Police Officer

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Recruitment Division is committed to recruiting, assessing, and hiring the best suited and qualified applicants to meet the needs of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community and the CMPD. The CMPD is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe our employees should be reflective of the community they serve.

If you are interested in applying for the position of police trainee: Go to cmpd.org/apply and click the apply now button. Applications are being accepted every other month from the 1st to the 15th: September 2018, November 2018, January 2019, March 2019, May 2019. *College students graduating in May 2019 are encouraged to apply in September or November 2018, as the background process can take 6 months*. Contact Sergeant Miller at dmiller1@cmpd.org with questions.

You must be at least 20 years old at the time you enter the process. (Must be 21 on date you enter academy)

You must have a High School diploma or GED. We encourage applicants to have at least an Associate'​s Degree.

You must be able to obtain a North Carolina OR South Carolina Driver's License, depend​ing upon your state of residence.

You must be a citizen of the United States.

We require an Honorable Discharge from the military (General Discharges are accepted on case by case basis).

You must pass an extensive background check including: Polygraph Exam, Psychological Screening, Medical Exam & Drug Screening

​New hires will start at the rate of $44,362

A 5% incentive for persons who have a proficiency in select second languages

5% bonus for Associate’s Degree, 10% bonus for Bachelor’s Degree

20 to 30 vacation days per year, based on years of service

2 weeks leave for annual reserve military training, one week is paid

Medical / Dental Insurance - City pays a portion of the coverage

Paid life insurance of double annual salary up to $100,000

Eligible for full retirement benefits from the city and state after 30 years of credible service or at age 55 (those employees hired on or after July 1, 2009 are not eligible for retiree medical coverage)

401(k) provided by the city - 5% of salary contributed by the city for sworn personnel

Educational tuition reimbursement

Employee Assistance Program - personal and family counseling

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officers are provided with the finest equipment, the best training, and the latest technology available in law-enforcement today

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department supports the National Guard and Reserve.

We encourage our employees to further their education and the City of Charlotte has a tuition reimbursement program.

We offer a challenging and rewarding career with numerous possibilities for you to make a difference in our community. Patrol, Felony Investigations, Vice and Narcotics, School Resource Officer, Lake Enforcement, Helicopter, Violent Crime Task Force, Special Information Bureau, SWAT, Highway Interdiction and Safety, Recruitment and Training, Canine and many more. Our department will provide you with the finest equipment available including a lap-top computer, uniforms, clothing allowance for plain-clothes assignments, in car cameras and unlimited training opportunities at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Academy.

It is a big city with a small town atmosphere. Charlotte is the nation's second largest banking center. We have excellent schools, universities and colleges. It is located centrally between the mountains and the Atlantic coast. Charlotte is the home of several professional sports franchises including the Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets, and America's premier NASCAR facility- Charlotte Motor Speedway. For more information about Charlotte, visit the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce.

The recruiting process begins with submitting a City application, available online through www.cmpd.org during Open Application periods throughout the year. Qualified applicants will then be invited to the written reading comprehension exam, currently the Nelson-Denny assessment test. Following the written test, the applicant will take a Job Related Physical Ability Test. Applicants who pass these tests will receive instructions on completing the background application on-line. Selection of Police Officer applicants is a competitive process. The best qualified applicants will be assigned to a recruiting officer who will conduct a comprehensive background investigation to determine suitability for employment.