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 https://nj.gov/csc/jobs/index.shtml 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.
Recruiting Hoboken Police Officers
Civil Service Office of Diversity Programs