Pathways to Becoming a Hoboken Police Officer:
- Option 1: New Jersey Civil Service Process
- Take the Civil Service Test: Applicants must register and submit their applications before the deadline which is typically announced by Civil Service at Civil Service Job Announcements during the first quarter of the year. Please note all applicants must be New Jersey residents and possess a NJ driver’s license.
- Monitor your email and mail for testing details and register to take the NJ Civil Service Commission’s Law Enforcement Examination.
- Scoring and Eligibility: After the test, the Civil Service Commission scores the exam and creates an eligibility list. When there’s a vacancy, the City certifies names from the list to begin Hoboken’s process of becoming a police officer.
- Certified candidates must respond to the certification notice from Civil Service to confirm their interest in becoming a Hoboken Police Officer within five business days in writing. After receiving all letters of interest, the City will invite individuals in for information sessions and to pick up applications.
- Hiring Steps: Complete the HPD application, participate in background check, panel interviews, medical and psychological evaluations, drug screenings, and a pre-academy assessment.
- Successful candidates will then be enrolled in a police academy selected by the City.
- Please note, this entire process can take up to six months.
- Option 2: Direct Recruitment by the City
- Open Recruitment: Occasionally, the City opens applications for direct recruitment with job postings on the City’s website: Hobokennj.gov/jobs.
- Review and Selection: The Hoboken Police Department’s background investigation team reviews applications and selects candidates to begin the hiring process.
- Hiring Steps: Complete the HPD application, participate in panel interviews, medical and psychological evaluations, drug screenings, and a pre-academy assessment.
- Academy Requirement: Selected candidates must then complete a police academy within nine months of hiring.
- Please note, applicants who have previously completed an academy are not eligible for this route.
- Option 3: Intergovernmental Transfers
- Eligibility: Experienced officers from other New Jersey Civil Service based police departments can apply to transfer to the Hoboken Police Department.
- Interested officers can find transfer details on the NJ Civil Service website.
- Most transferred officers have 1-3 years of experience after completing their police academy, but this isn’t a requirement.
- Please note, transfers must be approved by both the current and receiving agencies.
Civil Service Office of Diversity Programs