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You might have noticed the signs while driving along Interstate 80. Or maybe the New Jersey Turnpike. Or really any state highway. Wherever you may have spotted one, the message is clear: New Jersey State Police want you.
State police are seeking new applicants in hopes of expanding their recruiting pool before the next academy class starts in January. Thus the ubiquitous signs found statewide.
The electronic road signs belong to the New Jersey Department of Transportation, which is in partnership with the state police to help boost the recruiting drive.
“When we do have our recruiting campaign, [the Department of Transportation] do allow us to post our search for qualified applicants,” state police Lt. Christopher Ortiz said.
The road signs are fairly straightforward. One on Route 80 East in Hackensack simply reads: “BE A NJ STATE TROOPER, NJTROOPER.COM.” But they have seemingly had an effect.
The partnership was in place during previous campaigns as well. This current one began April 3 and will continue until May 5. During the campaign so far, Ortiz said thousands have already applied. But he wants that number to be higher.
“We’re still looking to get more,” Ortiz said. “Our numbers are not as robust as they have been in the past … We’re really looking to get the word out there and build up our pool.”
Ortiz did not give a reason for why the trooper numbers were not as robust, but said that law enforcement recruiting numbers are down across the country.
“We are fortunate enough that our organization has the reputation where we have the ability to attract thousands of applicants,” he said.
Each year’s State Police Academy class has about 200 cadets, though it varies. But even applicants who are not selected for the 2024 academy, which begins in January, remain in the pool for future years, so long as they are qualified.
The signs have not been the only method of recruiting. The state police has been in communication with Rutgers ROTC as well as Fort Dix and McGuire Air Force Base to help generate attention for the campaign. Ortiz also said the state police has been working with different community organizations in an attempt to diversify the applicant pool. That has led to recent recruiting events at churches in North Jersey and South Jersey.
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“Our social media footprint has also been expanded,” Ortiz said. “We have been pushing out our recruiting efforts online, whether it’s Facebook, Instagram ads to basically get more eyes on our recruiting efforts.”
When visiting NJTrooper.com, potential applicants can look at what the minimum qualifications and disqualifications are. To start, applicants must meet one of three educational requirements by June 30, 2023 to be considered for the current selection process:
- A bachelor’s degree.
- An associate’s degree or 60 college credits from an accredited college or university plus at least two years of satisfactory employment or military experience
- 30 college credits from an accredited college or university plus at least two years of active duty military experience.
In addition to the educational requirements, applicants must be U.S. citizens between the ages of 21 and 35 and must have a valid driver’s license. There are a number of automatic disqualifiers as well, including a person who has been convicted of an indictable offense.
The full list can be found here.
Once an application is submitted, prospective candidates can schedule their physical qualification test.
The academy itself lasts about six months, Ortiz said, meaning cadets who complete it would become troopers in June 2024.
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