Westchester County will be holding a police officer civil service exam for the first time in five years and a special effort is under way to encourage more people of color to take the test and pursue a law enforcement career.
The Department of Public Safety will be reaching out to diverse communities and organizations this month to increase awareness of the upcoming exam. The exam will be held May 15 or May 16. The deadline to file to take the test is March 29. Details are available at www.westchestergov.com/hr.
The exam, to be administered by the County’s Department of Human Resources, will result in a list of eligible police officer candidates for the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, the cities of Rye and Peekskill, and all towns and villages in the County.
The County’s recruiting and outreach efforts across Westchester will include presentations by County Police personnel that may take place in person, when possible, and via videoconference to reach as many people as possible. The County and the Westchester County Police are also utilizing its social media channels to spread the news about the test.
Organizations interested in setting up a virtual presentation can send an email request to wcpdrecruitment@westchestergov.com.
Among the requirements to take the test:
- All candidates for the exam must be a legal resident of Westchester County at the time of the test and for at least one month prior to it. Candidates will be required to submit proof of residency when requested.
- Applicants must not have reached their 35th birthday by the test date; exceptions are made for persons with military service;
- A high school diploma or equivalent is required;
- U.S. citizenship is required to be appointed as a police officer. It is not required to take the civil service exam.