Police - Career Opportunities

Applicants must meet the following requirements by the application deadline:

• Be 21 years old
• Have a valid driver’s license
• Be able to legally carry a firearm in accordance with PA Title 18 section 6105.
• Have at least 60 college credits, or 2 years prior law enforcement experience.
  
  

Qualified applicants need to pass the following:

• Written Exam
• Pre-employment Oral Interview
• Physical Agility test
  
  

After these tests, a list of candidates will be certified by the Whitehall Township Civil Service Commission.

Applicants will then have the following:

• Background check
• Computer Voice Stress Analyzer or Polygraph Exam
• Psychological Exam
• Physical Exam to include a drug screening
• Oral interview

Once all above requirements are met, a list of 3 candidates per vacancy will be certified by the Whitehall Township Civil Service Commission.

If the candidate(s) selected are not Pa Act 120 certified, they will also need to pass all Pennsylvania requirements to attend the police academy. Candidate(s) will be enrolled in the first available academy, regardless of location.

If a candidate is already Act 120 certified, they will start their minimum three month Field Training Program.erful reminder that they are empowered to protect the community and other officers while serving the needs of the public who entrust them to do so.


Employment with the WPD
The Whitehall Township Bureau of Police is a professional law enforcement organization committed to providing unmatched service to its diverse community. A career with the Whitehall Township Bureau of Police offers many benefits: very competitive salaries and excellent benefits; opportunities to make significant positive impact on people in the Lehigh Valley; an amazing variety of work and challenges; satisfaction with a challenging public service career; and pride in being a member of one of the best law enforcement agencies in the country.

The Township of Whitehall, and its Police Department, encourages you to pursue the exciting field of law enforcement as a part of our dynamic team. This is an exciting time to become a Whitehall Township Police Officer as the Department develops ever more powerful bonds with the community that we serve.

We are searching for exceptional individuals of unquestionable integrity who can demonstrate sound judgment and decision-making skills under all types of conditions. We seek leaders who possess excellent verbal and written communication skills, and the strength of character to show concern and empathy in the face of adversity. We will demand your commitment to public service and dedication to the betterment of our community!


Civil Service Employment
We want to thank you for your interest in employment opportunities with Whitehall Township. We want you to be well informed about how your application will be handled and what you should expect. Hopefully, this information will be helpful, but if questions still exist please call the Human Resource Officer for Whitehall Township at 610-437-5524.

The open positions are advertised in the local newspaper (i.e., The Morning Call) and on our website under career opportunites. Advertisements must be posted at least 30 days in advance of the application period closing date in accordance with Civil Service Rules and Regulations guidelines.

Applications for the Civil Service positions are accepted every 2 years. The application process must be open for a period of at least 30 days.

During the period of open applications, they can be obtained at the Whitehall Township Municipal Building during normal business hours. They must be returned to Whitehall Township Municipal Building at 3219 MacArthur Road for processing.

There is an application processing fee that must be paid at the time the application is submitted. The amount is determined every two years. The candidate must meet all of the necessary requirements outlined in the Civil Service Rules and Regulations.


Process
The first step in the selection process is a written examination. Applicants must SCORE 70% to pass, or a percentage set by the testing agency and approved by the Civil Service Commission. Applicants must also SCORE within the top fifty (50) applicants.

The second step in the process is the oral examination. The panel consists of a designated oral structured examination board. Applicants must SCORE 70% to pass.

The third step in the process is the Physical Fitness Test which is scored as pass/fail. Each candidate that successfully passes the examination is tested based upon standard tests for Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission. Visit psp.pa.gov for more information.

The candidates that successfully pass the written, physical fitness test, and the oral examination, are then placed on an eligibility list based on their combined overall score. The eligibility list is valid for two (2) years after the Police Civil Service Board approves the list. This is the validated list that is utilized for all hiring, until the list expires or is voided.

Applications are forwarded to the Police Department for review a comprehensive background check is completed.

The next step is an interview with the Police Chief, Mayor of Whitehall and Human Resources Officer.

If the candidate is selected to be hired, a contingent offer of employment is made based on successfully passing a pre-employment physical examination that includes a drug panel screening and psychological examination as well as a polygraph/CVSA test.

10 Veteran’s points are provided in accordance with the rules and regulations.

Upon successful completion of all phases of the selection and hiring process, the candidate is then sent to the Police Academy if not already Act 120 certified. The candidate will receive pay as a Police Officer while attending the Academy.

Minimum Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship is required.
• Valid Pennsylvania Vehicle Driver’s License or an eligibility to obtain a Pennsylvania Driver’s License.
• Possess an Associates’ Degree, or sixty (60) credit hours from an accredited College or University, or two years of service as a full-time Police Officer as of the deadline for submitting application.
• Be physically and mentally fit to perform the essential duties of a Police Officer.
• Be twenty-one (21) years old before the deadline for submitting the completed application.
• Must be able to meet the Township residency requirement of 10 miles within six months of hire.

Employment Disqualifiers
There are specific elements that will automatically disqualify job candidates for employment with Whitehall Police. The WPD Employment Disqualifiers are:

• Conviction of a felony
• Use of illegal drugs in violation of the Whitehall Township Employment Drug Policy
• Default of a student loan (insured by the U.S. Government)
• Failure of an department-administered urinalysis drug test
• Failure to register with the Selective Service System (for males only)
  
  

  Employment Drug Policy
  The Whitehall Township Bureau of Police is firmly committed to a drug-free society and work place. Therefore, the unlawful use of drugs by Whitehall Township Bureau of Police employees is not tolerated. Furthermore, applicants for employment with the Whitehall Township Bureau of Police who currently use illegal drugs will be found unsuitable for employment.
  
  The Whitehall Township Bureau of Police does not condone any prior unlawful drug use by applicants. We realize, however, some otherwise qualified applicants may have used drugs at some point in their pasts. The following policy sets forth the criteria for determining whether any prior drug use makes an applicant unsuitable for employment, balancing the needs of the Whitehall Township Bureau of Police to maintain a drug-free workplace and the public integrity necessary to accomplish the Whitehall Township Bureau of Police’s intelligence and law enforcement missions. Applicants who do not meet the listed criteria should not apply for any Whitehall Township Bureau of Police position.
  
  
  Criteria
  You can easily determine whether you meet the Whitehall Township Bureau of Police's illegal drug policy by answering the following questions:
  

  1. Have you used marijuana at all within the last two years?
  2. Have you used any other illegal drug at all in the past 10 years?
  3. Have you ever sold, distributed or manufactured any illegal drug with the exception of a small amount of marijuana as defined by Pennsylvania statute?
  4. Have you ever used any prescription drug or used a legally obtainable substance in a manner for which it was not intended within three years (36 months) preceding the date of the preliminary application for employment?
  
  If you answered Yes to any of these questions, you are not eligible for employment with the Whitehall Township Bureau of Police.