Duties: Perform as a police officer for Marple Township. Age: Must be at least 18 years of age at application. As per the rules and regulations of the Marple Township Civil Service Commission, and as approved by Township Ordinance, the minimum requirements for application to the position of patrolman in the Marple Township Police Department are hereby established to be any of the following:

• Section 304.4.1: Evidence of successful completion of the Act 120 curriculum as administered by the Municipal Police Officers Education and Training Commission, to include the passing of the certification test;
• Section 304.4.2: In addition to the above, a degree from an accredited university is preferred.

Other requirements: Must possess a valid driver’s license. Must pass the following examination phases: (a) Physical agility test. (b) Written examination. (c) Oral examination. (d) Background investigation. (e) Physical examination. (f) Psychological examination.

 

PHYSICAL/WRITTEN TEST

The Municipal Police Officers' Education and Training Commission (MPOETC) outlines basic physical fitness and academic standards that all individuals must meet to qualify for the role of a police officer. Individuals must meet these standards to enter a police academy, graduate from a police academy, and apply for employment at a police department. 

Physical Test

MPOETC uses the Cooper Health testing parameters to gauge physical fitness. The Cooper standards are scientifically valid norms based on general population and law enforcement samples and are representative of a cross-section of those populations. Entrance to a Certified Municipal Police Academy requires each cadet to pass all four of the components of the Entrance Fitness Test (30%). Graduation from a Certified Municipal Police Academy requires the cadet to pass all four tests at the 50% percentile at least once during the academy. This fitness evaluation ensures that all cadets are sufficiently fit to participate in the physically rigorous elements of academy training without incurring injury. The battery includes the following tests: 1.5-mile run, 300-meter sprint, push-ups, and sit-ups. MPOETC has very rigorous judgment criteria for each of these tests.

Written Test/Oral Interview

A written test of the department's choosing is administered to all applicants that successfully pass the physical agility test. A minimum score of 80% on the written test is required to be eligible for an oral interview. A minimum score of 70% is required to pass the oral interview and be placed on the eligibility list.

QUALIFICATIONS

Marple Township PD, just like all other police departments in the state of Pennsylvania, is bound by the requirements set by the Municipal Police Officers' Education and Training Commission (MPOETC). PA Title 37 Section 203.11 outlines the qualifications for an individual to be considered for the role of Police Officer in the state of Pennsylvania. The state-mandated qualifications can be accessed by the link above. Marple Township uses these paraments to serve as a baseline for our requirements, which are listed below. An individual who meets these qualifications can then enroll in one of the state's many police academies. The current academy curriculum involves 919 hours of coursework and lasts approximately six months. After an individual completes the academy and passes the MPOETC Certification Exam, he/she is eligible to serve as a police officer in the state of Pennsylvania. Please read through the qualifications below for the role of Police Officer, and review the resources below for additional information related to officer qualifications, the PA police academy, out-of-state transfers, and more.

• Qualifications -  All candidates must:
  • Be at least 18 years of age at the time of application
  • Possess a high school diploma or GED Equivalency
  • Be a citizen of the United States
  • Be free from convictions of disqualifying criminal offenses (any felony, certain graded misdemeanors, current pending charges, or active probation/parole)
  • Be able to read at no less than the ninth-grade level (see Physical/Written Test)
  • Meet the minimum physical fitness standards (see Physical/Written Test)
  • Pass a thorough medical examination, including vision test, hearing test, and drug screening
  • Be free from the addictive/excessive use of alcohol
  • Be free from the use of illegal controlled substances
  • Pass a psychological assessment
  • Pass an extensive background investigation
  • Pass a polygraph examination
  • Possess a valid PA driver’s license before being hired
  • Pass an extensive background investigation to include criminal history, driving record, credit history, employment history, character references, substance use history, and more.
  • Be willing to work rotating shifts, carry firearms, and work in dangerous situations.
  • Pass a basic police officer training course (police academy) and accompanying certification examination.

 

SALARY AND BENEFITS

Marple Township offers a very competitive salary and benefits package that rivals regional and national standards. Law enforcement is a demanding career, and the nature of a 24/7/365 organization requires a schedule not often experienced outside of first responders and essential service providers. As such, Marple Township prioritizes providing its police officers with appropriate compensation to meet these demands. Financial compensation is only one aspect of these benefits. Marple Township officers also enjoy industry-leading health benefits, generous time off, and retirement resources seldom seen in the private sector. Summaries of these perks listed below are only a brief highlight of the contract. For detailed information on any specific benefits, please contact our recruiting team. 

• Salary and Pay

  • The 2025 starting salary for a police officer is $76,150.56. Officers receive a 10% annual increase in year 2 and year 3 of their employment, leading up to the base patrol salary of $108,786.99 a year starting year 4. Longevity pay begins at the completion of year 4. Overtime is paid at the rate of time and a half, and all off-duty events include a minimum of two hours of overtime pay. Marple Township provides annual bonuses to officers who have obtained Associate’s, Bachelor’s, and Master’s Degrees. There are excellent opportunities for promotion, with corresponding salary raises. Police officers are paid biweekly.  

• Schedule and Time off (vacation, holiday, delayed, sick)

  • MTPD uses a biweekly swing-shift schedule of 12-hour shifts. Officers rotate between two weeks of day shift and two weeks of night shift, working no more than three shifts in a row. Officers work approximately 15 shifts per month.

  • In addition to approximately 15 days per month off built into the schedule, officers receive an annual allotment of vacation, delayed, and bonus time.  First-year officers receive 40 hours of vacation, with increases topping out at 200 hours yearly. All officers receive 112 hours of comp time and 112 hours of holiday time per year.

  • Marple Township also provides sick time and bereavement leave, which officers can use accordingly.

• Health Care Benefits

  • Marple Township provides completely funded health, vision, and dental benefits for each employee and their dependents. That means that MTPD employees are not required to pay monthly dues for this coverage. Health Care coverage through Blue Cross Point of Service. Vision coverage is provided by Davis Vision, and dental coverage is provided by United Concordia. Health benefits coverage begins immediately upon employment. 

• Pension and Retirement

  • Marple Township provides an excellent pension plan for which each officer is eligible after reaching 25 years of service and 52 years of age. A newly hired police officer shall pay an amount of money equal to 7% of his/her total compensation into the pension fund each month. Retirees receive 50% of the average of the last 36 months of their worked income. Retired officers also enjoy 100% Health Care benefits coverage from the Township at no cost to the retired officer, including their spouse. 

• Deferred Compensation Plan (457)

  • In addition to the pension plan, MTPD officers can enroll in Marple Township’s 457 plan, similar to a 401K. Deferred compensation is a voluntary retirement plan that allows an officer to choose an amount for an annual payroll deduction to invest in his/her retirement fund. The money is tax-deferred until retirement or when it is taken out of the account. The money may be placed in various interest-sensitive investment options such as mutual funds and money market funds. The plan is offered through CBIZ.