Police Cadet

The Police Cadet Program is designed to prepare candidates for entrance into the Metropolitan Police Officer Recruit Program and ensures that a steady stream of District of Columbia youth are actively recruited as future police officers. Cadets are 17-24 year-old uniformed civilian employees, working for the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) while attending the University of the District of Columbia. The Department funds up to 60 college credits to enable District residents with a high school degree from a District high school or a GED to meet the college education requirement.

Cadets must earn up to sixty (60) college credits at the University of the District of Columbia Community College to satisfy MPD's police recruit entrance requirement. The program helps cadets develop the leadership and analytical thinking skills required to meet the challenges of their complex roles as problem-solvers, service providers, and professionals in the criminal justice system of the 21st century.

Recruits will spend part of their time working specific job assignments to support the day-to-day operations of the MPD, perform rotating assignments among the districts and divisions, and gain familiarization with the daily operations of the Department.

Police Cadet assignments are designed to familiarize you with the Department's organizational structure and the mission and functions of its components. You will learn about the laws and policies of the department and be given increasingly more difficult assignments to prepare you for the police officer role. Cadets observe and study community policing principles, techniques and methods, the merit of higher education for effective policing, and the value of community policing for an effective police department.

You will learn how to provide assistance to facilitate Patrol Service Area calls for service, how to assist crime analysts and customers in the Station, administrative filings, process city service requests, observe police activities, and interface with citizens and visitors of the District of Columbia.

• Starting salary of $38,756 with eligible annual pay increase
• Annual Leave
• Sick Leave
• Paid Holidays
• Uniforms and Equipment (except belt & shoes)
• Health Insurance (Full-Time Cadet)
• College Tuition*
• Conversion to Career Police status**
• Cadets must be full-time students at UDC and full-time civilian employees with MPD
• Cadets are eligible to convert to career police status upon completion of sixty (60) college credits and acceptance into the Recruit Officer Training Program phase.
• Cadets are eligible for a $5,000 conversion bonus when they become a Recruit Officers and $5,000 graduation bonus.

Visit the Benefits page to learn more.

• Be a US citizen, by birth or naturalization, OR a lawful permanent resident (green card holder) at the time of application.
• Reside in the District of Columbia and agree to remain a resident until completion of the program.
• Be between 17 and 24 years of age.
• Have one of the following:

N/A

Graduated from a District of Columbia High School.

N/A

Work is generally carried out in a classroom/office setting and subject to you traveling throughout the District of Columbia using personal or public transportation. You are subject to ride in police vehicles.

This position is part of a 24/7 operation and is subject to non-traditional work hours including rotating shifts, shift works, and working weekends and holidays.

• Mandatory orientation
• Undergo a panel interview
• If under the age of 18, receive permission from parents or guardian
• Undergo a background investigation (criminal checks, references, employment, social media, traffic, credit check, etc.)
• Take a polygraph examination
• Pass a medical examination (drug screening, at least 20/100 vision or correctable 20/30 in both eyes, proportionate height and weight as measured by percentage of body fat).

Police Cadet applications are accepted directly through (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). Submitting an application on this site is NOT required; however, if you do, your name will be forwarded to Recruiting for consideration.

The District of Columbia Government is an Equal Opportunity

Employer:

all qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, genetic information, disability. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination, which is also prohibited. In addition, harassment based on any of the above-protected categories is prohibited.