Officer Requirements

• Citizen of the United States, or possess naturalization papers
• Permanent residence within Allegheny County within one year of employment with proof of residency
• Current and valid Pennsylvania motor vehicle driver's license
• High school diploma or GED equivalent
• At least 18 years of age at date of application

• Allegheny County Human Resources will post job announcements and applications online
• Any applicant claiming veteran's preference must submit a photocopy of the DD214 form with the application
• Ten additional points will be added to the passing scores of eligible veterans.
  • Widow(ers) claiming a spouse's veterans points must submit a copy of the spouse’s death certificate along with the DD214 form
  • Women who served in the Armed Forces under their maiden names must submit proof of name change
• A written examination will be given covering the knowledge, skills and abilities related to the duties of a Patrol Officer
• A ranked list of passing scores on the written examination will be established and will be valid for a period of three years
• County Police Administration will determine the number of officers that will be hired during the next six-month cycle, typically in January and July each year
• Once it is determined how many officers will be hired, a detective will contact a pool of candidates in rank order for the purpose of administering a physical agility assessment in compliance with MPOETC standards
• Candidates who are contacted and subsequently pass the physical agility assessment will then be subjected to a rigorous background check to include a polygraph examination
• Candidates who complete the background and polygraph with satisfactory results will be scheduled for an oral board interview with County Police Command Staff members
• Immediately following the oral board interview, candidates who successfully pass will complete a psychological assessment and the Nelson Denney reading test
• After successfully completing all of the above, the Superintendent of Police may extend a conditional offer of employment to the candidates
• After receiving a conditional offer of employment, candidates then must successfully complete psychological and medical examinations to include a drug test
• All candidates must complete a full physical examination prior to appointment. Vision must be 20/20 corrected, and weight must be proportional to height as determined by the doctor
• Candidates who successfully complete all of the above may receive a final offer of employment with the Allegheny County Police

Officers who are hired and are already certified by MPOETC will complete a one week department orientation that covers employment paperwork, policy and procedure, familiarization with our information and reporting systems, and firing range classes and qualifications. Completion of these steps will permit entry into the Field Training Program.

During Field Training, Patrol Officers will be paired with certified Field Training Officers while rotating through the three main patrol districts; North Park, South Park, and Pittsburgh International Airport. While on field training, probationary officers will rotate through various districts, shifts, and Field Training Officers.

Candidates who are hired and are not already certified by MPOETC will first enter into the next police academy class as a cadet. After successfully completing the six month police academy, newly certified officers will then complete the one week department orientation and then enter the field training program as described above.

All newly hired officers, regardless of previous certification, are placed on an 18-month probationary period beginning on their hire date. During this period, officers are closely monitored and supervised and are subject to monthly performance evaluations by their superior officers. Officers must satisfactorily complete their probationary period to be retained by the department as a Patrol Officer. After completing the 18-month probationary period, Patrol Officers are able to submit transfer requests to any of the department's specialty units/assignments. Transfers are based on merit, performance evaluations, and staffing needs.