By Fernando Alba
The Press-Republican, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — State Police are making its application and testing requirements to become a trooper more accessible as new recruits are needed within the agency statewide.
Troop B Maj. Ruben Oliver said the staffing at State Police is at its lowest in the last 20 years. But despite the shortage, only 600 applicants have signed up for the Trooper Entrance Exam for Troop B, which covers much of the North County, while about 16,000 have applied statewide. Both figures are lower than in typical years, Oliver said.
But now, Oliver said, taking the entrance exam is more accessible than before. Instead of offering the exam regionally for a few weekends in the fall, it is now taken in numerous computer testing centers across the state. Applicants, who must be 20 years old, have a high school diploma or equivalent and be a U.S. citizen, can now choose the time, date and location of their exam.
“We want the public to help us recruit the next generation of troopers,” Oliver said at a news conference in Plattsburgh Wednesday, asking communities to recommend the entrance exam to people who could be a good fit for the agency.
Interested applicants have until April 10 to apply, with the final day of testing on April 30. Anyone looking to take the exam can sign up at joinstatepolice.ny.gov. Deployed military members will have access to international testing locations if interested, Oliver said.
Oliver emphasized that becoming a trooper means more than just enforcing traffic laws.
“We’re a full-service police agency. We have an aviation unit; we have dive teams; we have SORT, which is our version of SWAT; we investigate major crimes like homicides, assaults, and we’re even active in fighting terrorism,” he said.
Oliver also said that applicants shouldn’t feel limited if they don’t have a criminal justice background, saying that State Police has former teachers, veterinarian technicians, farmers, pre-med students, engineers, financial planners and more currently working for the agency,
“They all have found a unique spot within our agency. They all continue to build their careers,” he said. “To those who might not have thought of us as a career choice, give us a look.”
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Trooper Lamar Phillip was one of those applicants. Before he became a part of the State Police recruit team, he was a postal worker.
“This wasn’t plan A, B or C for me,” Phillip said. “I have a senior investigator friend on this job. If he hadn’t suggested that I take the test, I wouldn’t be here now.”
Trooper Wendy House, who is also a recruiter, said attracting applicants with diverse backgrounds benefits the agency.
“We don’t want all our candidates to have the same way of thinking,” she said.
House said the entrance exam will test people on map reading, distances, memory, reading comprehension, cognitive reading and more. After completing the exam, participants’ scores are ranked. Depending on where someone lands on the list, a physical fitness test is taken, which is followed by a background check and then the academy.
To attend the academy, cadets will have to show they have 60 college credits or be on track to obtain 60 credits, House said.
House said State Police has a lot to offer for anyone interested in joining, from different career paths, reliable benefits and competitive wages.
“We are looking for people that want to have a true commitment to community service and anybody who wants to make their community a better place,” House said.
(c)2022 the Press-Republican (Plattsburgh, N.Y.)