Virginia State Police - Employment - Recruitment

Selection Process

Applications for future Trooper Basic Schools not being accepted at this time.

The Virginia State Police is committed to recruiting and selecting the most qualified applicants while maintaining a work force that reflects the community.

The selection process may take as long as eight to ten months. Applicants go through three progressive phases and may be eliminated any time during the process. The phases consist of the following:

Phase I:

Work Performance Testing.
Written Examination.
- This component is a written battery of four tests which include two cognitive and two personality-trait tests.
Web-based Personal History Questionnaire (PHQ).

Phase II:

Polygraph examination.
- All applicants who successfully complete Phase I will be contacted and arrangements made for the administration of a polygraph examination.
Background Investigation.
- A thorough background investigation is conducted on all applicants who proceed to Phase III of the trooper hiring process.

Phase III:

Comprehensive physical examination including drug screening.

Applicants successfully completing the background investigation may be invited for a complete physical examination by our agency physician and a psychological evaluation. Applicants passing this phase MAY be offered employment. Applicants not passing all tests in this phase will not be eligible for employment.

Questions regarding this process should be directed to the Personnel Division, Recruitment Section at (804) 674-6735, or 1-866-VSP2DAY (1-866-877-2329).