JERSEY CITY – More than 300 interested candidates turned out for an informational session last week as part of the Jersey City’s minority recruitment drive for the Jersey City Police Department (JCPD). The informational session was held at City Hall on Friday, Aug. 23.
The recruitment effort was launched by Mayor Steven Fulop and City Council President Rolando Lavarro Jr., in cooperation with several local nonprofits, including Puertorriqueños Asociados for Community Organization Inc. (PACO), the Asian American Law Enforcement Association, the Philippine American Friendship Committee, Urban League, the Hispanic Law Enforcement Association, and the Inter-Minority Police Action Council.
“We are thrilled that more than 300 residents came to City Hall on a Friday night because they are interested in joining the Jersey City Police Department,” said Mayor Fulop. “These young men and women represent the diversity that is Jersey City and we are committed to ensuring our Police Department reflects that diversity. We hope that everyone who attended the session applies and enrolls in the free prep courses being offered by PACO.”
Senior Police Department officials, as well as current JCPD police officers, and community leaders discussed the application process and answered questions about careers in policing. While Jersey City is among the most diverse cities in the state, the JCPD has only a handful of non-white officers, detectives, and senior personnel, which Fulop and Lavarro have pledged to change.
The filing deadline for the next police entrance exam is Wednesday, Sept. 4. By state law, interested applicants must apply online. To assist Jersey City interested applicants, particularly those who do not have internet or computer access at home, the city’s minority recruitment drive includes four locations where applicants can gain access to the internet and a staff member to assist them in the filing process. Those four locations and their office hours are:
Resident Response Center, City Hall, 280 Grove Street
Monday through Friday
8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Immunization Clinic, the HUB, 360 MLK Drive
Mondays and Wednesdays
5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
National Urban League, 253 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
Monday through Thursday
2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
PACO, 390 Manila Ave.
Monday through Friday
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The requirements for the police test are a high school diploma, Jersey City residency, and U.S. citizenship.
Once an applicant’s candidacy has been approved by the state through the required online application process, the Jersey City Minority Police Recruitment Drive will offer a series of free police test preparatory courses, a $500 savings, prior to the next police academy.
“I am deeply committed to realizing the untapped potential of Jersey City’s great diversity, including the diversification of our police force,” said Council President Lavarro. “I’m very excited that City Hall is taking actions consistent with such a commitment and look forward to working with our community partners in this recruitment effort.”