Men and women standing in the Cherry Hill East gym wearing suits or casual clothes could be our next police officers in Cherry Hill. The steps to become a police officer for our community are very rigorous. Honesty, integrity, leadership, commitment, professionalism, and service. This is the value statement the Cherry Hill Police Department requires their future officers to live by. Becoming a police officer is a very detailed and physical task; people who dream of going into this field have to be prepared for a lot of work and learning.

In Cherry Hill, the department holds what is called a police selection test. This is when applicants have to come to a facility (ex. school, community center, etc.) and take a written exam to see if they have the knowledge to be in a uniform keeping the community streets safe. If they pass this exam, the Cherry Hill police department will call them back and make them take the physical part of the exam. The applicants would have to be timed in a run, push ups, sit ups, and many other things. The next step would be an interview with the board of Camden County Police to ask questions about the candidates morals and personality. If the board likes what they hear, the candidate will be sent to the Camden County College Police Academy for a 22 week training course.

When the 22 weeks are through and the candidate has made it, they will graduate and be allowed to take a position at the Cherry Hill Police Department. Many of the candidates think they can just get into a patrol car and start riding around the streets of Cherry Hill by themselves. That is not true, they have to ride with a senior officer for a period of time and are graded on how they handle certain calls and situations. After that time, they can finally be assigned solo patrol and will start to protect and serve their community. Police Officers will be responding to a variety of scenes in Cherry Hill – robberies, car accidents, domestic disputes, town events, murders, and much more. It is an exciting, but nerve wracking job.

From starting at Cherry Hill East for the selection test to becoming a police officer, the candidate should be fully trained and ready to represent Cherry Hill. The process will start all over again for new candidates that are interested in becoming the next police officers. So, if you want to consider this career be sure to keep your eyes out for a job advertisement.