Full-Time Employment Process

Full-Time Employment Process

  • Application
  • Physical Fitness Test
  • Written Examination
  • Oral Examination
  • Background Investigation
  • Polygraph or CVSA Examination
  • Conditional Offer
  • Psychological Exam
  • Medical Exam
  • Final Offer

Application- To successfully apply, applicants must meet the Eligibility requirements. Applicants who do not meet the Eligibility Requirements will be disqualified. Applications must not contain material errors, omissions, or missing required documents.

            Requirements:

  • Possession of a diploma from an accredited high school or a graduate equivalency diploma
  • Must be a United States citizen
  • Be physically or mentally fit to perform the full duties of a police officer
  • Prior to appointment, possess a valid motor vehicle operator's license issued by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
  • Must have reached their 20th birthday before the deadline for submitting completed applications

Physical Fitness Test- Applicants who meet the Eligibility Requirements will move forward to a Physical Fitness Test. The physical fitness test consists of sit-ups, a 300-meter run, push-ups, and a 1.5-mile run. Applicants must pass each event.

Written Examination- Applicants who successfully complete the physical fitness test will move forward to the written examination. The written examination is traditionally held on the same day as the physical fitness test. The written examination shall be graded on a one-hundred-point scale, and an applicant must score 70% or higher to continue the application process. Any applicant scoring less than 70% shall be rejected. The applicant shall be given written notice of his or her test results within 30 days after the administration of the written examination, and any passing applicants shall be scheduled for an oral examination appointment.

Oral Examination- Every applicant who scored 70% or higher in the written examination shall be given an oral examination with a score of 70% or higher necessary for passing. The oral examination shall involve questioning the applicant on how he or she would handle situations relevant to police work. Within 30 days after the applicant's oral examination, he or she shall be informed of the score in his or her oral examination and the total overall score.

Eligibility List- At the completion of the oral examination, all passing applicants will be ranked, with the applicant receiving the highest score at the top of the list and the applicant receiving the lowest passing score at the bottom of the list. Applicants who qualify for preference points shall have those points added to their passing score prior to being ranked on the eligibility list. The written examination score will represent 70% of the final score, and the oral examination will represent 30% of the final score. The eligibility list shall be valid for one year from the date the Civil Service Commission formally adopts it.

Background Investigation- A select number of applicants will be invited for further processing based on the department's needs and the approval of the Shippensburg Council. Applicants will have a thorough, comprehensive background investigation conducted by the Shippensburg Police Department. The background investigation report will address each area of an applicant’s life, specifically addressing, but not limited to, the following areas: personal background, family, education, military, employment, character references, personal associates, legal/criminal/traffic history, credit, and residency.

Polygraph or CVSA Examination- As part of the background investigation, applicants will participate in a polygraph or CVSA examination.

Conditional Offer- Shippensburg Borough Council will be presented with three names by the Civil Service Commission. Council will select a candidate from the certified list. The candidate will be offered a conditional offer and required to complete a medical and psychological exam.

Psychological Exam- The psychological exam may include, but not be limited to, psychological examination elements outlined in the Municipal Police Officers' Education and Training Commission's Rules and Regulations for Officer Certification.

Medical Exam- The medical exam will consist of an exam of the applicant's overall fitness and health, hearing, and vision. The applicant will be subject to a physical examination to certify that the applicant is free from addictive or excessive use of either alcohol or drugs, which shall be determined using current laboratory test procedures.

Hearing: The applicant must be able to distinguish a normal whisper at 15 feet. The test shall be independently conducted for each ear, with the tested ear facing away from the speaker and the other ear firmly covered with the palm of the hand. If the applicant fails the whisper test, they must take and pass a decibel audio test using an audiometer with an average loss not to exceed 25 or more decibels at the 500Hz, 1000Hz, 2000Hz, and 3000Hz levels in either ear, with no single frequency loss in excess of 40 decibels. The applicant is prohibited from using a hearing aid during the testing.

Vision: The applicant must have a vision of at least 20/70, uncorrected, in the stronger eye, correctable to 20/20; and at least 20/200, uncorrected, in the weaker eye, correctable to at least 20/40; have normal depth perception, normal color vision, and must be free of any significant visual abnormality.

Final Offer- Upon successful completion of the requirements in the conditional offer, a final offer will presented to the applicant. Applicants without Act 120 or waiver will be required to attend the Harrisburg Area Community College Police Academy. Applicants will serve a twelve-month probationary period starting at the date of hire.