Below you will find a list of factors that may, and in some cases will cause an applicant to be dismissed from the selection process. This is not a list of every possible reason that could disqualify you from potential employment. It is a list of the most common causes that some applicants are unsuccessful in our selection process.
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ou are applying for a position to become a police officer with the Penn Hills Police Department. We must ensure that any applicant considered for employment meets the high standards required of being placed into a position of public trust. Your life history must show that you possess integrity, honesty, and a level of respect for the laws that we require you to enforce as a police officer and that you will do so in a manner that reflects positively on our department.
Please read over this list carefully to determine if your background meets our hiring standards. The minimum requirements that may qualify you to become a police officer here in Pennsylvania will not necessarily qualify you to become a Penn Hills police officer. They are just the minimum. That is not the standard by which we hire police officers.
- Falsification, misrepresentation, or omission of any material fact, to include, but not limited to; anything in the Application for Employment, the “Polygraph Pre-Screening” packet, or any other document directly related to the hiring process that assesses your suitability for employment is an automatic disqualifier. It will also remain on file should you re-apply. Failure to be forthright during the hiring process is not an acceptable character trait for this position and does not meet our hiring standards.
- Detected deception during the polygraph examination, or the use of “countermeasures” to defeat the polygraph examination, is an automatic disqualifier.
- Failing any part of the selection process, including the written examination, oral interview, and physical agility test, is an automatic disqualifier.
- Conviction of any felony and certain graded misdemeanors (civilian or military) in Pennsylvania, or the equivalent elsewhere, or any conviction that would disqualify you from receiving or maintaining Act 120 certification as required by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission (MPOETC) is an automatic disqualifier.
- Criminal arrests (civilian or military) that would not necessarily disqualify you from receiving or maintaining Act 120 certification through MPOETC will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may be cause for disqualification.
- Current criminal charges (civilian or military) for which disposition is still pending or being on active probation or parole is an automatic disqualifier.
- Admission to a crime for which you were never charged, or had gone undetected, is an automatic disqualifier if it falls under the guidelines of section 4, and may be cause for disqualification if it falls under the guidelines of section 5.
An admission to serious undetected crime, such as, but not limited to; criminal homicide, rape, kidnapping, robbery, robbery of a motor vehicle, aggravated assault, etc., may result in a notification to the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction where that crime occurred. If you’re employed as a police officer, we may notify your agency as well. Although instances such as these are rare, you must understand that admissions to serious offenses could lead to an investigation by a law enforcement agency, resulting in potential criminal prosecution. We will question all applicants on the topic of undetected criminal activity in the “Polygraph Pre-Screening” packet, before the actual polygraph examination. - A dishonorable discharge from any branch of the United States Armed Forces is an automatic disqualifier.
- Illegal drug use, to include marijuana, while actively employed in any law enforcement capacity is an automatic disqualifier.
- Prior illegal drug use is evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may be cause for disqualification.
- An active suspension of your driving privilege in Pennsylvania, or elsewhere, at the time of application, is an automatic disqualifier.
- Accumulation of demerit points, prior driver’s license suspensions, convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances, or other factors that show poor driving habits or disregard for traffic laws, whether in Pennsylvania or elsewhere, will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may be cause for disqualification.
- Poor history of credit, debt management, the filing of bankruptcy, etc., will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may be cause for disqualification.
- Any actions or history of behavior that, if discovered, would likely bring discredit to the Penn Hills Police Department (e.g., inappropriate postings on social media websites) will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may be cause for disqualification.
- Poor work history, to include, but not limited to; termination from employment, resignation in lieu of termination, excessive absenteeism, poor performance reviews, and disciplinary issues will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may be cause for disqualification.
- The Penn Hills Police Department has a visible tattoo policy. Tattoos cannot be visible while wearing the summer uniform, which consists of a short sleeve uniform shirt.
