Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

Professional Police Act of 2021

Age Requirements:

• Candidates must be at least 20 years of age at time of hire. Candidates must not have passed their 35th birthday by October 25, 2025
• Time spent on military duty or on terminal leave, not exceeding a total of seven (7) years, shall be subtracted from your age if you have passed your 35th birthday.

Education Requirements:

• Minimum college education requirements: 60 college credit hours completed by June 30, 2025; 30 of those hours may be waived if candidate is an honorably discharged veteran with at least two years of active military duty.
• At the time of appointment, you must have a high school diploma, high school equivalency diploma issued by a recognized educational authority, or a USAFI GED high school level diploma.

Additional Requirements:

• Must be a United States citizen and a New York State resident at the time of appointment and maintain a New York State residency after appointment.
• Must hold a valid New York State Driver license at time of appointment and maintain it after appointment as a term and condition of employment.

Next Steps

• Agility performance test
• Candidates are urged to maintain a level of fitness that will enable them to meet the standards listed in the Cooper Norms (pdf).
• Instructional video about the Physical Agility Test: https://youtu.be/3f8AXW5oYiw
• Review of Tattoos according to the Tattoo Policy (pdf).
• Background investigation, including polygraph examination and fingerprinting.
• Medical examination, after a conditional offer of employment. See the Civil Service Physical/Medical Requirements Form (pdf).
• 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.
• Drug testing.
• Psychological examination
• Written Examination

Once the above is completed, candidates who are hired will start as Park Police Officer Trainees Grade 13 and will:

• Be enrolled in a six-month residential police academy located in Rensselaerville, NY.
• Be assigned to a Park Police Zone within New York State upon graduation.
• Complete Field Training and the remaining 6 months of their probationary period.

After successfully completing the traineeship, candidates will advance to Park Police Officer Grade 14.

If you have additional questions, please review the Hiring Process Frequently Asked Questions (pdf) and call or email with any additional questions.

To learn more about the Park Police Academy and working as a Park Police Officer, click here: Academy and Job Scope Frequently Asked Questions (pdf)

Salary

The current starting salary for a NY State Park Police Officer Trainee, Grade 13, is $61,587. 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. Please see the chart below to learn more about Park Police Officer salaries.

Additional Geographic Pay:

Officers who work in the five boroughs of New York City or in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, or Westchester Counties will receive an additional $1,763 annual downstate adjustment.

In addition to the downstate adjustment, Officers who work in the following locations will receive an additional supplemental local pay in the following amounts:
The counties of Orange, Putnam, and Dutchess - $1,468
The five boroughs of New York City, Rockland, and Westchester Counties - $2,204
Nassau and Suffolk Counties - $2,570

NEW: Additionally, Officers 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) are eligible to receive an additional $15,000 in geographic pay differential. Learn more

Benefits

• Accrue 13-24 vacation days, 12 holidays, 5 personal days, and 13 sick days each year.
• Excellent health, dental, and vision insurance coverage.
• Salaries do not include overtime.
• Retirement is at half pay after 25 years.
• Promotional opportunities are available by competitive examination processes.
• All uniforms and equipment are provided.