A first step to becoming a police officer in Massachusetts should begin with looking and applying for an opening with a municipal police department.
Once past that hurdle, meeting all of the prerequisites the particular department may have to be hired conditionally, the candidate can begin the second stage of the process.
That stage begins with applying for, taking and passing a state civil service examination in order to be placed on a police eligibility list. You can take this test without being hired conditionally, but if you pass it you will not be cleared for the next step in the process until you find a job and are hired conditionally.
Requirements & Qualifications
The requirements to take this civil service test are a minimum age of 21, and a high school diploma or GED equivalency or at least three years in the U.S. armed forces with a discharge under honorable conditions. Information about how to apply for the test can be found at www.mass.gov/anf/employment-equal-access-disability/civil-serv-info.
Disqualifying Factors
Before applying for the test, however, be aware of several prohibitions that will disqualify candidates from becoming police officers in Massachusetts. One of these is smoking. A state law prohibits smoking by police officers at the time they are hired and after they are employed.
In addition, persons convicted of a felony will not be allowed to become a police officer in the state. A comprehensive background check will be conducted to verify that no felony convictions exist. Also, because police officers carry firearms, candidates convicted of any domestic abuse misdemeanor will be disqualified. That’s because federal law prohibits persons convicted of domestic abuse misdemeanors from carrying guns.
Civil Service Exam & Fitness Test Requirements
After passing the civil service test, candidates, if they haven’t already done so, should apply to be hired by a police department. Candidates who pass the test and have an offer of employment will then have to pass a Physical Abilities Test that is designed to mimic activities an officer might encounter on the job.
Candidates will have negotiate an obstacle course that simulates the inside and outside of a structure, pulling a weighted bag to the ground and simulate handcuffing. They will be given 7.1 seconds total to raise a handgun and squeeze the trigger six times with each hand.
They also will have to demonstrate crowd control ability by using a weighted bag and pulling it across a marked line and they will have to show they can drag a victim or suspect, this time by using a weighted dummy, dragging it over a straight course.
Candidates will have to pass a medical examination. Height, weight, cardiovascular, ears, eyes, nose, the respiratory system, visual and auditory acuity, pretty much everything involved in a comprehensive physical examination will be included. A basic mental status evaluation also will be made.
Police Training Academy Requirements
Once conditionally employed, candidates also undergo police academy training at one of state’s six regional academies. The program will be intense and long, 800 hours over 20 weeks and must be passed in order to receive certification as a full-time officer.
Police Officer Salary – Average Cop Salary in MA
According to the Bureau Of Labor Statistics (2010), a police officer in the state of Massachusetts makes between $54,500 – $60,270 per year. However the data collected by BLS aren’t very accurate since it does not record overtime pay or off duty work. These two factors, if included in the data, would increase the average salary of a police officer in MA.
Police Officer Jobs in MA
There are several law enforcement job openings in Massachusetts. Simply visit our Career Job Opening or go to the official website of the agency you are interested in to complete an application of employment. Below is a list of all the law enforcement agencies in the state of Massachusetts.
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