Applicants New to Law Enforcement

The Montana Highway Patrol is looking for highly motivated individuals who can work with minimal supervision and are willing to go the extra mile to assist and protect the driving public. If you are interested in a rewarding career in law enforcement, join some of Montana's finest men and women in the ranks of the Patrol.

Minimum Requirements

To apply for a trooper position with the Patrol, you must:

• have a high school diploma or GED
• have a valid driver's license from any state and have at least three years' driving experience
• be a citizen of the United States
• be a Montana resident at the time you are appointed as a sworn trooper
• be at least 18 years of age
• possess binocular vision of 20/200 uncorrected, which is corrected using glasses or contact lenses to binocular vision of 20/30; 140 degrees peripheral; normal color vision (to sufficiently distinguish red, yellow and green); and normal depth perception
• be of good moral character and in sound, active physical and mental condition. Applicants with felony convictions that could have resulted in imprisonment in a federal or state penitentiary are disqualified. Misdemeanor convictions for criminal offenses are reviewed on a case-by-case basis
• be willing to accept an initial assignment in any part of Montana and to work varied shifts, including nights, weekends and holidays, as well as accept call-outs

Education and Experience

Although none of the following are required, the Patrol encourages candidates who have at least one of these qualifications to apply:

• an associate degree in criminal justice or police science
• a four-year or higher degree in any field
• 60 semester or 90 quarter credits in a liberal arts curriculum
• four years' military police/military security experience
• two years' public regulatory/compliance work

How to Apply

1. Check that you meet the Patrol's minimum requirements.
2. Contact the Patrol recruitment office for more information and ask to be placed on the recruitment mailing list:
   • Phone: (877) 8-PATROL toll free, (406) 444-3284 or (406) 444-3259,
     or
   • E-mail: mhp@mt.gov
3. Read the job announcement. The Patrol posts Trooper job announcements on the State Job Listings only during active recruitment.
4. Complete an application package.
   1. The Patrol accepts applications only during active recruitment.
   2. Review your application package to check that it includes any additional requirements and information. Be sure to include a copy of your State employment application.
   3. Mail, e-mail or deliver the completed package to the address on the job announcement or to a Montana Job Service office.

Any applicant who falsifies or withholds any pertinent information will be rejected or dismissed if already employed by the Patrol.

Selection Process

Applicants who successfully pass each of the following six steps qualify for consideration for employment with the Patrol.

1. Application Screening
   Applications are reviewed for completeness, accuracy and minimum requirements. Any applicant who falsifies or withholds any pertinent information will be rejected.
2. Written Testing, Physical Fitness Testing and Interview
   • National Police Officer Selection Test:
     • The test takes a total of 75 minutes and is made up of four separately timed sections. The mathematics, reading comprehension and grammar sections are multiple-choice and true or false questions. The incident report writing section requires answers written in complete sentences.
     • Although most of the questions relate to police duty, no prior knowledge of law or law enforcement is needed to answer.
     • There is no study guide for this test.
     • Failure to meet the minimum passing score eliminates an applicant from the selection process.
   • Physical Fitness test:
     • These tests measure the strength, flexibility and endurance law enforcement officers need to perform the essential functions of their positions.
     • Applicants must meet the Montana Law Enforcement Academy's physical fitness requirements for acceptance into the Law Enforcement Officer Basic Course. Failure to meet this minimum level eliminates an applicant from physical fitness testing and from the selection process.
   • One-on-one interview – This interview focuses on applicants' qualifications for the position.
3. Panel Interview
   Applicants must complete a structured interview involving questions related to a Highway Patrol trooper position.
4. Job Suitability Testing
   Applicants must complete two personality profiles related to their general cognitive abilities and job suitability, and a questionnaire.
5. Background Investigation
   Selected applicants must pass an extensive background investigation conducted by the Montana Highway Patrol, including, at a minimum:
   • criminal history records check
   • driving records history check
   • previous employer reference checks
   • credit check
   • fingerprint check
   • verification of application materials and qualifications
   • verification of compliance with the Federal Military Selective Service Act
6. Psychological Screening, Physical Exam and Physical Fitness Testing
   After a conditional offer of employment, selected applicants must pass a psychological evaluation and an in-depth physical and eye examination. Applicants must meet the physical fitness requirements for acceptance into the Law Enforcement Officer Basic Course 40 days prior to the commencement of the course.

Education and Training

The curriculum set forth in the following courses is specifically designed to prepare individuals for careers with the Montana Highway Patrol. Selected applicants are required to attend:

• Law Enforcement Officer Basic Course – 12 weeks of academic and physical training. To graduate from the Law Enforcement Officer Basic Course, recruits must meet all academic and physical fitness requirements.
• Montana Highway Patrol Advanced Traffic Enforcement Course – a six-to-eight-week program that provides continued training in topics and laws specifically related to traffic enforcement. Highly qualified instructors provide over 300 hours of education and training in the fundamentals of traffic enforcement, including auto theft, crash investigation and criminal interdiction. To successfully graduate from the Advanced Traffic Enforcement Course, recruits must pass all academic requirements and maintain the level of physical fitness required to graduate from the Basic Course.

The residential training is conducted at the Montana Law Enforcement Academy in Helena.

Field Training and Initial Assignment

Upon appointment, new troopers are placed in a nine-week field-training program with experienced field training officers (FTOs). After successfully completing this training, troopers receive their initial station assignments. Troopers must successfully complete a one-year probationary period to continue employment.

Further Information

Patrol Recruitment Office
Phone: (877) 8-PATROL toll free, (406) 444-3284 or (406) 444-3259
E-mail: mhp@mt.gov