2026 Police Officer (March)

Full Job Description

2026 MUNICIPAL AND MBTA TRANSIT POLICE OFFICER EXAMINATION

If you currently have a Civil Service Online Account DO NOT create a new account to apply for this exam.

Utilize the Government Jobs Help & Support to access your account. Online Employment Application Guide | Massachusetts Civil Service Applications

Candidates with multiple accounts may cause delays with properly recording your application and notifications from civil service such as notices to appear, or job opportunities. If you have questions, please email civilservice@mass.gov.

This exam is being administered by the Human Resources Division (HRD) to establish eligible lists from which to fill Police Officer vacancies in Civil Service Municipal Police Departments and the MBTA Transit Police in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Written Examination Period: March 11, 2026 through March 14, 2026*Application Period Begins: December 22, 2025Application Deadline: February 2, 2026Examination Processing Fee: $75 *The exam period may be extended depending on the number of candidates.

Note: For statutory purposes the first day of testing, March 11, 2026, is the original exam date and is referenced throughout this posting in italics.Written examination locations: Various sites across the Commonwealth.

Examination Information

Application: An exam processing fee must be received by the application deadline.

You will receive two confirmation emails when you have completed the process: one email confirming your application has been received, and one email confirming your payment has been received.

Your application is not complete until you have received both confirmation emails.

If you have not submitted payment of the exam processing fee on or before the application deadline, your application will not be accepted.

Note: Although the online application system allows candidates to elect to receive notifications by email or regular mail, please be advised that HRD utilizes only email for all notices to candidates.

Fee Waiver: The exam processing fee may be waived for candidates receiving, or who have received, certain state or federal public assistance, or unemployment insurance during any portion of the one year immediately preceding the exam date, March 11, 2026.

Fee Waiver Forms are available on our website (Fee Waiver Form). This form should be completed and supporting documentation must be scanned and attached to the application.

All fee waiver forms must be submitted on or before the application deadline.

Current Military Personnel: Any current military personnel requesting a makeup opportunity, please click here for more information

Makeup Examination: With the exception of current military personnel, no candidate has a right to a makeup exam due to personal or professional conflicts on the testing date.

Candidates are advised to consider this before applying for the exam.

If you submit an exam application by the application deadline but are unable to appear for the exam on the scheduled exam date due to an emergency or unanticipated hardship, you may request a makeup exam by filing a written request with verifiable documentation to HRD no later than seven calendar days from the exam date.

HRD reserves the right to approve or deny your request. HRD may require an additional exam processing fee upon approval of your request.

Reasonable Accommodations: If you need reasonable accommodations due to a documented impairment, or medical condition, you must fill out the Testing Accommodations Request Form and submit supporting documentation as outlined on the form from a qualified professional detailing what type of accommodation you require at the exam site.

The form and supporting documentation must be scanned and attached to the application or emailed to CS-ReasonableAccommodations@mass.gov no later than four weeks prior to the exam date.

Without such a letter, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to grant your accommodation.

This information is requested only to provide reasonable accommodations for exams and will not be used for any other purposes.

Examination Requirements: Examples of Essential Duties: Police Officers work under supervision to perform law enforcement duties, protecting life, property, and the civil rights of individuals.

Primary duties include patrol; interacting with citizens to provide service and render assistance; and preparing and completing records, reports, and other paperwork documenting incidents for use in prosecution.

Police Officers are dispatched to crime and emergency scenes in response to reported violations, accidents, domestic disputes and abuses, and other incidents; carry out crime scene duties; make arrests and perform searches and seizures; conduct investigations; and interview witnesses, suspects, and complainants.

Written Examination: The written exam consists of three subtests: the Written Ability Test (WAT), the Life Experience Survey (LES), and the Work Styles Questionnaire (WSQ).

The WAT is administered to measure cognitive abilities that have been identified as essential to performing the duties of a Police Officer.

The WAT includes areas of verbal expression, verbal comprehension, problem sensitivity, deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning, and information ordering.

The LES consists of a series of multiple-choice questions related to candidates past history and experience of potential relevance to successful performance of entry-level Police Officers.

The WSQ is designed to assess certain motivational, value-related and attitudinal characteristics that are of potential relevance to successful performance of entry-level Police Officers.

Candidates must receive a passing score on the WAT (Ability) section of the exam in order to have the WSQ (Work Styles Questionnaire) and LES (Life Experience Survey) sections scored.

The Preparation Guide for the Police Officer exam recommends spending one hour and fifteen minutes on the Ability section, before continuing to the rest of the exam.

For more information regarding the written exam and access to the Preparation Guide, please visit Preparation Guides & Reading Lists.

Entrance Requirements:

Credit for Employment/Experience: Pursuant to the provisions of M.G.L. Ch.

31, § 22, individuals may apply to receive credit for employment or experience in the position title of Municipal Police Officer and/or Transit Police Officer.

You must claim this credit by completing the applicable section of the application.

All claims must be verified by supporting documentation, which must provide specific details of any employment or experience you have in the exam title as a Municipal Police Officer and/or Transit Police Officer, including dates of service and, if part-time, total number of hours worked.

The supporting documentation must be on original letterhead with an original signature from the appointing authority where the employment or experience occurred.

Credit for employment or experience is applicable only to individuals who achieve a passing score on the written exam and cannot be added to a failing written exam score.

Claims must be submitted during the application period; supporting documentation must be scanned and attached to the application or sent to civilservice@mass.gov.

Supporting documentation must be submitted no later than March 18, 2026. Note: Resumes will not be accepted as sufficient supporting documentation.

Preference Claims: Candidates can submit a claim for the following preferences.

Residency: Your mailing address is not necessarily the same as your residency preference claim on the application.

To qualify for residency preference in a particular civil service municipality, you must be able to prove at the time of consideration that you resided in said municipality from March 11, 2025, through March 11, 2026, and select the specific municipality on the application and/or claim residency preference in a civil service municipality in which you graduated from a public high school.

For more information regarding residency preference please see M.G.L. Chapter 31, § 58.

Veteran Status: Click on this link for further information- Veterans' Preference Eligibility.

Disabled Veteran Status: Click on this link for further information- Disabled Veterans' Preference Eligibility.

Children of Police Officers/Firefighters: The son or daughter of a Police Officer or Firefighter employed in Massachusetts who was killed or died of injuries received in the performance of duty, or who was permanently disabled as a result of injuries received in the performance of duty, is entitled to certification preference under the provisions of Chapter 402 of the Acts of 1985.

If you believe you are eligible for this preference, you must claim this credit by completing the applicable section of the application.

Selective Certification for Bilingual/Gender Police Officers: If an appointing authority requires that a Municipal and/or Transit Police Officer be fluent in another language (e.g., Spanish, Vietnamese, Haitian Creole, etc.) or are a specific gender, the appointing authority may request that consideration for that vacancy be limited to persons who have met that criteria.

You will need to prove your language fluency during the selection process.

Ability to Select Employment Locations: Candidates will have the opportunity to select employment locations beyond residency preference.

Submission of location choices will not affect your residency preference claim and can be updated at any time.

All candidates that pass the exam will be given the opportunity to select employment locations at the time that score notices are released.

Eligible List: Candidates who participate in multiple exam administrations within a two year period after November 20, 2024, will have their highest score prevail.

The eligible list will have the highest score listed and it will expire two years from the date you were placed on the eligible list with that score.

Additional Information: Visit Examination Preparation Guides and Reading Lists | Mass.gov

Updating Information: Candidates are responsible for maintaining accurate contact information. Failure to keep your records current may jeopardize opportunities for employment.

For information on how to make changes, click on Update Your Account. Refunds: There will be no refund of the exam processing fee unless the exam is cancelled by HRD.

Private School or Service: HRD does not recommend or endorse any private school, service, or publisher offering preparation and/or publications for exams and is not responsible for their advertising claims.

Salary: Inquiries concerning salary should be directed to the appointing authority at the time of employment consideration.

Municipal Police and Transit Police candidates who pass the written examination and receive a conditional offer of employment from a Civil Service Municipal department and Transit Police will be instructed on how to apply for the Physical Ability Test (PAT) and other screening processes.

Questions about qualifications listed below should be directed to the appointing authority in question.

Medical Examination: All candidates who receive a conditional offer of employment must pass the medical examination. Candidates must pass the medical examination before participating in the PAT.

The Medical Standards are available for review on our website. Candidates may also be required to pass a psychological evaluation before appointment: Medical Standards for Municipal Police Officers

Physical Ability Test (PAT): The PAT is a test of the candidate's aerobic capacity and physical capability to perform various tasks required on the job. A separate fee may be required for the administration of the PAT. The PAT Preparation Guide is available on our website.

Smoking Prohibition: In accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 41, § 101A, candidates hired from the Police Officer eligible list resulting from this examination are prohibited from smoking tobacco products at the time of and after appointment.

Supplemental Information

Women, minorities, veterans, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

For more information or inquiries about this and other civil service exams, visit www.mass.gov/civilservice or email the Civil Service Unit at civilservice@mass.govThe Civil Service Unit's office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:45am – 5:00pm, except holidays.

Inquiries may also be made to the Civil Service Unit during these hours at the following numbers:

Boston area: (617) 878-9895 or (617)-878-9700
Toll-Free Within Massachusetts: 1-800-392-6178
TTY Number: (617) 878-976

Application period begins December 16, 2025 and ends February 2, 2026.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Q: I took and passed the Police Officer exam in 2025; do I need to take the 2026 Police Officer exam to remain eligible?

A: All eligible candidates who took and passed the Police Officer exam in 2025 will be merged onto the new eligible list. Individuals may take the 2026 Police Officer exam to extend their eligibility for an additional two years.

Q. I took and passed the 2024 Police Officer exam and appear on the current list with a date of 06/01/24; do I need to take the 2026 Police Officer exam?

A: Yes. If you wish to remain on the eligible list when the new list is established from the March 2026 exam; you will need to take and pass the 2026 exam.

Q: I took and passed a 2025 and the 2026 Police Officer exam. My score in 2025 was higher. Can I keep my highest score?

A: Candidates who participate in multiple exam administrations within a two-year period after November 20, 2024, will have their highest score prevail.

The eligible list will have the highest score listed and the highest score will expire two years from the date you were placed on the eligible list.

Q: Can I keep my highest score if I do not pass the 2026 exam?

A: Candidates who participate in multiple exam administrations within a two-year period after November 20, 2024, must pass the subsequent exam to have their highest score prevail. If you pass the 2025 exam and fail the 2026 exam, your name will be removed from the eligible list.

Q: I have lived in Chelsea for 3 years. Can I claim residency preference for Chelsea?

A:If you have lived in a Civil Service municipality for the twelve-month period immediately preceding the original exam date of March 11, 2026) you meet residency preference for that municipality and should choose the municipality on your application to be accurately reflected on the resulting eligible list.

For more information regarding residency preference please see M.G.L. Chapter 31, § 58.

Q: I live in a non-civil service municipality, but I graduated high school in Chelsea. Can I claim Chelsea as my residency preference?

A: No. Where you meet residency preference and where you attended public high school are two different questions and preferences. You would choose Chelsea on the application where it asks where you graduated from public high school.

Q: How do I add other cities and towns I would like to work as a police officer?

A: Complete the Update Civil Service Application to select additional departments you wish to be considered for employment. Do not include the municipality you indicated you met residency preference for. Additional instructions will be included in you score notice.

Q: I passed the exam and do not see my name on an eligible list for cities and towns I’d want to work, what’s my next step?

A: As mentioned in the previous answer, make sure you complete the Update Civil Service Application to select additional departments you wish to be considered for employment.

Q: I passed the exam, see my name on an eligible list for cities and towns I’d want to work, what’s my next step?

A: There are several different factors that go in to determining when a department will choose to fill vacancies.

It is important that you keep your information current with our office while your name is on the list, so you do not miss any opportunities.

If your name is reached when a department does request to fill vacancies, you will be notified by email with instructions on how to proceed.

A copy of the emailed vacancy notice can also be viewed in your Civil Service Online Account inbox. Vacancies are also posted on our website under Who Is Hiring? during the signing period.

Q: Can HRD send me the questions that I got wrong on my exam?

A: In accordance with Chapter 31, Section 22 of the Massachusetts General Laws (M.G.L) we will provide you with a marking of your answers to multiple-choice questions. HRD will provide the data string of the marking of your answers to multiple-choice questions

PLEASE NOTE that this statute does not provide for review of the test questions as the scoring methodology is confidential. The Answer Sheet Review presents the answers you chose on the exam, it does not indicate the correct answers.

Q: I don’t agree with your decision about my in-title experience. What can I do about that?

A: Pursuant to Chapter 31, Sec.

22 of Massachusetts General Laws provides that you may submit in writing a request for a review of the scoring of your In-Title Experience by sending an email to civilservice@mass.gov.

Your email request must be received no later than 17 calendar days after the emailing of your score notice.

No new claim(s) may be submitted at this time, and only additional clarifying information specific to a claim made prior to the statutory deadline will be reviewed.

Your request for review must include specific information about all In-Title Experience to be credited. Include supporting documentation as directed in the original In-Title Experience instructions.

Please indicate the title of the exam, your Person ID, and a daytime telephone number. The Subject Line should be addressed to: Entry Police E/E Review. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted.