Police Officer - Requirements and Benefits

General Requirements

  1. Education and Experience
    • Associate’s degree or equivalent – 60 college credits or 90 college quarter hours at the time of application - OR
    • Three years of active duty military service with an honorable discharge - OR
    • Three years of full-time law enforcement officer experience recognized by MCPD i.e., work as a sworn, government agent with full arrest powers.
  2. Not less than 21 years old at the time of graduation from the academy.
  3. United States Citizenship -OR- permanent legal resident of the United States who is an honorably discharged veteran of the United States Armed Forces, and who has applied to obtain United States Citizenship, and the application is still pending approval.
  4. Valid driver’s license.
  5. A comprehensive background investigation conducted by the MCPD.
  6. A written examination, scored interview, polygraph examination, and psychological and medical examinations.

Medical Requirements

Selected candidates must demonstrate the following:

  • Vision: Corrected vision of 20/20 in each eye. Uncorrected vision of 20/40 each eye for those who wear glasses or hard contact lenses. Those who wear soft contact lenses are not subject to the uncorrected vision requirement if they have successfully used soft contact lenses for at least 6 months.
  • Color vision: Measured on a Farnsworth D-15 test.
  • Hearing: An auditory examination will be conducted.
  • Physical
    • Exercise capacity of 12 METS (10 min) as measured on an exercise treadmill using BRUCE protocol with a maximum target heart rate of 90%, adjusted for age.
    • Abdominal stretch 27 inches measured from chin to wall while bending backwards with hips strapped against wall.
    • Standing long jump / Plyometrics- 73” minimum
    • Sit & reach stretch
    • Push-ups - 17
    • Sit-ups - 34
    • Other exercises or movements required by the Office of Medical Services to demonstrate fitness for duty

Salary and Benefits*

Starting Salary for police officer candidates is $64,556 a year. Starting salaries based on police or military police experience:
$66,818 – 1 year experience      $69,156– 2 years experience        $71,576 – 3 years  experience          $74,081– 4 years experience         $76,678 – 5 years experience  
*salary rates as of Janaury 1, 2024

Benefits

Montgomery County Government offers a competitive salary and benefits package.

  1. 4-day work week for patrol officers
  2. Permanent shift schedules
  3. Differential pay for bilingual skills upon certification (average $2,000–$6,000 per year, based on fluency and hours worked)
  4. Pay differential for evening and night shift (average $2,900-$3,900 per year, based on shift hours worked)
  5. Paid Holidays, Accrued Sick, Annual, and Compensatory Leave
  6. Take home car program
  7. Property Tax Credit: $2,500 for Montgomery County Residents
  8. All uniforms supplied, including cleaning and alteration
  9. All leather goods supplied, including boots and shoes
  10. Liberal 25-year retirement plan/deferred compensation plan
  11. Paid leave to attend military training (15 days per year)
  12. Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and prescription drug plans
  13. Medical catastrophe benefits
  14. Employee assistance programs
  15. Professional improvement leave
  16. Workers’ compensation insurance
  17. College tuition assistance for continuing education
  18. Promotional opportunities
  19. Extensive in-service training and specialized career opportunities
  20. Credit union membership