To become a police officer in New York City, a candidate must pass a series of tests which include a written civil service exam, a pre-hire interview, a medical exam, a written psychological exam, a job standard test, an oral psychological and a character investigation. The written exam scores are not available on the Internet or by phone.
Note that the written police exam is a civil service exam. Review the “Notice of Examination” which contains qualifications, eligibility rules and exam dates. See Resources.
Go to a Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Computerized Testing Center to complete the exam application and pay the required fee.
Take the exam. Since the test is computerized, you will receive a score immediately after finishing the exam. A score of 70% is considered passing; however, the score you receive at the conclusion of the test is not considered the official police exam score. The official results are sent by mail. According to the May 2011 Notice of Examination, “If you pass the multiple-choice test, your name will be placed in final score order on an eligible list and you will be given a list number.” When your name is reached on the eligibility list, you will be considered for employment.
Complete the required forms to finish the application process. See Resources.
Tip
Be sure to use the website tools provided for the written test and hiring process. The official score and eligibility list can take six weeks or longer to generate. It can take six months or longer to approve a candidate on the eligibility list and two years or more to verify the information given in the application. An eligibility list can last for up to four years.
Warning
Lying about any part of your personal history, felony convictions, a lack of discipline or disrespect of supervisors which led to discharge from employment can all be grounds for candidate disqualification.
