Career Opportunities in New York State Law Enforcement
Overview
Have you ever thought about a career in law enforcement? This examination fills police positions within our Department of Environmental Conservation, Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and State University of New York (SUNY) campuses, and will also be used to fill Municipal Police Officer/Deputy Sheriff at various municipalities. We made finding your dream job easy! With one examination fee, application, and test, you will have almost limitless opportunities to protect our environment with the Environmental Conservation Police, bike through New York's State parks with our Park Police, or patrol our beautiful State campuses as a University Police Officer. The application filing period is closed.
Recruitment Videos
Short Version
Long Version
Watch this video to get some insight, from current law enforcement employees, about what it's like to work in New York State.
Examination Announcement and Position Information
Carefully read the Examination Announcement for information about minimum qualifications for each title filled through this examination program and the test plan. You may apply to as many titles as you qualify for.
The Law Enforcement Examination Program is used to fill the following police titles. Click on the links below for additional requirements for appointment.
- Environmental Conservation Police Officer Trainee 1, Environmental Conservation Police Officer Trainee 1 (Chinese Language), Environmental Conservation Police Officer Trainee 1 (Spanish Language): Environmental Conservation Police Officers work within an assigned geographic area of the Department of Environmental Conservation and enforce provisions of the Environmental Conservation Law to protect, preserve and improve the quality of the State's natural environment.
- Forest Ranger 1: Forest Rangers work within an assigned geographic area of the Department of Environmental Conservation and enforce provisions of the Environmental Conservation Law to protect and enhance the State's lands and natural resources and the well-being of the public who use these resources.
- Park Police Officer Trainee and Park Police Officer Trainee (Spanish Language): Park Police Officers enforce all New York State and local laws and agency rules and regulations at recreation and historic sites operated by the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
- University Police Officer 1 and University Police Officer 1 (Spanish Language): University Police Officers enforce all New York State and local laws and the Student Code of Conduct on the grounds of the State University of New York.
- Municipal Police Officer/Deputy Sheriff: Positions are available in various municipalities throughout the State. Appointments to positions in municipal police departments will be made from this eligible list if certified to a municipal civil service agency at their request, upon the exhaustion of their local eligible list. Please note that local examinations for positions in police departments and sheriff's offices are also being held on the same date. A list of all local examinations is available here. If you are interested in any of these examinations, please apply through the local civil service agency listed.
Exam Process
The NYS Careers in Entry Level Law Enforcement examination program offers the opportunity to apply to one or more examinations for entry level law enforcement positions in New York State agencies using one application and online questionnaire to report your qualifications for each title. This examination program uses a dashboard to walk you through the entire application process.
Part 1: Complete your online application. Once you have completed your online application you must return to the dashboard to complete Part 2.
Part 2: Complete and submit the online questionnaire to report your minimum qualifications. Failure to complete part 2 by the announced deadline will result in disapproval to sit for the written test.
Once you submit your questionnaire, you can visit My Examination Applications to view your application status.
Part 3 If you are qualified for a title filled from this examination program, you will receive an admission notice via mail approximately 2 weeks prior to the date of the written test.
Test Guide: A Guide to the Written Test for the Entry-Level Law Enforcement Officer Series is available on the Department website at http://www.cs.ny.gov/testing/testguides.cfm.
*Due to the size of the candidate population for this date, candidates may be scheduled to take their test on either September 17, 2022 or a subsequent date. Your admission notice will tell you where and when you are scheduled to appear. You cannot request or change your scheduled day or location. 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.
How To Apply
The application filing period is closed.
You will need a personal NY.gov ID to apply for this examination(s). If you do not have a personal NY.gov ID, please create an account.
One non-refundable processing fee is required per application submission. You must select the individual examination(s) you are interested in during the application process. If you submit one online application for less than all of the examinations listed, and subsequently apply for additional examinations in this series, another non-refundable processing fee will be required.
The Examination Dashboard
The application filing period is closed.
This dashboard will only allow you to review your previously submitted online questionnaire.
To continue where you left off in the examination process you can use this link to return to the series dashboard:
Completing the Online Questionnaire
The questionnaire is no longer available for submission.
We recommend that you review the questionnaire in its entirety and collect all the information you will need to complete the questionnaire. Answer all questions that apply to your education, certification, and work experience as completely and accurately as possible. Save the information entered on each page by clicking on the "Save" button at the end of each section. Review, save, and print your information before submitting the questionnaire.
For questions and answers about completing the online questionnaire, please visit the frequently asked questions section.
What Happens After the Test
You will be notified by email when official scores are available online, which is usually within 90 - 120 days after the examination date. Eligible lists and score notices are also available on the Eligible List Management System (ELMS). If you have any other questions regarding your status, you may also email our List Maintenance Unit at EmploymentRecords@cs.ny.gov for more information.
For Frequently Asked Questions regarding what happens after taking an examination, visit the FAQ page.
If you are selected for a position, you must take and pass the agility, physical/medical, drug, psychological and background check required. You will then be required to successfully complete police academy training for appointment. Employees in these positions are considered Public Officers under New York State Law and must meet the requirements outlined by this Law. Use the above links to view the specific requirements for that title.
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 my account.