Lateral Police Officer

Position Summary

Howard County Police Department is conducting written and physical testing for Police Officer lateral.

Starting Salary: $70,200+ $10,000 hiring bonus

• Health, dental and life insurance
• Vacation, disability and personal leave
• Uniform/equipment supplied with free dry cleaning service
• Take‑home vehicle for in‑county residents
• Twelve‑hour permanent patrol shifts with 6% night shift differential pay
• Day shift cycle: 2 on, 3 off; 2 on, 2 off; 3 on, 2 off
• Night shift cycle: 3 on, 3 off
• 4‑hour overtime per pay period (up to $4,495 annually)
• Three‑hour minimum overtime for off‑duty court appearances
• Multi‑lingual specialty pay (up to $3,000 annually upon certification)
• Specialty pay for specific assignments (Command Post, Computer Operations, Criminal Investigations, etc.)
• Competitive retirement plan (20 years at 50%, 25 years at 75%, 30 years at 80%)

• Completed probation with a full‑service law enforcement agency by hire date
• Valid driver’s license
• High School diploma or GED (high‑school equivalency certificate) accepted by Maryland State Board of Education
• Current Maryland Police Training Commission (MPTC) certificate or satisfaction of comparative compliance standards
• No felony or serious misdemeanor convictions
• U.S. citizen
• Minimum of 750 hours of academy training (excluding firearms, field training, or in‑service training)
• Records and documentation proving academy verification, graduation, and successful completion of a police academy
• Currently in good standing with agency or have retired in good standing within 2 years of application

All applications must be submitted at . Applications are valid for six months. If you previously applied within the last six months, you are not eligible to re‑apply until six months from that date. Contact recruitment with questions.

At the time of application, please submit a copy of any college degree, coursework, licenses, or certifications referenced on your application. If your education was obtained outside the U.S., provide proof of equivalency as determined by a foreign credential evaluation service.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Howard County is not sponsoring employees for the H‑1B Visa or for an extension of an existing H‑1B Visa.

Testing will be conducted at the James N. Robey Public Safety Training Center, 2200 Scott Wheeler Dr., Marriottsville, MD 21104.

Doors open one hour prior to testing. No one will be permitted to enter after the start time. In case of inclement weather, call 410‑313‑3200.

All applicants must first pass the written test and bring the completed HCPD Physician's Authorization Form to the physical agility test, which includes sit‑ups, push‑ups, and a 1.5‑mile run. Standards are based on age and gender.

After the physical agility test, successful candidates will participate in a panel interview, polygraph exam, background investigation, psychological exam, and pre‑employment medical evaluation.

Howard County Police Department is a CALEA accredited and EEO Agency. Howard County is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and is committed to a workplace that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. Discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, ancestry, creed, national origin, disability status, genetic information, marital status, military service, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws is prohibited.

Applicants requiring accommodations should contact the Office of Human Resources at Hiring Preference.

For more information, visit WWW.HCPD.ORG or call 410‑313‑HCPD.