Frequently Asked Questions

Police Trainee: This is the posting the majority of applicants will complete. If you have no prior law enforcement experience, or you do not meet the criteria of one of the other two applications available, this is the application to complete. Successful applicants will complete a 32-week paid academy that includes Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET).

Lateral Police Trainee: To qualify for Lateral Police Trainee, applicants must have two years of full-time sworn service with a local, county, or state law enforcement agency in North Carolina or another state. The experience must be obtained at an agency that answers 911 calls for service and has comparable duties to CMPD. In State and Out of State Law Enforcement Officers and Sheriff Deputies qualify for this position. Applicants with specialized law enforcement experience do not qualify for this position. For the purposes of this position, this includes: Campus Police, Transit Police, Park Rangers, ABC Police, DMV Police, Corrections Officers, etc.

Intermediate Police Trainee: To qualify for Intermediate Police Trainee, you must currently be completing a North Carolina BLET course, have completed a North Carolina BLET course in the past 12 months, or currently possess a North Carolina Law Enforcement Certification issued by the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission. Sheriff Deputies do not qualify for this position at this time. If selected for this position, you will complete a 10-week training program at the CMPD Academy. Applicants that meet the criteria of the Lateral and the Intermediate programs should apply as a Lateral Police Trainee. If you have addition questions about these positions, check the Intermediate and Lateral pages.

No. If you successfully complete the CMPD background process, you will be hired by the City of Charlotte. You will then complete the 32-week CMPD academy, during which you will receive BLET training. Upon successful completion of the academy, you will be sworn in as a CMPD Officer.

During the academy, you will be a paid employee of the City of Charlotte and all of your uniforms and equipment will be provided for you.

Yes! Hired employees are required to live within a 45-mile radius of police headquarters, in either North or South Carolina, but applicants can enter and complete the process while living out of state.

We offer a challenging and rewarding career with numerous possibilities for you to make a difference in our community. Patrol, Felony Investigations, Vice and Narcotics, School Resource Officer, Lake Enforcement, Helicopter, Violent Crime Task Force, Special Information Bureau, SWAT, Highway Interdiction and Safety, Recruitment and Training, Canine and many more. Our department will provide you with the finest equipment available including a lap-top computer, uniforms, clothing allowance for plain-clothes assignments, in-car cameras and unlimited training opportunities at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Academy. All Officers that successfully complete the academy will spend their first 3 years on patrol prior to being able to apply to specialized units.

1. Run from Cone 1 to Cone 2 (40 ft.) and back (around Cone 1) 2 times
2. Cone 1 to Cone 3 (60 ft.) while completing the following obstacles:
   1. 4 foot broad jump
   2. Crawl under obstacle (2 ft. high)
3. Run from Cone 3 to Roll Drill Station
4. “Roll Drill” 2 repetitions*
5. 10 push-ups (not required to be continuous)
6. “Roll Drill” 2 repetitions*
7. Run from “Roll Drill” station to Cone 3 (60 ft.) while completing the following obstacles:
   1. 4 foot broad jump
   2. Crawl under obstacle (2 ft. high)
8. Run from Cone 3 to steps
9. 15 steps (up and down) on 8 inch step box.
10. “Roll Drill” 2 repetitions*
11. 10 push-ups (not required to be continuous)

The pass time for this test is 6:00 minutes or less

* Roll Drill

1. Start on top of 100 lb. heavy bag with left knee on mat
2. Roll to right until bag is over body
3. Continue roll in same direction until back on top of heavy bag (complete when right knee touches mat)
4. Perform complete turn to left until left knee touches mat

Yes. Applicants that pass the entry level written examination, and the Job-Related Physical Ability Test (JRPAT), will receive an application packet via email to complete. Some of the items are listed below for applicants to begin gathering.

You will include all of these documents in your application packet when you return it to the Recruitment Section:

1. Color photo of yourself, head and shoulders (passport-sized photo 2″ x2″)
2. High School Diploma or GED Certificate with individual test scores. (1 Photo Copy)
3. College Diploma (1 Photo Copy)
4. Marriage Certificate (1 Photo Copy)
5. Divorce Decree (1 Photo Copy)
6. Selective Service Registration Card (1 photocopy) for all male applicants between the ages of 18 and 25, regardless of military service. If you have lost your card or have not registered, please visit the Selective Service System website or call 847-688-6888.
7. Military Discharge Form DD-214 (1 Photo Copy) showing type of discharge
8. Naturalization Papers (1 Photo Copy) if you are a Naturalized U.S. Citizen
9. High School Transcript (1 Certified, Original Copy)
10. College Transcript (1 Certified, Original Copy)
11. Driving Record (1 Certified, Original Copy) Must be obtained from every state currently or previously licensed in.
12. Criminal Record Check: This is required of all applicants regardless of criminal history. Applicants must provide a criminal record check from each county they have lived in since the age of 16. These checks must come from county courts and not police or sheriff departments. An alternative to individual county checks is a federal “right to review” record check. Either option is acceptable to the NC CJ Education and Training Standards Commission.

Need help finding your documents? Check out these helpful tips.

Important: Applicants that have been issued a citation, a criminal summons, or arrested for any criminal offense need to include certified court documents related to the offense along with copies of any associated documents such as Police Reports, arrest reports, citations, summons…etc. These documents are required by the North Carolina Training and Standards Bureau for certification purposes. Court documents can be obtained from the Clerk of Court in the County where the offense occurred. Associated documents can be obtained from the charging agency.