The non-civil service agencies in New Jersey test throughout the year, separate from the New Jersey Civil Service (LEE) testing. The following police departments and police academies are some of the organizations testing in the weeks and months to come:
NJ Transit Police Department (NJTPD)
NJ State Police (NJSP)
Bergen County Police Academy (NJ) Alternate Route Program (ARP)
Camden County College Police Academy (NJ) Alternate Route Program (ARP)
Cape May County Police Academy (NJ) Alternate Route Program (ARP)
Essex Fells Police Department (Essex County)
Also available to New Jersey law enforcement candidates is the Pennsylvania State Police testing process. The PSP process is extremely competitive and very fair for NJ candidates. The best of the best get selected. It is one of the most merit-based and competitive processes among the state police processes in the North Eastern United States. I highly recommend it. The PSP have enhanced their process to include testing over an extended period through the year wherein candidates can select a test date for the computer-based written exam. The scored oral then follows at the end of the designated written testing period for those who score among the top on the written test. Then, the oral and written scores are combined and only the top 400 move on to the remainder of the PSP selection process. Only the most competitive candidates enter the background, etc.
The Alternate Route Program (ARP) police academy slots have proven to be very competitive to earn and an exceptional method for serious candidates to get hired in many of the most desired police departments throughout New Jersey. Candidates can test for any of the 12 participating county police academies throughout the year, as the training and ultimate certification is issued by the New Jersey Police Training Commission (PTC) and is valid throughout the state. Further information regarding the separate ARP processes is available at ccstest.com.
The individual departments and the police academies in New Jersey choose from different available entry-level tests. It is essential that candidates know which exam is being used by the particular department or police academy. The “chief’s test” expression is just used to indicate that it is not the “civil service” test.
Information regarding each of these testing opportunities as well as test preparation for each is available at:
