Police Officer

last modified Oct 01, 2010 11:40 AM

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is a highly respected law enforcement agency responsible for the City of Charlotte and the unincorporated areas of Mecklenburg County. We employ over 1600 police officers: men and women from diverse backgrounds and experiences who have chosen not only a challenging career. The Charlotte Metro community, comprised of over 1 million people, represents a global community, including Hispanic/Latino, Cambodian, Vietnamese and many other cultures.

After graduating from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s 22 week North Carolina State Certified training program, new officers experience:

15 weeks of field training,
Community Oriented/Problem Solving policing  through community meetings, self-initiated enforcement or activity and/or the use of outside agencies allowing them to have a proactive response to problems in their assigned districts 
Officers are expected to have good written and oral communication skills to respond to a variety of calls for service 
After approximately 3 years of patrol service, officers are encouraged to apply for transfers to other areas of the department including: Investigations, K-9, Lake Enforcement, Highway Interdiction and Traffic Safety, SWAT, Bicycle Patrol and Foot Patrol, and many more.  Patrol districts also have similar specialized units that district officers are also encouraged to apply for.
 

Job Requirements

General Qualifications:

  • At least 21 Years Old
  • Must be U.S. Citizen
  • Have or able to obtain Valid NC Driver's License
  • Have not committed or been convicted of any Felony offense or serious Misdemeanor offense
  • Have not been convicted of driving while impaired during the preceding five years
  • Current illegal drug use will disqualify applicant  (History of Certain Drug usage may disqualify)          
  • High School Diploma or GED
  • Honorable Military Discharge, if Applicable
  • Pass an entry level written examination and physical ability test
  • Pass extensive background investigation
  • Be approved by Civil Service Board


Physical Qualifications:

  • Normal Color Vision
  • Minimum corrected visual acuity of 20/30 binocularly
  • Pass a pre-employment Physical Examination and Drug Screening Test

Candidates must pass a written exam and a physical ability test in order to receive an application.  Both tests are given twice per month.  Contact the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for specific test dates.  You can learn more by going to CMPD Academy webpage