Lower Gwynedd Police Department.
Photo by James Short.
The Montgomery County Consortium of Communities recently announced that it will be administering written tests for its police officers.
Officers interested in joining the Lower Gwynedd Police Department will be required to report to Springfield Township High School, 1801 Paper Mill Rd., on Saturday, Aug. 2.
The standards for successfully completing the assessment test are listed at www.mpoetc.state.pa.us
Participating police departments include:
Ambler, Collegeville, Conshohocken, Douglass, East Norriton, Franconia, Hatboro, Hatfield, Jenkintown, Lower Gwynedd, Montgomery, Norristown, North Wales, Pennsburg- Upper Perkiomen, Springfield, Towamencin, Upper Gwynedd, Upper Pottsgrove, Upper Moreland, West Norriton, West Pottsgrove, and Whitpain.
Some of these departments have different requirements. For most, you must be at least 21 years of age by the date of hire, be a U.S. citizen, possess a high school diploma or GED, possess a valid driver’s license, and be physically and mentally fit or perform the duties of a police officer. However, some departments, such as Ambler, Collegeville, North Wales, Springfield, Upper Moreland, and Whitpain, do not allow its applicants to:
- Not have any tattoos or brandings which would be visible when wearing a short sleeve police uniform of the Borough;
- Not have any visible ear plugs, gauges or eyelets, or other visible similar body stretching jewelry or ornamentation, and any body parts visible while in uniform which have been altered for the wearing of same shall be repaired in order for the applicant to be eligible for the oral examination.
The Montgomery County Consortium of Communities lists essential duties for police officers as:
- Running for several hundred yards;
- Climbing over obstacles;
- Crawling;
- Pulling or carrying accident, fire or crime victims;
- Using physical force to apprehend and subdue arrestees;
- Withstanding prolonged exposure, as long as 8 hours, to extreme weather conditions;
- Withstanding prolonged periods of standing or sitting;
- Withstanding frequent exposure to stress-producing situations such as encountering persons injured or killed by accident, crime or suicide;
- Dealing with domestic disputes;
- Communicating with employees, tenants, patrons and the traveling public in a professional, courteous manner;
- Dealing with verbal and physical abuse of the officer including taunts, insults and threats to the officer, family members or fellow police officers;
- Communicating effectively with individuals suffering from trauma;
- Operating a motor vehicle for long periods of time;
- Using firearms effectively and being capable or successfully qualifying with department firearms (rifles, shotguns, handguns.);
- Completing written reports in a clear, concise manner;
- Working shifts as assigned.
Montgomery County is offering a study guide here.
