Frequently Ask Questions
Minimum Qualifications
- Must be 20 years old by the completion of Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET)
- Must have a High School Diploma or GED
- Must be a US or Naturalized Citizen
- No felony, DWI, or serious misdemeanor charges or convictions
- Must have corrected 20/20 vision and not be color blind
- Possess or obtain a valid North Carolina driver's license.
Physical Requirements
All applicants must be in good physical condition and therefore able to perform assigned duties.
Applicants will need to pass a modified physical abilities test (the POPAT light).
All applicants must have normal or corrected vision, and normal hearing.
Education Requirements
All applicants must have a high school diploma, a high school equivalency certificate
issued by the N.C. State Board of Education, or an adult high school diploma issued by
the N.C. Department of Community Colleges.
Basic Law Enforcement Training Certificate (BLET) is not a requirement to apply.
Completion of advanced degrees are preferred, but not required.
Character and Morals
All applicants must be of good moral character, have unsoiled behaviors, and be free from
evidence of overindulgence.
All applicants will undergo a background investigation, which will cover all factors relating to the
acceptability of the applicant in line with our department's culture.
The North Carolina Department of Justice has additional information on the requirements to become a certified law enforcement officer.
The department has 261 sworn police officers who are supported by a civilian staff of 48 team
members.
What types of shifts do officers work?
The Patrol Division consists of six teams that work a 4 on and 4 off schedule. Each shift is 10.5-hours.
Patrol teams are permanently assigned to either a day (0600-1630), evening (1500-0130), or
night shift (2000-0630). An officer's assigned schedule includes court and training dates for the
calendar year. Patrol officers have an opportunity to submit for a new shift annually.
The work schedule for specialty assignments/units varies based on the needs of the
department and position.
The High Point Police Department does not require anyone to live within city limits, however,
officers who wish to participate in the Take Home Vehicle Program are required to live anywhere within
the four counties (Guilford, Forsyth, Davidson, Randolph) the City of High Point is a part of.
Applicants outside of North Carolina will be evaluated based on their training and experience.
At a minimum, out-of-state candidates must have completed a Basic Law Enforcement Training
(BLET) course accredited by the state from which they are transferring and two years of full
time, sworn law enforcement experience. Out-of-state applicants cannot have a break in
service exceeding one year. They will also be required to submit a detailed academy syllabus
listing topics and hours from the time they attended BLET. Those topics and hours are evaluated
by the NC Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission, which makes the final determination on the certification requirements the applicant must meet.
Prior to employment as a certified law enforcement officer in North Carolina, out-of-state
applicants must successfully complete the employing agency's in-service firearms training and
qualification program. Once hired by the department, they must then complete the Legal Unit (minimum
of 98 hours) of BLET and any additional training as mandated by Training & Standards. The
applicant must then successfully pass the entire state comprehensive examination within the
12-month probationary period.
No. The High Point Police Department requires that a new application packet be completed to ensure all
pertinent information is included and up-to-date.
North Carolina State law requires a one-year probationary period for all new police officers.
As part of the background investigation, applicants for most positions will be required to submit
the following information for review:
- Copy of Birth Certificate
- Copy of Drivers License
- Copy of Social Security Card
- Certified Criminal Records Checks from all counties in which the candidate lived in the last 10 years. If the candidate attended high school within those 10 years and the high school was located in a different county than the candidate's residence, must include that county's criminal history check as well.
- Certified Driving History from all states in which the candidate has lived in the past 10
years. - Copy of High School Diploma or GED
- Copy of College Diploma or transcript if not graduated (if applicable)
- Copy of BLET Certificate Of Graduation (if applicable)
- Copy of Law Enforcement Certificate (if applicable)
- Copy of full DD 214 (if applicable)