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Join the Nation's Finest: United States Capitol Police

HISTORY
Created by Congress in 1828, the original duty of the United States Capitol Police was to provide security for the United States Capitol Building. Today, our mission has expanded to provide the Congressional community and its visitors with the highest quality of a full range of police services. These services are provided through the use of a variety of specialty support units, a network of foot and vehicular patrols, and fixed posts.

Today's United States Capitol Police Officer has the primary responsibility for protecting life and property, preventing, detecting, and investigating criminal acts, and enforcing traffic regulations throughout a large complex of congressional buildings, parks, and thoroughfares. Additionally, the protection of Members of Congress, Officers of Congress, and their families is expanded by statute to the entire United States, its territories and possessions, and the District of Columbia.

SELECTION PROCESS
The United States Capitol Police is always interested in highly qualified applicants. An intensive selection process, which takes an average of five months to complete, involving a written examination, application review, personal interview, background investigation, polygraph examination, psychological evaluation, and medical examination helps ensure the selection of the highest quality recruit officers for our Department.

TRAINING
Providing our officers with the skills necessary to meet the challenges of their daily assignments is a primary concern of our training staff. Training, including physical conditioning, begins at full pay with the first week at our training facility in Washington, D.C., followed by ten (10) weeks of intensive training in such areas as police procedures, psychology, criminal law, laws of arrest, search and seizure, and physical defense techniques at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Georgia. After graduation from FLETC, recruits return to our Police Training Academy for ten (10) weeks of additional training. After graduation, officers are assigned to a field training officer, and then continue to develop their skills through on-the-job experience and continual in-service training. Public relations, firearm proficiency, and physical fitness are among the many areas stressed throughout an officer=s career.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
A wide assortment of interesting and rewarding career opportunities are available to you as a United States Capitol Police Officer. Assignments in the areas of Dignitary Protection, Criminal Investigations, Intelligence, Threats, Containment and Emergency Response Team, K-9, Communications, Motorized and Mountain Bicycle Patrol, Hazardous Devices and Electronic Countermeasures, and other units exist for those who desire to enhance their career. Selection and assignment to these units is accomplished on a competitive basis, and is available to officers after one (1) to two (2) years of field experience. Additionally, after three (3) years with the Department, you may compete in promotional processes for the rank of Sergeant.

Salary
starting salary-$45,074 (2004) *
after training-$46,653 (2004) *
Private, First Class (after 30 months) $52,312 (2004) *

* Please note: generally, the rates of pay are adjusted annually.

BENEFITS

Annual Leave -accrued 13 days per year for the first 3 years, 20 days after 3 years, 26 days after 15 years
Sick Leave -accrued 13 days per year, and may accumulate without limit
Paid Holidays -10 paid holidays annually
Additional Duty -additional duty, including court time, is compensated
Uniforms and Equipment -all uniforms and equipment are furnished at no cost to the officer
Life Insurance -group life insurance at low cost to the officer
Health Insurance -choice of a wide variety of group health plans for officers, and dependents, under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program
Retirement -participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), with eligibility for retirement with 20 years of service at age 50, or 25 years service at any age
Thrift Savings Plan -all officers are able to contribute to the tax deferred Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with the federal government matching a portion of contributions
Fitness and Wellness Center -free use of our Fitness and Wellness Center which offers health training and counseling, individualized fitness programs, and a full range of exercise equipment
Premium Pay -added compensation for working Sundays, Holidays and/or nights

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

  • You must be a United States citizen.
  • You must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age, but not have reached your thirty-seventy (37) birthday at the date of appointment (the maximum age may be waived with prior qualifying federal law enforcement employment).
  • You must possess a valid driver's permit.
  • Your vision must be no greater than 20/100 uncorrected, correctable to 20/20 in each eye.
  • Your weight must be proportionate to your height, and/or must meet body fat standards as established by the United States Capitol Police physical evaluation standards.
  • You must possess a high school diploma, or and equivalency certificate (GED) issued by an authorized agency.
  • You must have no record of felony convictions.
  • You must not be currently involved in any pending criminal charges.
  • If you possess prior military service, you must have been separated under honorable conditions (honorable discharge).

    For more information, contact:

    United States Capitol Police
    119 D St., N.E.
    Washington, D.C. 20510-7218
    Recruiting & Investigations Section
    (202)224-9819, employment information
    (202)228-5764, facsimile
    Recruiting@Cap-Police.Senate.Gov, E-mail address; please be sure to include your full name (last, first, middle), address, and home and business telephone numbers.



    UNITED STATES CAPITOL POLICE
    119 D Street, NE
    Washington, DC 20510

    An Equal Opportunity Employer

    Police Officer Selection Process Information and Examination Registration Form

    Thank you for your interest in the United States Capitol Police. This sheet provides you with information regarding

    1) minimum requirements you must possess to be considered for the position of Police Officer with the U.S. Capitol Police, and

    2) all information necessary for you to sign up to take the entry-level police officer examination.

    MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
    XYou must be a United States citizen.
    XYou must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age, but not have reached your thirty-seventy (37) birthday at the date of appointment (the maximum age may be waived with prior qualifying federal law enforcement employment).
    XYou must possess a valid driver's permit.
    XYour vision must be no greater than 20/100 uncorrected, correctable to 20/20 in each eye.
    XYour weight must be proportionate to your height, and/or must meet body fat standards as established by the United States Capitol Police physical evaluation standards.
    XYou must possess a high school diploma, or and equivalency certificate (GED) issued by an authorized agency.
    XYou must have no record of felony convictions.
    XYou must not be currently involved in any pending criminal charges.
    XIf you possess prior military service, you must have been separated under honorable conditions (honorable discharge).

    SELECTION PROCESS
    The selection process consists of the following stages of processing, of which you must be successful at each stage in order to proceed to the next:

  • Written Examination
  • Application Review
  • Personal Interview
  • Extensive Background Investigation
  • Polygraph Examination
  • Physical Examination
  • Psychological Evaluation

    Applicants will be evaluated at each step of the process and those not selected to continue will be notified in writing of this decision. Applicants notified of non-selection will be eligible to reapply one year from the date of notification. Applicants are encouraged to establish a personal physical conditioning program as they will be required to participate in a rigorous physical conditioning program throughout their 21 weeks of training should they be selected for appointment.

    SALARY
    The starting salary is $43,166. After twenty (20) weeks of training, the salary is increased to $46,653, and after thirty (30) months, $52,312.

    ENTRY-LEVEL EXAMINATION
    The entry-level police officers' examination assesses reading comprehension, arithmetic, writing, grammar, punctuation, and spelling skills. The examination is administered on selected Mondays at Headquarters, U.S. Capitol Police, 119 D Street, N.E., Washington, D.C., 20510. The examination takes approximately 2 1/2 hours. Generic study guides for use in preparing for entry-level police examinations are available on the commercial market. Preparation for the examination is encouraged.

    ELIGIBILITY
    To be eligible to take the written examination for the position of police officer you must:

    (1) meet the Minimum Requirements for the position;
    (2) not be currently under consideration for the position;


    Applicants who have taken the test only once and did not pass, may take the exam a second time on any test date. However, those who have taken the examination two or more times and have not passed must wait one year from the last test date before retesting. Those who have taken the examination and passed do not have to retake the examination to reapply.

    Should you have any questions relating to the minimum requirements for the selection process please contact the Recruiting and Background and Investigations Section at 202-224-9820.

    EXAMINATION REGISTRATION
    To sign up to take the entry-level examination for the position of Police Officer, complete the attached registration form. Fill out the form completely and legibly and return to the address indicated at the bottom of the form. You may only sign up for one examination date.

    Please make a note of the time and date for which you register. You will not receive notice of confirmation. Seating is limited so we ask that you please call (202)224-9820 to cancel if you find you cannot attend the session for which you registered. Please allow sufficient travel time as late arrivals will not be seated for the examination. You must present a valid photo ID to be admitted to the examination room.

    United States Capitol Police
    An Equal Opportunity Employer
    Examination Registration Form
    Testing Facility-119 D St NE, Washington, DC 20510
    Toll Free Number 1-866-561-USCP

    To register for an examination date and time, you may contact the Recruiting Section via telephone at 202-224-9819 or the above toll free number between the hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM or you may submit the form via facsimile at 202-228-5764. Please make note of the date and time for your testing appointment, you will not receive a reminder from us. The test is administered at 10:00 am on each test date, unless otherwise noted. Please arrive approximately thirty (30) minutes prior to the test time. You MUST provide a valid driver's license for admittance to the testing facility. Check ONLY one examination DATE.

    Candidate Information (Please Print legibly) Test Dates
    Social Security Number ___________________________________
    (Please check only one date)
    03/19/05 06/18/05 09/17/05
    Last Name ___________________________________
    First Name ___________________________________
    Middle Name ____________________________________
    Street Address ___________________________________
    City ___________________________________
    State _________________________________
    Zip ______________________________
    Home Phone ___________________________________
    Work Phone ___________________________________
    Date of Birth ___________________________________
    (MM/DD/YY)

    HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE U.S. CAPITOL POLICE?
    Please check the source from which you obtained information and indicate the name of the source in the space provided:

    Job Fair at ________________________________________
    Referred by USCP Employee ________________________________________
    Career Development Day at ________________________________________
    College Placement Office at ________________________________________
    Internet/World Wide Web (address _______________________________________)
    POLICE Magazine ________________________________________
    Other ________________________________________

    OPM Web Information/USCP www.usajobs.opm.gov/ei51.asp

    Georgia testing: Lt. Ruth Dowdy Phone 912-267-2464 FAX 912-267-2465

    09/28/2004



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