Safety & Security Officer Trainee

You must review important information on the New York State Department of Civil Service COVID-19 policy that applies to all candidates sitting for in-person Civil Service examinations being administered at a New York State test center. You can access our full policy on the Department of Civil Service website.

*Due to the size of the candidate population for this test date, you may be assigned to either Saturday, March 4; Sunday, March 5; Saturday, March 11; or Sunday, March 12 to take your test. Your admission notice will tell you where and when you are scheduled to appear. You cannot request or change your scheduled day.

Due to current testing space limitations, candidates may need to travel to a test site to take this examination. Candidates will be notified of their test site location on their admission notice.

Appointees who work in the five boroughs of New York City or in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, or Westchester Counties will receive an additional $1,827 annual downstate adjustment. Appointees who work in Dutchess, Orange, or Putnam Counties will receive an additional $975 annual mid-Hudson adjustment.

Back To Top

Minimum Qualifications

On or before March 4, 2023, you must have a High School Diploma or High School Equivalency Diploma or similar equivalency such as a General Education Development Certification or higher degree.

• If you expect to meet the educational requirements, you can take the written test. You MUST submit proof of successful completion of the educational requirements to the appointing authority at the time of the employment interview or you will not be considered for appointment. Failure to meet the educational requirements, may result in your removal from the eligible list.
• Your required educational credentials must have been awarded by an educational institution accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the United States (U.S.) Department of Education/Secretary of Education. If awarded by an institution outside of the U.S. and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. A list of companies that provide these services (fees must be paid to the company you choose) can be found at: http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm.

Additional Requirements for Appointment:

1. Background Investigation/Justice Center Review: In some agencies, the names of all prospective employees will

   • be checked against the Staff Exclusion List (SEL), maintained by the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs. Prospective employees whose names appear on the SEL as having been found responsible for serious or repeated acts of abuse or neglect will be barred from appointment and may have their names removed from the eligible list(s) for the title(s);
   • be investigated through a Criminal Background Check (CBC). You must report all convictions. Conviction of a felony or misdemeanor or any falsified or omitted information may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment. Each case will be determined on its own merits, consistent with the applicable provisions of state and federal law;

   And may

   • be screened against the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR). Prospective employees whose names appear on the SCR may be barred from appointment.

   You are responsible for payment of all required fees.

2. Language Proficiency: If you pass the examination and apply to a title which requires language proficiency, you must demonstrate your language proficiency at a level that will ensure your ability to perform the duties of the position properly. The proficiency test will only be given to enough candidates to fill current vacancies.
3. Medicaid and Medicare: To be eligible for appointment and maintain employment, you cannot be listed as an excluded individual or entity on any of the Federal and/or State Medicaid and Medicare exclusion lists (or excluded from any other Federal or Federally assisted program). You may be barred from appointment or your employment may be terminated at any time if you are listed as an excluded individual or entity on any of these lists (or excluded from any other Federal or Federally assisted program).
4. Physical/Medical: An evaluation of your physical and medical condition will be done to ensure that you are able to perform the duties of this position with or without reasonable accommodation. The physical/medical standards include but are not limited to height and weight, speech, vision, hearing, cardiovascular, respiratory system, and neurological health requirements. A complete statement of the physical and medical standards is available at: http://www.cs.ny.gov/ehs/forms.cfm. A medical examination is required prior to appointment and you are responsible for payment of the clinical laboratory test fee.
5. United State Citizenship and New York State Residency: Although not required for taking the test, you must be a citizen of the United States at the time of appointment. If appointed, you must also possess and maintain New York State residency pursuant to the Public Officers Law.

The Positions: These positions exist in the Office of Mental Health, the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, and the Department of Health.

Back To Top

Duties

As a Safety and Security Officer Trainee, you would be required to satisfactorily complete a comprehensive one-year training program. During this period, you would be trained to protect individuals and property, prevent and detect crime, conduct investigations, search for and eliminate contraband, and maintain peace and security in a State agency, facility, or community residence. While serving your traineeship, you may be assigned on a fixed or rotating basis to mobile or foot patrol, dispatch desk post, fire post, or fire and safety inspections. In these assignments, you would utilize computers, cameras, fingerprinting equipment, and complex alarm systems; operate emergency vehicles; and transport individuals and staff on and off premises. You would complete incident and other written reports, may testify in court or at other hearings, and conduct basic fire and safety training for other employees. In addition, prior to being advanced to the full journey-level, you would be required to satisfactorily complete Academy Training mandated by the Municipal Police Training Council, and any other training mandated by law, rules, and/or regulations.

Notes:

1. If you submit an application for an examination with a language parenthetic, an application will automatically be submitted for you for the non-language examination at no additional cost.
2. You must possess a valid license to operate a motor vehicle in New York State at the time of appointment and continuously thereafter. Conditional licenses are not acceptable.
3. Safety & Security Officers are public officers under State law. At appointment you must be a resident of New York State and at least 18 years old. New York State residency is required to accept and continue employment.
4. Safety & Security Officers are peace officers and must be qualified to hold such office in accordance with State law. Safety & Security Officers must meet requirements for peace officer status for continued employment. US citizenship is required at the time of appointment. Conviction of a felony may bar appointment.
5. Training and Advancement: Prior to the end of your traineeship, you would be required to satisfactorily complete Academy Training mandated by the Municipal Police Training Council, as well as any other training mandated by law, rules, and/or regulations imposed by the employer. At the successful completion of your one-year traineeship and Academy Training, you will be advanced to the full journey level, salary grade 12 ($50,344) effective April 2022, without further examination.

Back To Top

Subject of Examination

To be considered for appointment to this title, you must pass the written test. The written test evaluates your knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in the following areas:

1. Preparing written material - These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.
2. Following directions (maps) - These questions test your ability to follow physical/geographic directions using street maps or building maps. You will have to read and understand a set of directions and then use them on a simple map.
3. Applying written information in a safety and security setting - These questions evaluate your ability to read, interpret and apply rules, regulations, directives, written narratives and other related material. You will be required to read a set of information and to appropriately apply the information to situations similar to those typically experienced in a public safety and security service setting. All information needed to answer the questions is contained in the rules, regulations, etc. which are cited.

Your final score must be 70 or higher in order to pass. Your final score on the eligible list will be determined after adding any wartime Veterans' and Civil Service Law Section 85-a credits.

Test Guide: A Guide to the Written Test for the Safety and Security Series is available on the Department website at http://www.cs.ny.gov/testing/testguides.cfm.

Note: The Department of Civil Service may administer tests either online or with paper booklets and answer sheets.

Admission To The Test: If approved for a written test, you will receive an admission notice which will indicate your assigned test date and the way your test will be administered. Your test may be administered with paper and pencil or online at a state test site using a state-provided Chromebook. You cannot request to change your scheduled day or request a specific type of test administration.

Applicants are required to have a Personal NY.gov account and keep their email address up to date. The Department of Civil Service and other state agencies will communicate with you through email correspondence. This may include the notification of your test arrangements, examination results, and canvassing you for interest in appointment. It will be important for you to keep your email address, phone number, and mailing address current by logging into https://www.cs.ny.gov/home/myaccount.

Back To Top

How To Apply

Important: Unless waived, you must pay the non-refundable processing fee. For information on fee waivers, visit https://www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/types/oc/appinfo.cfm##Fee. Any past due application processing fees must be paid in full prior to submitting an application. Please email FeeUnitMail@cs.ny.gov regarding inquiries about any past due fee. It is important that you verify that you entered the correct examination number and title on your online or paper application prior to submitting. If you apply online, you should immediately review your email confirmation notice to verify that you applied for the correct examination.

Additional Information

New York State is an Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of the State of New York to provide for and promote equal opportunity employment, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment without unlawful discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, disability, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran or military service member status, marital status, domestic violence victim status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, arrest and/or criminal conviction record, or any other category protected by law, unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.

Appointment to many positions in State government require candidates to undergo an investigative screening. This may include a thorough character investigation, a Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Record History Check, a Child Abuse Registry clearance, or other similar procedures. Candidates may be fingerprinted and may be required to pay any necessary fees for that procedure. Depending on the nature of the job, the criminal convictions discovered, or any falsified or omitted information revealed, the investigative findings may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment.

Eligibility for Employment

You must be legally eligible to work in the United States at the time of appointment and throughout your employment with New York State. If appointed, you must produce documents that establish your identity and eligibility to work in the United States, as required by the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, and the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Religious Accommodation

Most written tests are held on Saturdays. If you cannot take the test on the announced test date, due to a conflict with a religious observance or practice, check the box under “Religious Accommodation.” We will make arrangements for you to take the test on a different date (usually the following day).

Reasonable Accommodations in Testing

It is the policy of the Department of Civil Service, in accordance with the New York State Human Rights Law and the Americans with Disabilities Act, to provide qualified persons with disabilities equal employment opportunity and equal opportunity to participate in and receive the benefits, services, programs, and activities of the Department. It is the policy of the Department to provide such persons reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications as are necessary to provide equal opportunity. Persons with disabilities who require an accommodation to participate in an examination must note this on their application. Further information is available from the Test Administration Unit of the Department of Civil Service. In the Albany area, call 518-457-2487. Outside of the Albany area, call toll free at 1-877-697-5627. For TDD services, call NY Relay at 711 (requires a fee) or 1-800-662-1220.

Admission to Examination

Notice to appear for the test may be conditional as review of applications may not be made until after the test. If you have not received your notice to appear for the written test three days before the date of the test, email us at AdmissionNotices@cs.ny.gov. Please provide your first and last name, address, and the last four digits of your social security number, and we will provide you with the information you need to attend your written test. If you have an issue other than not receiving your admission notice, please contact our office at (518) 474-6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627. Please leave a clear concise message and provide your first and last name, last four digits of your social security number and a daytime phone number.

Taking State and Local Examinations Scheduled for the Same Day

If you have applied to take a written test announced by either one or several local jurisdictions (county, town, city) scheduled to be held on the same test date as this written test, you must notify each of the local jurisdictions no later than two weeks before the test date to make arrangements for taking all tests at one test site. All tests will be held at the state examination center. For your convenience, contact information for all local civil service agencies is available on our website at: https://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/local.cfm.

Cell Phones or Electronic/Communication Devices at the Test Site

The use of cell phones, beepers, headphones, or any electronic or other communication devices at your personal testing site or in the test room, hallways, restrooms, building, grounds, or other areas, except as expressly authorized by the Department of Civil Service, could result in your disqualification.

S1/TC1 TMD-dah
Issued: 11/25/22
*Revised Material: 12/16/22

This announcement is subject to amendment or cancellation without notice. Do not copy it, or post it to any other site, but link to it instead.

Back To Top