Requirements , Prior Substance Abuse by Applicants for Certification and Physical Testing (PT) Standards

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To qualify to take our test, you must be a U.S. Citizen, have a High School Diploma or certificate of GED recognized by the Maryland Board of Education, have a valid driver’s license from any state, and you must be 21 years of age or reach age 21 by academy graduation.

Eyesight correctable to at least 20/30 in each eye. 

All applicants are required to meet the selection requirements of the Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commission (MPCTC) and Hagerstown Police Department.  The selection process includes a thorough background investigation mandated by Maryland law. Part of that background investigation includes a close examination of the potential applicant's prior substance abuse. 

An individual is ineligible for initial certification as a police officer in Maryland if the individual has:

(1) Been convicted or otherwise found guilty of selling, manufacturing, or distributing a controlled dangerous substance, narcotic drug, or marijuana;

(2) Ever illegally sold, produced, cultivated, distributed, or transported a controlled dangerous substance, narcotic drug, or marijuana;

(3) Illegally used a controlled dangerous substance, narcotic drug (other than marijuana) for any purpose within the 36 months before application for certification;

(4) Heroin, phencyclidine (PCP), or lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD);

(5) Ever illegally used a controlled dangerous substance, narcotic drug, or marijuana while employed to enforce federal, State, or local law by any government entity, or

(6) Illegally engaged in the use of marijuana for any purpose within the 12 months preceding the date of application for certification.

(7) Other than heroin, PCP, LSD, or marijuana, used any controlled dangerous substance or narcotic drug, or any combination of controlled dangerous substances or narcotic drug that exceeds a total of five times, or exceeds one time since becoming 21 years old.

The entire regulation governing the hiring and certification of police officers can be found here:
https://mdle.net/regs/PTSC_General_Regulations.pdf

All applicants must pass a physical agility assessment that includes elements developed and mandated by the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission.  Two different assessments are used – one for entry level applicants (based on the Washington County Police Academy entry level training program) and one for lateral/certified applicants. To view the physical agility assessments, please click here.

THE CITY OF  HAGERSTOWN IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
The City does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, ancestry or national origin, age, martial status, sexual orientation, disability, or any other basis prohibited by law.