Police Officer (Testing & Employment Opportunities)
$6,000 HIRING INCENTIVE AVAILABLE TO NEW OFFICERS*
City of Harrisonburg Police Officer Testing & Employment Opportunities
The Harrisonburg Police Department has combined the testing registration and employment opportunities into one advertisement. Candidates interested in becoming a Police Officer with the HPD must apply to this posting, even if they are currently a certified officer. Candidates will not be considered for vacant Police Officer opportunities if they do not apply to this posting.
Police Officer Employment OpportunitiesThe City of Harrisonburg is currently accepting applications for individuals interested in joining HPD, which offers a rewarding career plus an excellent benefits package, including enhanced hazardous duty through the Virginia Retirement System (VRS). Find out more information in the Harrisonburg Police Officer Candidate Information Packet (Download PDF reader) and be sure to come back to this page to apply.
Police Officer I Candidates: Preferred hiring range of $20.95 – $24.09 per hour (equivalent to $43,576 – $50,107 annually).
Police Officer II Candidates: Preferred hiring range of $22.21 – $25.54 per hour (equivalent to $46,196 – $53,123 annually). An exact salary will be dependent upon the selected candidate’s qualifications and experience.
| *$6,000 Hiring Incentive | |
| Date of Hire | $2,000 |
| Completion of Initial Period of Employment | $2,000 |
| Date of Hire Anniversary (2 Years) | $1,000 |
| Date of Hire Anniversary (3 Years) | $1,000 |
To be considered for Police Officer I and II positions, you must meet the minimum requirements of the position (as stated below). Applicants who cannot meet the qualifications listed below for the Police Officer II level may be considered for the Police Officer I level at an annual rate commensurate with applicant qualifications.
Police Officer TestingThe City of Harrisonburg will be offering Police Officer testing on Saturday, August 27, 2022 and Saturday, September 24, 2022 at the Harrisonburg Police Department.
Candidates will be invited to the August 27, 2022 testing if the complete application is received by August 22, 2022 at 5:00pm. Candidates who submit a complete application after August 22, 2022 at 5:00pm but prior to September 19, 2022 at 5:00pm will be invited to the September 24, 2022 testing.
The City highly encourages interested applicants to attend the August 27, 2022 testing date as candidates who fail the August test will automatically be re-invited to the September testing date. The September 24, 2022 testing date is the last one for this calendar year, and candidates who fail the September testing will have to wait until 2023 to re-apply and re-test. At this time, those dates have not yet been determined.
Minimum Requirements for Police Officer I:
- High School Diploma or GED. College Degree or Military Experience, preferred.
- 21 years of age by completion of basic law enforcement academy (expected end date of May 18, 2023).
- U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident Alien with an application for Naturalization filed and pending with Immigration Services, if DCJS-approved.
- Valid driver’s license with acceptable record per City policy.
- Able to work 12-hour shift (6am – 6pm, 6pm – 6am, or 3pm – 3am).
- Ability to perform the physical requirements for this position.
- Must live or be willing to move within a one (1) hour drive of Harrisonburg, VA.
Minimum Requirements for Police Officer II:
- All minimum requirements stated above for the Police Officer I position.
- Currently certified as a Law Enforcement Officer through the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), the Federal Government or another state.
Registration Process:
- Registration is required for testing and can be completed online by selecting “apply” in the upper right corner of this posting on the City’s website. All registration applications must be received through the City of Harrisonburg Human Resources Department’s online application system no later than 5:00pm EST on Monday, September 19, 2022. The online application system will automatically end registration at the indicated deadline, even if applicants are in the middle of the registration process. Late registrations will not be accepted.
- After your registration has been received and reviewed by Human Resources and the HPD Professional Standards Unit, you will receive an email requesting your attendance at the next applicable testing date if you meet the minimum qualifications.
Applicants currently certified as a Law Enforcement Officer through the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), the Federal Government, or another state are exempt from the written test. An expedited recruitment timeline may be implemented for Certified Officers due to the written test exemption. Certified Officers will receive further communication from the HPD Professional Standards Unit regarding the next steps of the process after submitting the online registration.
The following provides information related to the testing process:
Written Test
- The written test will be given at the City of Harrisonburg Police Department at 101 N. Main Street in Harrisonburg, VA 22802.
- Check-in for testing begins at 0800 hours EST.
- Please bring a valid picture ID for proper identification (Ex: Driver’s License, passport, etc.).
- The testing will begin promptly at 0830 hours EST.
- It will take approximately 2 hours to complete.
- No one will be admitted to the test after the starting time.
Physical Ability Test
- The test will be given on the same day as the written test and will be held at the Harrisonburg Police Department’s Harper Presgraves Training Grounds. Directions to this location will be provided on the day of testing.
- Candidates taking the written test will proceed immediately to the physical ability test if they receive a passing grade on the written test.
- To participate in the testing, you must complete the electronic Waiver of Claim for Injury, which is supplemental question #8 on your online registration.
To be eligible for an open position with the Harrisonburg Police Department, you must complete and pass the written test (waived for certified Law Enforcement Officers) and physical ability test. Upon successful completion of the testing, you will be eligible for consideration in this particular recruitment process.Supplemental InformationThe selected candidates for this position will be subject to the following screenings and must receive satisfactory results:
- DMV Driving Record Review;
- Drug Screen;
- Personal History Statement*;
- Criminal Background Investigation, including Social Media Review & Fingerprinting;
- Credit Check;
- Physical Evaluation;
- Psychological Evaluation; and
- Polygraph.
*Due to the sensitive nature of this position’s essential functions, the successful applicants selected for the role will be required to submit a completed Personal History Statement. At a later date, more information will be provided to the candidates selected for this step in this process.
The following documents are some examples of what will be required at a later phase in the process: Social Security Card, Driver’s License, Passport, Birth Certificate, Marriage/Divorce Documents, DD214, Sealed College Transcripts and High School Diploma. These documents are not required at the time of the Personal History Statement submission. When the applicable documents are requested by the Harrisonburg Police Department, you will be expected to provide them.
If you have questions after reviewing this information, please contact the Human Resources Department at 540.432.8920 or employment@harrisonburgva.gov. Applicants who require reasonable accommodations during the application or testing process should contact Human Resources. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to participate in the recruitment process.
Veterans and minorities are encouraged to register and apply.
The City provides an excellent benefits package including health insurance, retirement (VRS with Enhanced Hazardous Duty Benefits, & MissionSquare), life insurance, paid leave, and holidays.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
The City of Harrisonburg is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Original source can be found here.
