Requirements

Citizenship

• Citizen of the United States of America

Age

• Applicant must be 21 years of age on the day of the written test.

Height & Weight

• The applicant’s height & weight must permit the applicant to perform the essential functions of an Upper Merion Township Police Officer.

Vision

• 20/70 uncorrected in better eye, correctable to 20/20.

• 20/200 uncorrected in poorer eye, correctable to 20/40.

• Normal color and depth perception.

Physical

• Applicant must pass a rigid physical examination and physical fitness test.

• Education: Applicants must possess a high school diploma or a G.E.D. Certificate; plus an

Education

• Associate’s Degree or 60 semester credit hours in an accredited institution of higher education at the time of appointment.

• Applicants without an Associate’s Degree may use one of the following waivers to reduce the 60-semester credit hour requirement.

• Only one waiver per candidate, as follows, is allowed: 60 semester credit hours waived for those applicants with two full years as a full-time police officer as certified by the PA Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission (MPOETC).

• 30 semester credit hours waived for those applicants with two full years of any law enforcement experience that encompasses the powers of arrest under State or Federal law; e.g., Corrections Officer, Liquor Enforcement Officer, Board of Probation and Parole, Fish and Game Commission Officers.  Determination of relevant law enforcement experience to be made by the Upper Merion Township Police Department on a case-by-case basis.

• 30 semester credit hours waived for those applicants with at least two years of full active military duty with an Honorable Discharge.

• A maximum of 15 semester credit hours waived for those applicants who have successfully completed Act 120 training, as certified by the PA Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission.

Driver’s License

• Must be licensed to operate a motor vehicle; or obtain a Pennsylvania operator’s License prior to employment.

Tattoos

• All personnel are prohibited from displaying any tattoo on any part of their body that would be normally visible to the public while wearing any uniform of the day, including the short sleeve shirt.

• No arm sleeves, wraps, cover-ups, bandages, etc., will be allowed to be worn in order to cover a tattoo visible while wearing the short sleeve shirt. It is not permissible to wear long sleeve shirts (wintershirts) all year long.