New York State Police Changes Key Detail for New Recruits, Can You Apply?

New York State Police officials have announced a major change to the application process to become a state police officer, and specifically, a change to who is eligible to apply. The change was made with this goal in-mind: encourage more people to join the state police ranks than ever before.

We have the latest updates from the New York State Police, and whether or not you may now be eligible to apply to join them.

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New York State Police Widens Age Range for Prospective Applicants

A story from ABC News 10 in Albany shared the update that the New York State Police has widened its age range for prospective applicants, effectively immediately. The previous age limit for applicants was 29 years of age, but that maximum has now been increased to 34 years of age.

Applicants are encouraged to visit joinstatepolice.ny.gov if interested in applying.

Rhania Traore, tech sergeant in recruitment for state police, told News 10 that the goal was to widen the pool and give more people the opportunity, which will in-turn welcome a diverse and experienced group of people, such as military personnel or those who are looking to change career paths.

More specifically, the application you would be filling out is an application to take the New York State Trooper Entrance Examination. After passing the examination, as well as background checks and physical exams, a prospective state trooper would attend the New York State Police Training Academy.

Check out the video below for a look at the training experience:

From there, applicants would complete the 10-week Field Training and Evaluation Program (FTEP), and spend a year as a probationary officer, before becoming a fully-certified New York State Police Trooper.

You may have thought this opportunity had passed you by, but starting this week, if you're between the ages of 29 and 34, you're now officially eligible to start this journey.