Job Announcement:

POLICE OFFICER JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

HOW TO APPLY

The application period will open starting on February 8, 2025, at 9:00am; only the first 2000 applicants will be considered and will be contacted via Policeapp.com with information regarding the Physical Qualification Test.

When applying there will be a $35 non-refundable application fee to apply for the test. (Payable by Debit/Credit Card Only).

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING REQUIRED TESTING

This announcement details the dates and locations for the Physical Qualification Test and the Written Test. You must pass both tests to be considered for employment.

PHYSICAL QUALIFICATION TEST:

You will be able to select a location and time slot (North or South) on a first come first serve basis. However, you must attend the same LOCATION (North or South) for both the physical and written tests:

Details regarding location and dates are below:

LOCATION NORTH Option 1: Brookdale Park, Bloomfield NJ (Outdoors) (If you attend Brookdale Park for the Physical Test, your written test will be at the NJTPD Orange Counter Terrorism Training Facility.)

• April 7 or
• April 8

LOCATION SOUTH Option 2: Mercer County Community College, West Windsor NJ (Indoors)

• April 12 or
• April 13 

WRITTEN TEST:

LOCATION NORTH: If you take the NORTH Physical Qualification Test (PQT) at Brookdale Park, upon passing:

• You will take the NORTH Written Test at the NJTPD Orange Counter Terrorism Training Facility Orange, NJ on May 18.

LOCATION SOUTH: If you take the SOUTH Physical Qualification Test (PQT) at Mercer County Community College, upon passing:

• You will take the SOUTH Written Test at Mercer County Community College West Windsor, NJ on May 17.

 

DOCUMENTS WHEN APPLYING:

When applying through Policeapp.com you MUST UPLOAD the following documents (documents must be in one of the following formats doc,docx,pdf,jpg,jpeg,gif,png):

• Updated resume
• Updated unofficial or official college transcript or copy of degree, if applicable, (must include name of applicant and name of school)
• DD214, if applicable, (long version with discharge information)

 

CRITERIA FOR BECOMING A NJ TRANSIT POLICE OFFICER:

A candidate will be rejected from the selection process that has intentionally misrepresented, falsified, or concealed material and that, upon submission of any official document (online or otherwise), made a false statement, or attempted to practice any deception or fraud in this initial application, examination, interview, background, or in securing eligibility for appointment.

 

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

To be considered as a NJ TRANSIT Police Officer, you must meet ALL the requirements.

Only those applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be allowed to proceed in the selection process. Partial or incomplete document submission will not be accepted and will disqualify you from the selection process & applications fees will not be refunded.

Failure to provide proof that you have satisfied minimum requirements on the date of application submission will eliminate you from further consideration as a NJ TRANSIT Police Officer Candidate.

Read the Minimum Qualifications carefully prior to applying through Policeapp.com.

AGE:

• Candidates must be at least 21 years of age by May 18, 2025, and NOT have reached their 35th birthday at the time of appointment to the Police Academy Training Program ("PTC"); unless covered by the PTC age requirement guideline New Jersey Statute; N.J.S.A. 43:16A-3

CITIZENSHIP:

• Candidates must be citizens of the United States on the date of application submission, and never have renounced United States citizenship.

DRIVER'S LICENSE:

• Candidates must have a driving record in good standing and valid motor vehicle driver’s license on the date of application submission.

EDUCATION (Achieved by 6/1/2025):

A candidate MUST Have:

• A Bachelor's degree; OR
• Sixty (60) college credits, plus one (1) year of full-time or part-time experience as a first responder (e.g., Paramedic/ EMT/ Class I/ Police Dispatcher/Lifeguard/Firefighter/ or related); OR
• Thirty (30) college credits plus at least two (2) full years of continuous active-duty military service with an honorable discharge. OR
• 4 full years of continuous active-duty military services.

Failure to meet and provide appropriate documentation that demonstrates fulfillment of these requirements when applying through Policeapp.com will result in your disqualification from the NJ TRANSIT Police Officer selection process.

 

AUTOMATIC DISQUALIFICATION FACTORS:

Applicants are advised that the NJ TRANSIT Police Department will automatically disqualify any applicant who does not meet the general requirements as detailed in the eligibility requirement section.

An applicant will be automatically disqualified if he/she meets one or more than one of the following factors which includes and is not limited to:

• The applicant has any felony convictions in any State or be under indictment or have a pending felony case.
• The applicant has been convicted of, or plea agreement to, any offense involving domestic violence.
• The applicant has a conviction of an unlawful sexual offense.
• The applicant was adjudicated by the court to be in violation of any person’s civil rights in this State or any other State.
• The applicant was found by an employer to have violated any person’s civil rights in this State or any other State.
• The applicant is subject to a restraining order for harassing, stalking, or threatening.
• The applicant has a dishonorable discharge from any branch of military service or law enforcement agency.
• The applicant was convicted of an offense involving or touching on previous public office position or employment. See N.J.S.A. 2C:51-2(d).
• The applicant has a conviction of two or more offenses of driving while intoxicated as defined under N.J.S.A. 39:4-50 or has a conviction of driving while intoxicated as defined under N.J.S.A. 39:4-50 within the last five years.
• The applicant has forfeited their right to public employment under NJSA 2C:51-2.

 

SELECTION PROCESS:

Throughout this selection process, you will be required to present two forms of identification, one of which will need to be a valid government issued photo identification (e.g., photo driver license, photo identification issued by the County Clerk's Office, passport, Motor Vehicle ID, Military ID).

The selection process consists of the following and applicants should be prepared to participate in every part of the selection process. Applicants will be notified of their status and certain test results via Policeapp.com. Please use an email address that will remain with you for at least one full year:

• Physical Qualification Test
• Written Examination
• Extensive Qualifications Screening
• Panel Interview
• Extensive Background Investigation
• Comprehensive Medical Examination and Mandatory Psychological Evaluation
• Academy Physical Fitness Assessment

 

PHYSICAL QUALIFICATION TEST (PQT):

The purpose of this test is to ensure that each applicant meets the entry-level physical performance standards for the department and to ensure recruits are in satisfactory physical condition for acceptance by an approved police academy. The candidate must perform a PQT. Failure of any one exercise will disqualify the applicant and remove them from the current selection process at that time. The tests consist of:

• Vertical Jump: 12.5 inches
• 1 Minute Sit-Up: 22 repetitions
• 300 Meter Run: 84 seconds or less
• 1 Minute Push-up: 19 repetitions
• 1.5 Mile Run: 19:00 minute or less

 

PREPARING FOR PQT:

The following will assist you in the preparation for the NJ TRANSIT Physical

Qualification Test:

• Cardiovascular exercise 30-40 minutes, 3-4 times a week (i.e. aerobics, jogging, walking, and swimming) or participation in any activities that build up your endurance and level of fitness gradually
• Various calisthenics and strength training exercises in order to increase upper and lower body strength
• Maintain a well-balanced diet for several days before the test
• Get a good night’s sleep the night before the test
• Refrain from drinking a lot of liquids or eating a big meal immediately before the test
• Maintain complete hydration the day of the test
• Wear appropriate clothing on the day of your test, such as athletic clothing.

Examples of athletic clothing are sweatshirt or T-shirt; sweatpants or shorts and sneakers.

WRITTEN EXAMINATION:

Applicants that pass the PQT will be invited to the Written Examination. The written exam is scheduled for:

• May 17 Mercer County Community College
• May 18 NJTPD Orange Counter Terrorism Training Facility

The written test consists of four content areas designed to evaluate the competencies needed to effectively perform the duties of a NJ TRANSIT Police Officer. Information regarding an Entry-Level Police Officer Candidate Study Guide is available online for $20.00 at:

https://www.publicsafetycompass.com/product/poa-cognitive-series-study-guide/.

This POA, Cognitive Series, study guide is designed to help candidates prepare to take any assessment included in IPMA-HR’s POA, Cognitive Series.

Please note The NJ TRANSIT Police Department does not endorse any other study guide or study group.

QUALIFICATION SCREENING:

Upon successful completion of your submission through Policeapp.com, passing of the Physical Qualification and Written Examination phase, all information will be collected and assessed by a review panel.

Applicants selected to move forward to the panel interview phase will be advised via Policeapp.com. It is your responsibility to keep your email up to date.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION:

A comprehensive pre-employment background investigation will be conducted by the NJ TRANSIT Police Department on all candidates that pass the panel interview. Candidates will be required to sign appropriate authorizations that will permit full investigation and complete disclosure of personal information. Candidates who do not report their complete background record and do not provide complete and truthful answers during the background investigation will be disqualified from the selection process at any time.

PRE-EMPLOYMENT MEDICAL EXAMINATION:

An offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a preemployment medical examination.  The medical examination is conducted to determine the candidate’s ability to perform the essential functions of a NJ TRANSIT Police Officer.  Upon successful completion of the medical examinations, the candidate will be eligible for employment as a NJ TRANSIT Police Officer and sworn into a certified Police Academy.  The NJ TRANSIT Police hiring process is designed to identify the most qualified candidates for the position. At the completion of each stage of the hiring process, applicants will be notified of their status via Policeapp.com. Only those applicants meeting the standards of the NJ TRANSIT Police Department are selected to continue in the process.

SALARY:

$61,016 Non-Certified *

(*While attending the Police Academy)

$70,403 NJ PTC Certified

SCHEDULE:

4 days on 3 days off schedule; 10-hour days.

BENEFITS:

Each full-time sworn member will receive benefits in accordance with the current collective bargaining agreement. These benefits include a major medical health plan, a prescription plan, dental insurance, and a group life insurance as part of the Police & Fire Retirement System.

NJ TRANSIT HAS A RESIDENCY LAW; YOU HAVE ONE YEAR FROM DATE OF HIRE TO RELOCATE.

• Candidates must be willing to accept assignments throughout New Jersey

If at any time you have questions, please email the NJ TRANSIT Police Recruiting Unit at NJTPD_ExamQuestions@njtransit.com 

NJ TRANSIT is an Equal Opportunity Employer

 

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ABOUT US

The primary mission of the NJ TRANSIT Police is to ensure a safe and orderly environment within the transit system, promoting the confidence of the riding public and enhancing the maximum use of the transit system. Our fundamental duty is to safeguard lives and property; protect against deception, intimidation and violence; and to uphold, without prejudice, the Constitutional rights of all people. Learn More about the agency on their website: https://police.njtransit.com/.

OUR HISTORY

Today, the NJ TRANSIT Police Department (NJTPD) is the only transit policing agency in the country with statewide authority and jurisdiction. The Department was created on January 1, 1983, and it evolved as a result of the passage of the Public Transportation Act of 1979 and subsequent legislation on the state and federal levels. At that time, the original complement included thirty-nine Commissioned Rail Police Officers. On January 12, 1990, NJSA 27:25-15.1 was enacted into law, and it established the NJ Transit Police Department as a sworn law enforcement agency with the "general authority, without limitation, to exercise police powers and duties, as provided for police officers and law enforcement officers, in all criminal and traffic matters at all times throughout the State..." The current, authorized strength of the Department includes 220 sworn officers and 67 non-sworn members (which include Fare Enforcement Inspectors) serving the more than 400,000 commuters who use the NJ Transit system daily. In addition, the NJ TRANSIT Police are responsible for policing the Hudson/Bergen Light Rail and the RiverLINE.

 

Please direct questions regarding this position to NJTPD_ExamQuestions@njtransit.com