How to Become a Certified Police Officer for the State of Maryland
Maryland State Police officers, known as troopers, are responsible for patrolling, issuing citations and investigating accidents on Maryland state highways. In addition to this, troopers respond to calls involving crimes and emergencies across the state. In many counties, the Maryland State Police is the principal law enforcement organization. As of 2010, Maryland tooper salaries start at $40,207 per year. In addition to salary, state troopers are entitled to benefits packages that include health insurance, a pension, a clothing allowance and between 10 and 25 vacation days per year.
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Instructions
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Complete your high school education. All applicants to the Maryland State Police must have a high school diploma or GED.
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Get a driver's license. You must have at least a Class "C" Maryland driver's license.
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Attend an orientation session. The Maryland State Police holds regular orientation sessions at locations throughout the state. At these sessions, you can learn more about the job, ask questions and, most importantly, complete the initial application for a job as a Maryland state trooper. You can find information on dates and locations for orientation sessions on the Maryland State Police website.
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Complete your functional fitness assessment. If your initial application is approved, you will be directed to undergo a physical fitness assessment. This assessment tests your physical fitness through a series of exercises including push-ups, sit-ups and a 1.5-mile run. All of the exercises involve completing a set number of repetitions within a strict time limit.
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Complete your Police Officer Standardized Testing (POST) exam. If you successfully pass the fitness assessment, you will be invited to sit for the POST exam. This is a written exam that tests your reading, mathematics, spelling and writing skills.
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Submit your employment application package. Once you complete the POST exam, you will be given the full application package to complete. On this application, you must give detailed information on your educational, employment and personal background. You will also need to answer questions regarding your character.
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Undergo an interview, background checks and further examinations. If your application package is accepted, you will be given a conditional offer of employment. After you accept this offer, you will need to undergo an interview before members of the Maryland Police Board, a polygraph test, a medical exam and a psychological exam. An investigator from the Maryland State Police will also perform a detailed background check on you and speak to your family, neighbors and others who know you.
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Train at the Maryland Police Academy. If you are offered a job as a Maryland state trooper, you will train at the Maryland Police Academy in Sykesville, Maryland, for 26 weeks. You will take classes in law and procedure as well as learn police tactics. Following this, you will be placed at one of 22 Maryland State Police barracks to complete eight weeks of field training.
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