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Yes! The Charlottesville Police Department is actively recruiting new police recruits and DCJS certified police officers. We often on-board successful candidates prior to the start of the police academy. These employees are paid as Police Recruits, but work in a non-sworn capacity until the start of the next police academy.
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You must be 21 years old by the time you graduate from the police academy.
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The background investigation and pre-employment testing generally take 5 – 10 weeks to complete. The timeframe varies from applicant to applicant based on a number of factors, including but not limited to how long it takes to conduct interviews, receive employment inquiries, and schedule pre-employment testing.
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Typically, the time from date of application to hire is 3 months for police recruits. The process for DCJS Certified Officers is shorter.
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We do our best limit your travel to a maximum of two (2) visits. Often candidates are scheduled to take the LAWFIT physical agility test, pre-employment testing (polygraph, psychological, and medical/drug screen) over the course of 3 to 4 consecutive days.
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Prior use is not an automatic disqualifier and will be considered with the totality of your background investigation.
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You bet we do! CPD recognizes that society has shifted its attitude towards visible tattoos. Our officers can openly display body art that isn’t extremist, indecent or sexually-explicit, racially- and/or sexually-biased, could be view as discriminatory, or does not violate department policy.
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You are not required to live in Charlottesville.
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We generally wait until candidates have moved further along in the hiring process before our Hiring & Recruitment Team schedules you for a ride-along.
Frequently Asked Questions
Salary
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Police Recruits/New Officers are paid $26.45/hour which is $55,016/year.
Those who qualify as a lateral police officer (Virginia DCJS Certified) will negotiate their starting salary step based on the officer’s tenure as a police officer, prior training and experience, and your department size. Time served in a training capacity as a recruit/trainee as part of a police academy does NOT qualify for the experience requirement.
Benefits
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The City of Charlottesville offers comprehensive medical coverage with Aetna, Delta Dental, Metlife, and Optima. Unlike the Virginia Retirement System (VRS), City of Charlottesville retirees with at least ten years of creditable service are eligible for medical and dental benefits. The City contribution is pro-rated according to your years of service and continues until you reach Medicare age at 65.
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Officers receive 2 – 5 weeks annual leave per year depending on length of service. The city provides 14 paid holidays, and employees earn unlimited sick leave accrual at a rate of 4.62 hours bi-weekly. Unused sick leave can be applied to a retiree’s creditable years of service up to 2000 hours.
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Please visit https://www.charlottesville.gov/1047/Employee-Benefits for a general summary of employee benefits.
Retirement
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The City of Charlottesville offers two retirement plan options, a traditional Defined Benefit Pension Plan and a Defined Contribution 401a plan.
The Defined Benefit Plan (traditional pension) pays a monthly benefit in retirement. New officers contribute 5% of base salary, pre-tax. You are vested after 5 years of creditable service and eligible to retire at age 50 with 25 years of service.
Officers with at least 20 years of creditable hazardous duty service are also eligible for a Public Safety Supplement payment for up to 17 years to the age 67.
The Defined Contribution 401a plan is an individual account that the City contributes 8% of your base salary. Contributions are made each bi-weekly pay period. You are fully vested after 3 years. Distributions equals vested account balance upon end of employment.
Tuition Assistance Program
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Yes! The City of Charlottesville Tuition Assistance Program also provides assistance up to $1,200 for undergraduate level courses and up to $2,000 for graduate level courses per employee per fiscal year for approved courses at accredited schools. Employees can (1) prepay the cost of the tuition and request reimbursement or (2) they can present the form (after it is approved by their supervisor and Human Resources) to the school at the time of registration and request the school to bill the City for their tuition.
Police Officers with the City of Charlottesville who have worked in public service (federal, state, local, tribal government or a non-profit organization) for 10 years or more (even if not consecutively), may be eligible to have all your student debt canceled through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF) administered by The Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid’s.
Police Academy
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Basic Law Enforcement Class 152
January 6, 2025 - May 22, 2025
Basic Law Enforcement Class 153
July 7, 2025 - November 20, 2025
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The Police Academy is approximately 22 weeks.
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The Central Shenandoah Criminal Justice Training Academy is located in Weyers Cave, Virginia about 50 minutes from Charlottesville. Click here to get directions.
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Although not mandated, you are strongly encouraged to stay at the academy during the week. Academy hours are primarily 6 am to 5 pm Monday through Thursday with recruits going home on Thursday and returning Sunday evening.
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Upon graduation, recruits are sworn in as police officers and will begin additional In-House Training which is six weeks of specialized training before the start of Field Training.
Field Training Program
Patrol Schedule
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All new officers are assigned to the Patrol Bureau. Officers currently work ten hour fixed shifts on a four day rotation. Officers work four days followed by two days off and then work four days followed by four days off.
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You will be assigned to either the Daylight, Evening, or Midnight Shift based on staffing needs. Shifts are currently assigned by seniority and availability.
The Daylight Shift runs from 07:30 am – 5:30 pm.
The Evening Shift runs 3:00 pm – 1:00 am during the week and 5:00 pm – 3:00 am on Friday/Saturday.
The Midnight Shift runs 10:00 pm – 8:00 am.
