Police Officer

Joining our team as a law enforcement officer has unique benefits and provides challenging opportunities:

• Work in an engaged and diverse urban community and tourist destination just five miles from the heart of the nation's capital, in one of the most densely populated counties in the state of Virginia
• Join one of our specialized divisions or units such as the K9 unit, motorcycle unit, tactical operations units such as SWAT and crisis negotiation, community and business outreach units, honor guard, and bicycle patrol
• Serve in a wide variety of areas such as patrol, special and tactical operations, community engagement, investigations, training, and recruitment to help move the department forward in it's three key initiatives
• Participate in additional training opportunities to advance your career and achieve goals as professional law enforcement officer
• Collaborate with other regional, state, and federal law enforcement agencies who are dedicated to ensuring the safety of our community and region
• Work a 15-day fixed shift as a patrol officer, with two weekends off per month
• Earn additional pay for certifications and other specialty areas

To participate in the Police Officer recruitment process, all candidates must meet the following requirements:

• Education:
  
  Applicants must have completed at least 60 semester hours, or 90 quarter hours, of course work at an accredited college or university, with some exceptions as detailed below.
• Age:
  Applicants must be at least 20 years and 6 months of age at time of application.
• Other Requirements:
  Other additional and special minimum requirements may apply.  to view other requirements.

Prior law enforcement or military experience may substitute for the education requirement under the following conditions:

• Law enforcement experience:
  One year of experience as a full time sworn law enforcement officer with a recognized local, state, or federal law enforcement agency. To be eligible for this substitution, candidates must have graduated from an accredited law enforcement academy, and this experience must be gained post-academy.
• Military experience:
  Two years of full time, continuous, active-duty experience with the United States Military. To be eligible for this substitution, candidates must have received, or are eligible to receive, an honorable discharge.

Selection Process:
There is a multi-stage selection process to determine applicant eligibility to become an Arlington County Police Officer. A candidate must pass each stage of the selection process to be considered eligible for hire. These stages include:

• Screening for minimum qualifications
• Character/background investigation including photographing and fingerprinting