Basic Qualifications

All applicants must meet the following minimum basic qualifications:

• Must be 21 years of age prior to completion of the field training program
• Must be in compliance with the department’s Dress Code and Appearance Policy (PDF)
• Must be a U.S. citizen
• Must have binocular vision of 20/25 corrected
• Must have a high school diploma or a General Education Diploma (GED)
• Must have no conviction of, or guilty or no contest plea to, any misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, including petit larceny; any misdemeanor sex offense; or any domestic assault.
• Must have no convictions of felonies and/or serious and habitual misdemeanors.
• Must have weight in proportion to height
• Must pass an extensive background investigation, including a polygraph, psychological, medical, and drug screening.
• Must pass a physical ability test
• Must possess or be eligible for a Virginia driver’s license

Note: Applicants will be eliminated for significant omissions or falsifications on any documents prepared in conjunction with the application process.

Questions

If you have any questions regarding our police officer applicant process, check out our list of frequently asked questions or call the Police Personnel Unit at 804-748-1547.

Benefits

The department offers an attractive benefits package, including paid training (no overnights or weekends). Recruit salary is $51,006 until the completion of training. Upon completion of field training and progression to officer status, the salary increases to $53,214. Pre-certified officers are competitively compensated commensurate to similarly tenured and experienced incumbent personnel.