New York State Park Police: Employment
Join Our Team
If you want a rewarding career in law enforcement with an emphasis on helping people and protecting the state's natural and historic treasures, consider becoming a New York State Park Police Officer. Our team works in some of the most beautiful places in the state. Contact a Park Police Recruiter in your area.
Qualifications
- Candidates must be at least 20 years of age at time of appointment. Candidates must not have passed their 35th birthday on the date of the written test. Time spent on military duty or on terminal leave, not exceeding a total of six years, shall be subtracted from your age if you have passed your 35th birthday.
- Minimum college education requirements: 60 college credit hours, 30 of those hours may be waived if candidate is an honorably discharged veteran with at least two years of active military duty.
- Must be a United States citizen and New York State resident at the time of appointment, and maintain a New York State residency after appointment.
- Must hold and maintain a valid New York State Driver license at time of appointment.
- Visual acuity should be correctable to better than, or equal to 20/30 (Snellen) in each eye; if correction is required, distant visual acuity should not be less than 20/100 without correction in each eye.
- Must pass a physical/medical examination.
Civil Service examinations are scheduled by the NYS Department of Civil Service. As of January 2022, the NYS Park Police canvassed Park Police Officer Trainee/Park Police Officer (Spanish Language) Trainee candidates on the current eligible lists, #26-540/#26-541. All eligible candidates were canvassed from this list and processed for a Park Police Academy that, pending budgetary approval, will begin October 2022. These lists #26-540/#26-541, are now exhausted and will not be canvassed again. The next Civil Service examination for the positions of Park Police Officer Trainee/Park Police Officer (Spanish Language) Trainee, Exam #26-879/#26-880, will be held on September 17, 2022, please note the deadline to apply for this exam has been extended to 11:59 pm on August 10, 2022. To apply, visit Career Opportunities in New York State Law Enforcement. We anticipate that the new eligible lists will be established by the end of the year. We also expect to canvass the new list in January 2023 and are planning to hold the agility testing in February 2023, as the beginning of the hiring process for a Police Academy to begin in the Fall of 2023. Candidates who are successful on the upcoming exam are advised to keep the Park Police updated with any changes in mailing addresses by emailing the NYS Park Police at PPOcareers@parks.ny.gov. The normal life of a Civil Service eligible list for Park Police Officer Trainee can be up to four years or less, depending on the number of candidates on the eligible list.
Exam & Selection Process
The NY State Park Police does not keep an exam notification database at this time. To be notified about future exams, please sign-up for automatic e-mail notifications with the NYS Department of Civil Service.
- Agility performance test. Candidates may be contacted at any time to attend the agility test. They are urged to maintain a level of fitness that will enable them to meet the standards listed in the Cooper Norms.
- Extensive background investigation, including polygraph examination
- Medical examination, subsequent to a conditional offer of employment. See the Civil Service Physical/Medical Requirements Form (pdf).
- Psychological examination, drug testing
- Successfully complete a six month residential police basic school
Selection Process Frequently Asked Questions (pdf)
Salary & Benefits
The current starting salary for a NY State Park Police Officer Trainee, at SG-13, is $56,360. As a Trainee, you will participate in a one-year traineeship. Upon completion of the traineeship, you will advance to the Grade 14 Park Police Officer, with a starting salary of $65,798. This includes all contractual wages.
Appointees who work in the five boroughs of New York City or in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, or Westchester Counties will receive an additional $1,613 annual downstate adjustment. In addition, appointees who work in the following locations will receive an additional supplemental local pay in the following amounts: the counties of Orange, Putnam, and Dutchess - $1,343; the five boroughs of New York City, Rockland, and Westchester Counties - $2,017; and Nassau and Suffolk Counties - $2,352.
NEW: Additionally, appointees who work in the mid-Hudson region (Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, and Westchester counties) or downstate region (Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond, Nassau, or Suffolk counties) may receive up to an additional $15,000 in geographic pay differential. Learn more.
- Salaries do not include overtime.
- Retirement is at half pay after 25 years.
- Promotional opportunities by competitive examination processes.
- Accrue 13-24 vacation days, 12 holidays, 5 personal days and 13 sick days each year.
- Excellent health, dental and optical insurance coverage
- All uniforms and equipment are provided
Academy and Job Scope Frequently Asked Questions (pdf)
Contact
NY State Park Police
OPRHP
Albany, New York 12238
(518) 474-4029
email: PPOcareers@parks.ny.gov
For questions regarding employment with the New York State Park Police, please contact the appropriate region or headquarters listed below and ask to speak with the Recruiting Officer.
- Long Island/Metro - (631) 321-3700 (Nassau, Suffolk, NYC)
- Hudson Valley - (845) 786-2701 EXT. 209 (Palisades, Taconic, Saratoga/Capital)
- Mid-State – (315) 492-6422 (Central, Finger Lakes, Thousand Islands)
- Western New York - (716) 278-1777 (Niagara, Genesee, Allegany)
- Division Headquarters - Albany - (518) 474-4029