It takes a special individual to meet the demands of being a United States Park Police Officer. These people are highly motivated, of good moral character, possess inner pride and self-respect, and have a desire to better the Nation that we serve. If selected as a United States Park Police officer, one must be able to work under a great deal of pressure while maintaining a clear head, a strong demeanor, a positive attitude, and good work ethic.Park Police officers work varying schedules that include nights, weekends, and holidays.It is understood that schedules may be subject to change, tours of duty may be extended, and officers may be required to work in adverse weather conditions.
The selection process to become a United States Park Police Officer consists of a series of steps. Applicants must complete each step before being invited to the next step. Only applicants who have successfully completed all steps may be considered for appointment. Applicants should expect to make several visits to the testing sites during the process.
The U.S. Park Police officer position, SP-0083-01, vacancy announcement is now posted on USAJobs.gov under vacancy announcement WO-1614-USPP-18-10186441-DE. This announcement opened on 04/20/2018 and will close on 05/05/2018.
If you have questions regarding the police officer position, call (202) 619-7056 or email us.
STEP 1 - MEETING THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
To be considered eligible, applicants must meet the minimum qualifications, which are as follows:
- Be a United States citizen
- Have 20/100 vision or better that is correctable to 20/20 with glasses or contact lenses
- Possess a valid driver's license (must have a good driving record)
- Have a high school diploma or equivalent
- Have a minimum of 60 college credits, or 2 years of progressively responsible experience that has demonstrated the ability to learn and apply detail and complex regulations and procedures, or managerial or supervisory skills. You can have a combination of acceptable experience and education of at least 2 years. In combining education and experience, an academic year of study (30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours) will be considered equivalent to 1 year of experience.
Examples of qualifying experience include:
- Work on a police force
- Served as military police officer
- Specialized military experience, i.e., decision-making and leadership ability
- Work providing visitor protection and law enforcement in parks, forests, or other natural resource or recreational environments
- Work performing criminal investigative duties
- Supervisory / managerial experience or personal work related experience that demonstrates decision-making and leadership abilities
Maximum Entry Age
Applicants must have reached their 21st birthday, but not have reached their 37th birthday by the date of appointment to this position. These positions are covered by the special retirement provisions for Federal Law Enforcement officers and have a mandatory retirement age of 57. Applicants for these positions who are over age 37 must have been or currently be covered by the special retirement provisions and be able to complete at least 20 years of covered service by age 57. You must submit proof of your status in the Law Enforcement retirement system.
Veteran's Preference
When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible veterans should claim preference on their application or resume.Applications claiming 10-point preference must complete an SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference. Veterans who are still in the service may be granted 5 points tentative preference on the basis of information contained in their application, but they must produce a DD Form 214 prior to appointment.
Employment Disqualifiers
There are specific situations that will automatically disqualify applicants for employment with the United States Park Police. Some of the automatic disqualifiers include, but are not limited to:
- Conviction of a felony
- Conviction of domestic violence
- Use of illegal drugs in violation of the United States Park Police qualification standards
STEP 2 - PASS THE PHYSICAL EFFICIENCY BATTERY (PEB)
After you have applied and received an eligibility confirmation e-mail from USASTAFFING, you must then schedule and attend the Physical Efficiency Battery (PEB) test.
When attending the Physical Efficiency Battery (PEB) test, you must bring the required forms:
- The Physician's Consent Form
- The PEB Waiver Form
- The Personal History Questionnaire (must be notarized)
- Your valid driver's license
To assist you in performing the PEB, we recommend that you bring TWO (2) types of shoes (running and court), and water or some form of hydration.
The PEB consists of 5 components; however, as an applicant you will be administered only 4 and must successfully pass each with a 70% or better to pass the PEB. Please see PEB Facts for information about our PEB test.
