Selection and Hiring Process

Police Officer:

Be at least 21 years of age by the start date of the police academy and a U.S. citizen at the time of application.
Be a high school graduate, or a GED with 12 hours of college, or a GED with an honorable discharge from the U.S. military after at least 24 months of active duty service.
Have a valid driver's license.
Be of good moral character.
Meet the minimum licensing requirements established by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.
Be able to pass a medical/physical examination by a licensed physician to determine if they are physically sound and free from any defect which may adversely affect the performance of duty appropriate of the position.
Not be color blind.

Telecommunicator:

High school diploma or GED equivalent.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Ability to multi-task.
Available to work shift work, weekends and holidays. 

Civilian Positions:

High School Diploma
Must be 18 years of age
Valid Texas Driver License
Excellent Oral and Written Communications Skills
Strong Public Speaking Skills

1. Convicted of an offense above the grade of Class B or a Class B within the last 10 years.       
2. Placed on court-ordered community supervision or probation for any criminal offense above the grade of class B misdemeanor or on court-ordered community supervision or probation for a Class B misdemeanor within the last ten years from the date of the court order.
3. Convicted of any offense involving Family Violence as defined by the Texas Penal Code.
4. Discharged from the military under dishonorable conditions. General discharges will be considered on a case to case basis.
5. Alcohol and Drug Use Criteria:
   Hiring eligibility for candidates having used controlled substances, illegally used prescription medication, or marijuana or any of its derivatives is determined by the following guidelines. Circumstances surrounding using alcohol, controlled substances, prescription medication or marijuana illegally that are beyond these eligibility guidelines are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
   
   Five Year Limitations. Candidates having used any felony-grade controlled substance within the last five years are not eligible for hire unless the drug was prescribed by a licensed physician.
   
   Two Year Limitations.
   a. Prescription Medication. Illegal use or abuse of any prescription medication within the last two years are not eligible for hire.
   
   b. Marijuana. Candidates having used marijuana or any of its derivatives within the last two years are not eligible for hire.
   
   c. Legal Use in Other Jurisdictions. Certain controlled substances and marijuana are illegal in Texas, but some of those same controlled substances and marijuana may not be illegal in other jurisdictions. Candidates having used or possessed marijuana or any derivatives, or any other controlled substance considered illegal under the Texas Health and Safety Code within the last two years are not eligible for hire.
   
   Delivery or Furnishing. Candidates having illegally delivered or furnished any controlled substance or drug to another with the expectation that a personal benefit would be received are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Involvement in this illegal activity may result in permanent disqualification based on factors such as recency, type of substance and frequency of actions.
   
   Experimental Drug Use. Candidates having used any drug in an experimental manner or in a non-habit-forming manner are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Experimental use factors to determine eligibility are substance used, frequency of use, if the use was experimental, and recency of the usage. Experimental use is defined as: Usage to determine the effects of a drug.
   
   Eligibility dates are determined from last date of use to initial testing date of the candidate.

The above are just some basic requirements and disqualifiers. Please contact us if you have any additional questions about eligibility.

Initial applications must be submitted online. Applications must be completed and submitted by the deadline in order to be considered.

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During the hiring process, you will be required to turn in the completed Personal History Statement before taking your scheduled entry exam.

The PHS is a detailed application that requires a large amount of personal information. This information is necessary due to the nature of the job you have applied for. Please be assured that your information will be kept in a secure, locked location.

You will receive the PHS via email after passing the online application.

Sample PHS

Photocopies of documents such as high school transcripts, college transcripts, birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc. will be accepted at the entry level test. (Note: Official transcripts will be required prior to the background investigation.)

The Police Aptitude and Character Test™ (PACT™) contains testing on Reading Ability, Mathematical Reasoning, Writing Ability, Reasoning Ability and Human Relations.

Applicants may order the practice "PACT Candidate Orientation Guide for Written Testing" by visiting: FACT Candidate Orientation Guide (fpsi.com). The PACT Candidate Orientation Guide is a helpful tool to prepare for the exam and can be downloaded as a PDF file and saved or printed. Please read through the disclaimer on the order page in order to have a successful download. Payments will be submitted through PayPal via an account or credit/debit card. Once payment is submitted, PayPal automatically redirects you back to the FPSI site where access to the download link will be located on the Order Details-Checkout Status page. Applicants must pay close attention to ALL instructions on both FPSI and PayPal's websites in order to access the instant download successfully!

All applicants must pass a physical fitness test to be eligible to continue to the next step of the hiring process. Applicants may choose to participate in a 1.5 mile run that must be completed in 15 minutes or less, or applicants may choose to participate in a 2000-meter row meeting at least a 50% requirement per the DPS Row Calculator found here: DPS Concept 2 Rower Calculator - Department of Public Safety (texas.gov). To calculate your required time, enter Gender, Age, and Weight and then enter “50” in the Percent box under Desired Results.

After applicants successfully complete the physical fitness test, they will be asked to complete a preliminary interview. This one-on-one interview will provide an opportunity to briefly discuss the information presented in the PHS.

This board consists of an assistant chief, lieutenant, sergeant, and an officer of the College Station Police Department. The candidate will be assessed based on a structured interview process.

If the applicant passes the interview, a polygraph examination and a thorough investigation will be conducted. The Personal History Statement is subject to verification through the polygraph examination that is administered by a licensed polygraph examiner.

A thorough background investigation will be conducted. This phase includes a check of criminal history, driving record, employment history, and interviews with personal and professional references that can give specific information about the candidate's suitability for a position as a police officer.

Candidates whose background investigation results are found favorable will be scheduled for a final interview panel with the Chief of Police. The Chief will then decide to hire, reject or hold the application for later consideration. If the candidate is given a conditional offer of employment, that offer will be contingent on the successful outcome of a psychological and medical examination. All candidates that are given a conditional offer of employment are subject to a drug screen.

• Police Academy Orientation - 1 week
• Police Academy - 20 weeks
• CSPD Post Academy Orientation - 4 weeks
• Field Training - 20 weeks
• Released to Patrol