The Process

Online applications are available all year long except for the months of October and April. Once you have completed your online application, officially conducted through governmentjobs.com, you’ll be prompted to schedule a Physical Fitness Test.

Once you’ve submitted your online application, refer to the job posting to schedule your Physical Fitness Test. Completing this test is required to move forward in the hiring process, and you’ll receive immediate pass/fail notifications during the test.

After successfully completing the Physical Fitness Test, HPD’s Internal Affairs Division will send you an invitation by email and text message to begin the background investigation process.

You will complete a Personal History Statement and submit any required documents through Vetted, our secure background investigation platform. If you have questions while completing your statement or uploading supporting documents, you can send a message directly to your assigned Investigator through the Vetted platform or contact HPD’s Internal Affairs Division by email at InternalAffairs@huntsvilleal.gov or by phone at 256-427-70120.

Once you have submitted all required information, you will receive a confirmation notification for your records. After your submission has been reviewed and accepted, you will move on to the next stage of the hiring process.

Candidates will interview with Precinct Commanders and HPD Officers of various rank.

If you are recommended by the interview board, you will move to the next step in the process. The information you provide in the interview will be added to your file for presentation to the Chief of Police. You will not receive any notification following this step as it is not a pass or fail portion of the hiring process.

Conducted by Internal Affairs, background investigations include an in-depth review of your previous work history, criminal history and past drug use.  You will be notified by Internal Affairs if any disqualifying factors are determined.

Polygraph examinations are also conducted by our Internal Affairs Division. We receive many questions about this stage of the process and our advice is to simply relax and be honest about your life experiences. It is important to know that we are selecting only those with the best character to become Huntsville Police Officers.

Dress for this examination is business casual. Because of the relaxed atmosphere, ties are not recommended.

Once all the previous steps have been completed, the Command Staff will review all applicant files and forward recommendations for hire to the Chief of Police.  The Chief will make the final selection and Conditional Job Offers will be extended.  These offers are contingent on the applicants passing the Psychological Screening, Medical Screening and ultimate certification by the Alabama Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission (APOSTC).

The Huntsville Police Academy Administrative Staff will notify you to schedule psychological testing. These tests are important because they help us determine your suitability to perform the essential functions of a police officer. If you do not pass the Psychological Screening, you will be notified by the City of Huntsville’s Human Resources Department. Those who pass and are extended a conditional job offer will be notified by the City of Huntsville’s Human Resources Department.

The Huntsville Police Academy Administrative Staff will work with selected candidates to schedule these necessary tests.  If you do not pass the Medical Screening, you will be notified by the City of Huntsville’s Human Resources Department.

Congratulations!

If you’ve made it to this step, you are now a police cadet. Next, you’ll attend orientation and begin your 19-week academy experience where you will receive the best police training in the country. HPD Police Cadets are paid a starting salary of $58,614.40 during their training.

The Police Academy is crucial to learning the ropes of the day-to-day life of a police officer. It’s often said that police cadets who experience the Academy together form a lifelong bond during this process. Like anything really worth doing, it’s a challenging but rewarding experience mentally and physically.

Before you become a full-fledged Huntsville Police Officer, we pair you with several experienced officers in the field. You’ll spend 15 weeks learning how to apply all of the skills learned in the police academy to the real world as an officer.

Once successfully completing the Field Training Officer (FTO) program, police cadet pay is increased to $63, 460.80.