passing all of these exams will enable your application to be submitted for a hiring decision. It may also earn you an offer to become a Police Officer Trainee in the Baltimore Police Department.

You may check the status of your completed application at any time by clicking here.

Step 5. Complete Baltimore Police Officer Training

Congratulations! You have made it through the challenging application process and are now a Baltimore Police Officer Trainee! You will now report to a specified location for six months of entry-level training, consisting of 25 weeks of academic training and 10 weeks of field training. Classes will include defense tactics, law, emergency vehicle operation, and firearms. You will then be sent to one of the BPD’s nine patrol districts for your 10 weeks of field training. At the conclusion of training, you will be certified as a Baltimore Police Officer.

Becoming a Police Officer in Bowie, Maryland

Bowie is the second largest city in Maryland in terms of geographical area, and the fourth largest in terms of population. The Bowie Police Department is fairly young, having been established in 2006. Today, the Bowie Police Department supports jobs for approximately 40 sworn police officers. Becoming a police officer in Bowie requires passing a series of tests and assessments.

Do you wish to know how to become a cop in Bowie by meeting police officer requirements?

Verify that you meet the minimum qualifications
Pass a written examination and physical fitness test
Pass a background check and interview
Pass medical, psychological and physical fitness screening
Attend Bowie Police Officer Training

Step 1. Meet the Minimum Qualifications for Bowie Police Officer Candidacy

In order to apply for a job as a police officer in Bowie, Maryland, you must:

Be a U.S. citizen
Expect to be at least 21 when you would graduate from the Police Academy
Have a high school diploma/GED
Have a valid driver’s license
Have no more than one point on your driving record
Have no felony convictions

If you feel that you meet these qualifications, complete a City of Bowie Employment Application. Mail it to Bowie Police Department, Attn: Renee Hance, 15901 Excalibur Rd, Bowie, MD 20716.

Step 2. Pass a Written Examination and Physical Fitness Test

If your application is reviewed and deemed to be complete, you will be contacted by mail and notified of the date of the next Entry-Level Written Examination. You must schedule to take this general knowledge exam. Passing the exam is vital to continuing in the hiring process to become a police officer in Bowie.

You must also pass an Entry-Level Physical Fitness Test. This test is designed to make sure that you have the physical abilities necessary to complete Police Academy training and to serve as a police officer in Bowie. It is graded on a pass/fail basis, and failing any of the exercises will result in a failing grade for the entire test. You must:

Complete a certain number of sit-ups in one minute (based on your sex and age)
Complete a certain number of push-ups in one minute (based on sex and age)
Complete a 1.5 mile timed run (based on sex and age)
Drag a 160 lb dummy ten feet in nine seconds
Climb a five foot high wall in less than 15 seconds

Step 3. Pass a Background Check and Interview

If you pass the two tests above, you may be called for an interview. This will be conducted by members of the Bowie Police Department, and is intended to gauge your suitability for becoming a police officer in Bowie. Applicants who pass the interview will then undergo a complete background investigation. All aspects of your life will be checked, including:

Personal
Residential
Employment
Education
Financial/credit
Criminal
Driving/traffic
Drug or alcohol abuse
Medical and psychological records

Applicants who pass the background check will be issued a tentative offer of employment to become a police officer in Bowie. The offer depends upon you passing the final series of tests.

Step 4. Pass a Medical Exam, Physical Abilities Test, Psychological Exam and Drug Screening Test

Before you receive a firm offer to become a police officer in Bowie, you must pass tests designed to make sure you can handle the duties and responsibilities. A medical exam and more complete physical abilities test will ensure that you are physically and medically fit enough to work as a Bowie police officer. A psychological exam will assess your mental and emotional readiness to work in the Bowie Police Department. A drug-screening test will make sure that you are not taking any substances that would ban you from becoming a police officer in Bowie. If you pass this series of tests, you will receive a final offer to become a police officer in Bowie.

Step 5. Attend Bowie Police Officer Training

Congratulations! You are now a Police Officer (Cadet) in Bowie! You must complete state-mandated training, consisting of six months at a police academy and 10 to 12 weeks in the field with a fellow officer. Bowie utilizes the Howard County Police Academy and the Anne Arundel County Police Academy for training purposes.

Becoming a Police Officer in Frederick, Maryland

As of 2013, the Frederick, Maryland Police Department supports jobs for 141 sworn police officers. Frederick police jobs are rewarding and challenging, and involve protecting 65,000 members of the community.

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Becoming a Police Officer in Gaithersburg, Maryland

Gaithersburg police jobs involve protecting the 58,000 residents of the city of Gaithersburg along with the Montgomery County Police. Three bureaus exist within the nationally accredited Gaithersburg Police Department: Special Operations, Administrative and Operations. Becoming a police officer in Gaithersburg is a challenging task but one that is ultimately rewarding.

This guide offers directions on how to become a cop by meeting Police Officer requirements in Gaithersburg:

Confirm that you meet the minimum requirements
Pass a fitness test, written exam and oral interview
Pass a background investigation, voice stress analysis and interview with the Chief of Police
Pass medical, psychological and physical fitness assessments
Attend Gaithersburg Police Officer training

Step 1. Meet the Minimum Requirements for Gaithersburg Police Officer Candidacy

The Gaithersburg Police Department expects you to meet certain requirements before even applying to become a police officer. They are:

U.S. citizenship
Age 21 by the time you would be appointed
Valid Maryland driver’s license
Good driving record
High school diploma or GED
Have at least 30 college credits (life experience may be substituted if approved by the Chief of Police)
No felony or serious misdemeanor convictions
No current illegal drug usage

Do you meet these requirements? If so, apply online.

Step 2. Pass a Fitness Test, Written Exam and Oral Interview

If your application is reviewed favorably, you may be contacted to continue with the hiring process. The next step is to complete a preliminary physical fitness test. This includes:

Vertical jump (males- 18 inches; females – 13 inches)
Maximum number of sit-ups in one minute (should be at least 25)
Maximum number of continuous push-ups (should be at least 15)
Run 300 meters in 62 seconds (males) or 75 seconds (females)
Run 1.5 miles in 15 minutes 50 seconds

You must pass all components of the physical fitness test in order to continue in the application process.

Next, you must pass a written examination. You must provide a writing sample, writing for 30 minutes each about three of four provided topics. You must pass the standardized test portion of the exam, which is allotted one hour and a half. It assesses your abilities in:

Mathematics
Problem solving
Writing
Reading comprehension
Assertiveness
Interpersonal abilities
Ethics
Team orientation
Stress tolerance

If you pass the written examination, you will participate in a structured oral interview with three members of the Gaithersburg Police Department. This interview is used to assess your skills in making decisions, interpersonal communication, and oral communication.

Step 3. Pass a Background Investigation, Voice Stress Analysis and Interview with the Chief of Police

If you pass the above tests, you will next undergo a background check. This will investigate the following areas (including, but not limited to):

Prior drug use
Court records for traffic, criminal and civil cases involving you
Military records
Credit and bank records
Interviewing your family members
Interviewing present and prior employers and co workers from the past 10 years
Interviewing neighbors from the past 10 years
Check of your criminal records at local, state and national levels (includes fingerprinting)
Personal references check
Driving records check

You will also undergo a Computer Voice Stress Analysis. This will be conducted by licensed, trained individuals who will then interpret the results.

Finally, you will interview one-on-one with the Chief of Police. If this goes well, you will be given a conditional offer of employment as a Gaithersburg Police Officer. This employment offer is contingent upon you passing the tests listed in Step 4 below.

Step 4. Pass a Psychological Exam, Medical Exam and Physical Fitness Assessment

If you have received a conditional offer of employment to become a police officer in Gaithersburg, you must still pass certain pre-placement examinations and assessments. Failing any of these will result in the offer being rescinded. A pre-placement psychological assessment and emotional stability test will be conducted by a licensed professional appointed by the Gaithersburg Police Department. A health care professional appointed by the Department will also perform a medical exam, including a drug-screening test. Licensed professionals will also conduct a more complete physical fitness assessment. These tests are all performed at no cost to you.

If you pass all of the pre-placement examinations, you will earn a final offer of employment to become a police officer in Gaithersburg.

Step 5. Attend Gaithersburg Police Officer Training

Congratulations! You have passed the grueling hiring process and are now a Gaithersburg Police Officer candidate! The next step is to complete the mandatory police officer training. Maryland requires all Police Officers to complete training and become certified by the State of Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commission. This consists of about six months of academic and physical work. Then you will be placed on Field Training with a senior Police Officer in Gaithersburg for about 12 weeks.

You will be on probation for the first 24 months of your employment with the Gaithersburg Police Department.

Becoming a Police Officer in Rockville, Maryland

It may take up to six weeks to become a police officer in Rockville, from the time you apply to the time you are hired. The Rockville City Police Department consists of 57 sworn police officers and 36 civilians.

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