The Virginia State Police is seeking quality applicants who possess the highest character and integrity to serve the Commonwealth. The Department prides itself on hiring applicants who surpass our steadfast hiring process and standards.

The Department conducts a comprehensive background investigation and reviews an applicant’s suitability for employment on a case-by-case basis, considering the totality of the information discovered.

A qualified applicant for State Trooper must:

• Be of good character and reputation, as established by a background investigation to include, but not limited to, a polygraph examination, educational achievements, prior work experience, and credit history.
• Be accepting and respectful of all peoples, regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, ancestry, etc.
• Be willing to work rotating shifts, weekends, and holidays.
• Successfully pass all pre-employment testing.
• Be willing to travel at your own expense to the Virginia State Police Administrative Headquarters to complete testing throughout the pre-employment process and while in the Academy as a Trooper-Trainee.

*Prior law enforcement experience/employment is not required for application for Trooper.

The totality of an applicant’s background will be considered when making a final hiring determination.

1. Any conviction, to include a juvenile conviction, or plea of guilty or no contest to a felony or any offense that would be a felony if committed in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
2. Any active felony indictment.
3. Any conviction or plea of guilty or no contest to any misdemeanor involving moral turpitude including but not limited to petit larceny under Section 18.2-96 of the Code of Virginia or any offense involving moral turpitude that would be a misdemeanor if committed in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Crimes of moral turpitude include but are not limited to fraud, all theft offenses, and perjury.
4. Any conviction or plea of guilty or no contest to any misdemeanor sex offense in the Commonwealth of Virginia, another state, or the United States, including but not limited to sexual battery under Section 18.2-67.4 of the Code of Virginia or consensual sexual intercourse with a minor 15 or older under clause (ii) of Section 18.2-371 of the Code of Virginia.
5. Any conviction of domestic assault under Section 18.2-57.2 of the Code of Virginia or any offense that would be domestic assault under the laws of another state or the United States. A conviction under Section 18.2-57 can also be a disqualifier if the victim meets the federal criteria for a domestic relationship.
   1. To meet the federal definition, the offense must be committed by a current or former spouse, parent, or guardian of the victim, by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabiting with or has cohabited with the victim as a spouse, parent, or guardian, by a person similarly situated to a spouse, parent, or guardian of the victim, or by a person who has a current or recent former dating relationship with the victim.
6. Any conviction that requires the registration in the Virginia Sex Offender Registry.
7. Any illegal use of any controlled substance listed in Schedule I or Schedule II of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia in the past five years or the illegal use of any controlled substance listed in Schedule I or II more than twice in the past ten years.
8. The use of any illegal drug during the last twelve months.
9. Illegal sale of any drug or narcotic.
10. A conviction of Driving Under the Influence in the past five years, or more than one conviction of Driving Under the Influence in the applicant’s lifetime.
11. Conviction in any court of a misdemeanor crime punishable by more than two years in jail, even if the maximum penalty was not received. These types of 2+ year misdemeanors only occur in Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina.
12. Active revocation or suspension of driving privileges in any state.
13. Falsification of application with intent to conceal or mislead.
14. Documented untruthfulness during applicant process.
15. Military dishonorable discharge.
16. Ineligibility to possess a firearm as a result of an involuntary commitment to a mental health facility, or agreement to voluntary admission to a mental health facility after being the subject of a Temporary Detention Order, pursuant to the Code of Virginia or laws of another state of the United States. In instances where the applicant’s firearms rights have been restored, a five-year waiting period shall be required before employment will be considered.
17. Active order of protection or restraining order, or Emergency Substantial Risk Order (ESRO), or Substantial Risk Order (SRO).
18. Any acquittal by reason of insanity.
19. Renounced United States citizenship.
20. Alien illegally in the United States.

The Body Fat Percentage calculation is to help interested applicants for the Academy better understand where they fall within standard, established health ranges. Being above/below these ranges is not an automatic disqualifier for acceptance into the Academy. Please contact a VSP Recruiter (Contact Us) with any questions.

Maximum Allowable Male Body Fat Percentage:

• Age 21 – 27: 22%
• Age 28 – 39: 24%
• Age 40 – 49: 26%
• Age 50 +: 28%

Maximum Allowable Female Body Fat Percentage:

• Age 21 – 27: 32%
• Age 28 – 39: 34%
• Age 40 – 49: 36%
• Age 50 +: 38%

Maximum Allowable Weight as Determined by Height

Maximum weights for sworn employees as recommended by the Department physician are reflected in the following table:

Not only is maintaining one’s health key to being prepared for the Academy, but also helps Troopers stay safe and successful on the job. All applicants have to pass a Pre-Employment Work Performance Test before acceptance to the Academy. While attending the VSP Academy, all Trooper-Trainees participate in physical training designed to develop optimum physical condition. All sworn VSP personnel undergo periodic evaluation to determine their physical development and compliance with the Department’s weight standards.

• Must have at least 20/20 binocular vision (corrected or uncorrected) and if uncorrected visual acuity is 20/100 or better binocular and 20/200 or better in worse eye
• Meets minimum requirements for color vision test with/without corrected lens(es).
• Capable of hearing normal frequencies of 500, 1000, 2000, and 3000 hertz at a pure tone level of 25 decibels or less and no greater than a 45 decibels at 4000 and 6000 hertz when checked by the Audiometer Test

Tattoos on the hands, ears, head, face, nose, eyebrows, neck, or tongue are prohibited.  Tattoos on all other parts of the body shall be covered at all times by issued clothing.  This policy shall apply while the sworn employee is on duty (including training or outside events other than physical training or defensive tactics training) or whenever representing the Department in an official capacity regardless of whether the sworn employee is in uniform or not, unless exempted under the provisions of this general order. 

Body modifications visible while on duty are prohibited. Body modifications include, but are not limited to: 

1. tongue splitting or bifurcation;  

2. complete or trans-dermal implantation of any objects other than hair replacement;  

3. abnormal shaping of the ears, eyes or nose;  

4. gauging or gradually increasing the radius of a surgically induced opening in the flesh in areas such as the ear lobes or lips; and  

5. branding or scarification. 

Body modifications shall not include those procedures medically necessitated by illness, deformity or injury, when performed by a licensed medical professional.  

All sworn employees of the Department shall at all times appear neat and clean, and keep their clothing and equipment in proper repair.  Whenever they appear in public they must be clean-shaven, have their hair groomed, and be clean as to their person and clothing.

• Sworn Females: Hair must be worn so it does not extend below the bottom of the uniform collar. Pins, combs, or barrettes similar to the color of one’s hair are permitted, provided they are concealed and unobtrusive to wearing the uniform hat. Hair on the forehead will not extend below the uniform hat, when properly worn.
• Sworn Men: Hair shall be clean, trimmed, and present a neat appearance. Hair may be tapered or blocked at the back of the head. It shall not appear bulky at any point, and only the closely cut or shaved hair may touch the collar or ears. Hair on the forehead will not extend below the uniform hat, when properly worn. Sideburns shall not extend below the center of the ear.

All Trooper applicants – male and female – must complete the Work Physical Fitness Performance Test at our North Chesterfield County Academy. The test consists of a 150–yard course and is designed to measure stamina and cardiovascular fitness in the completion of various job-related physical skills.

The applicant must successfully complete all 8 obstacles in succession with a pass/fail time limit of 1 minute and 36 seconds:

• Participant is seated and given a physical description of a suspect
• Run/Sprint 25 yards…Jump a distance of 3 feet in length
• Run/Sprint 25 yards…Climb over a 5 feet tall fence/wall
• Run/Sprint 10 yards…Crawl under an obstacle 24 inches high and 10 feet long
• Run/Sprint 25 yards…Climb up and down a standard 8-inch step for 12 consecutive repetitions
• Run/Sprint 15 yards…Crawl through 36 inch x 30 inch window opening 3 feet above the floor
• Run/Sprint 10 yards…Correctly ID the suspect (Based on description given at the start)
• Run/Sprint 15 yards…Drag a 150-pound dummy 5 yards
• Trigger-Pull Exercise: Single-fire a double-action handgun with dominant hand; repeat with non-dominant hand.

Participants must complete all performance events in the specified sequence or they fail the course. Participants who fail the course, as a result of not completing an obstacle, may retake it 1 time. Upon completion, participants will be told their time and informed if they successfully completed all tasks.

Applicants must wear a suitable athletic shirt and suitable athletic pants/shorts in order to be eligible to take the fitness test. Sport shoes (i.e. sneakers or coaching shoes) are recommended.