Law Enforcement Careers in New Hampshire
The state of New Hampshire employs an array of law enforcement professionals dedicated to serving and protecting their communities. The New Hampshire Department of Safety employs approximately 100 officers statewide, and state law enforcement professionals branch out from there. For example, the New Hampshire State Police employs about 400 individuals, and further branches out into teams such as the NH Marine Patrol, NH Fire Marshal and Homeland Security, and Criminal Investigations Units (CIUs). Additionally, each county in NH employs sheriff’s officers, and each municipality in NH employs one or more police officers to patrol its streets.
Police officers serve alongside sheriff’s officers to investigate crimes, enforce federal and state laws, and maintain the peace. NH police officers also respond to calls made to 911, help resolve domestic disputes, offer counsel and support to victims of crimes, and make arrests.
Many NH police officers are specialized to deal with particular issues in the community. For example, many police departments employ officers who specialize in community policing, drug enforcement, and domestic violence. Some police departments even employ officers who specialize in civil rights issues, financial crimes, and traffic crimes.
Similarly, sheriff’s officers often serve specialized functions at the county level . For example, anticipation of future crime is a critical aspect of law enforcement in NH. To that end, the Hillsboro County Sheriff’s Department maintains a CrimeAnalyzer Team tasked with anticipating future crime trends. This kind of training and analysis helps enable law enforcement professionals to properly allocate personnel resources to combat and deter anticipated crime hotspots before they arise.
State Troopers also serve a vital function by enforcing the law on the highways throughout NH. For example, several NH State Troopers are trained to identify and stop DUI offenders. Many NH State Troopers are assigned to deal with drug offenses and the apprehension of violent felons. One of the most important functions of NH State Troopers is providing assistance to civilians involved in car accidents on the highway.
Although they perform generally the same functions as NH police officers and state troopers, special investigation units focus on particular types of crime or criminal organization. For example, the NH State Police Drug Task Force is assigned to identify and shut down drug operations in NH, and to collect criminal intelligence on these organizations. In the same vein, the NH State Police Fugitive Unit pursues and captures fugitives from justice on behalf of all NH law enforcement agencies.
Necessary Qualifications and Standards
The qualifications and requirements for law enforcement positions in New Hampshire can vary between municipal law enforcement, state police, corrections facilities, and county sheriff’s departments. Interesting to note that the minimum education required for police officer candidates becomes effective in 2019. As of July 1, 2018, an applicant for certification as a police officer in New Hampshire must have an associate degree in a criminal justice or other related field from an accredited institution of higher learning or the equivalent thereof, or have completed a minimum of 60 college credits from an accredited institution of higher learning, at least 15 of which shall be in criminal justice or other related field, and subsequently be held to this standard. The present requirement to possess a high school degree is being replaced with a requirement to possess a high school diploma or possess a General Educational Development diploma issued in accordance with RSA 189:1-b or the equivalent thereof. In addition, if you are looking to work as a correctional officer for one of the twenty-six county jails or the New Hampshire Department of Corrections, you must possess a high school diploma or G.E.D. on the day of hire and complete a seven week basic training program. You will also have to pass a physical agility test and a nomadic drug screening as a condition of employment and once hired you will be subject to the department’s drug testing policies. Physical fitness is essential because of the demands of the job. Police officers must be able to speak clearly, run, jump, climb, push, pull, and use manual dexterity. All prospective police officers must pass a physical fitness test prior to academy training. In addition, officers must be able to handle firearms, use chemical agents, operate electronic equipment, and conduct traffic stops safely. Certain physical requirements are outlined in NH Administrative Rule LE 1005.03 and Rule COR 500.02. Anyone interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement should also anticipate a number of background checks and pre-screening tests such as drug testing, psychological evaluations, and medical examinations.
Application Procedures
The application process for law enforcement positions in NH depends largely on the municipality or county where you wish to work and, to a lesser extent, on the position for which you are applying. Generally, however, the process is a multiphase approach that includes the submission of an application, an examination process, interviews and letters of reference. While the particulars will vary, most applications are submitted in the form of a paper application, resume or online. Many municipalities or counties will require you to set up an account with them and create an online application that includes the submission of a resume. In addition, most applications will require you to complete a "personal history" form as part of the application process. This process will typically include providing general identification information such as your name, address, contact information but also can involve questions pertaining to your employment history, criminal background (or lack thereof), references and education. From there, the selection process varies considerably. For some entry-level positions, such as dispatcher and police officer (for those not already part-time certified) the applicant may have to take an entrance examination in order to move forward in the process. Police departments will often hire police candidates through a list provided by the New Hampshire Police Academy as part of their civil service and entry-level testing process. In some cases, however, an applicant may be placed in a police eligible or hiring pool until the next civil service testing cycle, at which point the list will be updated after re-testing. Depending on the municipality or county, you may have to wait sizable periods of time before you are notified of your acceptance or rejection. After the initial testing phase, the applicant may be invited in for one or more interviews with the hiring authority. In many cases, entrance examinations and interviews are designed to identify those candidates who will be selected for interviews. From there, successful candidates will move forward to a background investigation, which can generally be expected to occur after the interview process is completed. Applications for law enforcement also require that you pass a series of medical examinations, psychological evaluations and a drug screening in most cases. Lastly, once selected, the candidate will be required to make arrangements to participate in training, which can be on-the-job, in-house or at the New Hampshire Police Academy. Given the applicant’s important role in the selection process, it is critical that every individual competes for every position as a finalist, even if you are competing with candidates that are already part-time certified, full-time certified or even "active duty". To accomplish this, applicants should ensure that all application materials are timely submitted, accurate and devoid of errors, including spelling errors. Candidates may also increase their chances to be selected by ensuring that their background investigation materials are accurate and complete, including personal references. Other techniques that may assist you in making the final cut include maintaining certifications to the best of your ability, properly formatting and organizing your resume and application, presentation and dress for interviews, and late follow-up with the hiring authority (which should be in the form of a thank you letter or email).
Opportunities for Training and Advancement
Various state and federal agencies have their own in-house training programs, including the United States Secret Service, Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Army Criminal Investigation Division, as well as Transcor, a private prison transport company.
New recruits hired by state and local law enforcement agencies in New Hampshire are required to attend the New Hampshire Police Standards and Training Council ("PSTC") academy for training. Applicants must successfully complete the PSTC entrance exam, physical fitness assessment, background investigation, an oral interview and medical evaluation.
If hired, police candidates complete the Police Officer Recruit Class and must pass a Physical Fitness Examination at the end of the 14-16 week session. The entrance exam consists of both a written exam where they receive a percentage score, and an oral interview. The interview is conducted by a panel. A passing score of 70% is the minimum.
Candidates hired prior to the age of 21 must also have three (3) years experience as a police cadet or a degree in criminal justice come fall of their 4th year. Candidates hired at or above the age of 21 at the time of their appointment to police academy or whose degree subject does not meet the above requirement where their sponsor agency shall have them attend a pre-academy equivalent training courses, and if employed by a municipal department they may be permitted to attend the regular academy class.
Other specialized fields available to law enforcement officers at various agencies include motorcycle units, K9 teams, crisis negotiation teams, where they obtain necessary training through other law enforcement agencies and the PSTC. In addition, other academies host advanced management classes or areas of specialization, such as the FBI’s Advanced Refresher Course (ARC) for both North American and overseas police managers.
Compensation and Perks
According to Salary.com, the average annual base salary for sworn law enforcement officers in NH is $55,947. This does not mean that all sworn officers in NH earn this average amount. Typically, officers who are new in their positions, or still in their probationary period, can expect to be compensated toward the lower range of this scale. But for those longstanding officers who have amassed advanced degrees, specialized training, and/or hold higher rank positions, their average salary will certainly fall on the higher end. Regardless of where they fall on this scale, sworn officers also receive a comprehensive package of benefits which makes their attractive salaries even more appealing.
Health Insurance: NH law enforcement agencies offer health insurance plans that provide substantially similar benefits to those offered by private sector employers. Any of the following program types may be included in a budget:
Insurance benefits for officers and their families typically cover inpatient and outpatient care, preventive care, medications, physicals, injury or illness treatment, and follow up care. Many agencies pay 100% of their employees’ insurance premiums, while some share the costs with their employees.
Retirement Benefits: Law enforcement retiree packages have many options , but typically include a pension plan, deferred compensation, and group health insurance:
Agencies pay 100% of all the pension and deferred compensation contributions on behalf of their employees, although some officers have the option of increasing their contribution rates.
Vacation time, sick leave, and personal days: Sworn officers earn a certain amount of paid leave for each month of employment. They are able to accumulate vacation days until their 20-year mark of employment after which the no longer accrue. Though some officers generally do not roll over any unused vacation days after the calendar year, some agencies permit their employees to sell back unused vacation days at the end of the fiscal year for 90% of their value.
In addition to the vacation and sick days earned, many law enforcement agencies also provide their employees with 12 paid holidays each year. Employees are not required to work these holidays but are instead paid for them.
Agencies also offer other perks, such as uniforms, shoes, safety equipment, duty belt, vehicle (if applicable), and in some instances, they also pay for tuition and book fees for classes attended by their employees.
Job Challenges and Benefits
The path for any new officer can be a rocky one, but there are particular challenges which New Hampshire State troopers face when on the job, as Trooper John B. McGowan explains, "As a Trooper it isn’t the task of arresting the bad guys – that’s the easy part. The hard part is that most arrests will never have any change in the perpetrator’s behavior." He adds, "The things that really get to me are people who do domestic violence counseling and still go home and slug their wives or kids. Even when we take people away, it doesn’t stop these types of behaviors or I guess you could say, it’s only the very clear-cut cases that we actually get to file a report on and do something about. There is just so much we deal with where there isn’t any real change in behavior."
While not all arrests or confessions lead to satisfaction for the officer, there are many moments on the job which are fulfilling. PFC John K. Stokel (Police, Hooksett Police Department) recalls the positive effect he is able to have on many citizens he meets. "I know that being a Police Officer is a thankless job. Citizens that are stopped for speeding only complain about being stopped and never thank the officer for doing his/her job. There are also times when we catch someone doing a DUI. A person wrongfully accused of being intoxicated may be angry at whoever caught them in the act, be it a civilian or a fellow officer, but the same person who was arrested for being intoxicated can also thank the officer for preventing him from killing himself or an innocent victim on the road. The same goes with a person who is arrested for selling drugs, who knows as well as I do how addictive and dangerous drugs can be. That same drug dealer who is presently cursing me out for arresting him, will thank me someday if he makes the choice to get his life back on track."
PFC Stokel also has a great deal of pride in being a police officer, as he expresses, "Looking back on my experiences, I have never felt more proud to be a Police Officer than I have in the last few months. I started a new position that is relatively new to law enforcement. I started the position of Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) Coordinator. Basically as a DRE officer I was able to receive advanced training in the field of drug impaired driving. In essence I became an expert in recognizing, interviewing, examining, and talking with suspected drug impaired drivers. The DRE program was introduced into law enforcement in 1979, and presently in New Hampshire there are no more than 20 officers involved in the program. My role as the new Coordinator of the NH State Police "DRE" Program includes teaching new recruits of the NH State Police class of 2007 as well as recruiting potential DRE’ers to volunteer for the program. I also feel as though I had made a pretty big accomplishment by sending two CSP Collectible Ticket Books to Houston Texas to be auctioned at a fundraiser to benefit the victims of Hurricane Katrina. I think that being a Police Officer is a great job, and it is even better because I am making a difference in the lives of others."
Future Prospects and Possibilities
According to projections by the NH Department of Employment Security, the job growth outlook for policing positions in the state is promising. The report highlights an expectation of a ten-year job growth rate for police officers of 13% from 2016 to 2026, which translates into more than 100 openings per year due to job growth or replacement demand. Considering the potential for expanded roles and responsibilities combined with the necessity of training and experience, the landscape of law enforcement jobs in NH seems to be one that will keep pace with demand for new hires and allow for advancements and other opportunities for current law enforcement officials.
The policing profession appears to be changing before our eyes, with decreased crime rates, increased technological capabilities, and a trend toward community oriented policing. Constructive engagement with local communities is now seen as a necessary part of effective policing, which involves collaboration with citizens in a way that builds trust and leads to relationships that keep officers connected to the issues facing their communities . As the role of the police officer continues to evolve, so too do the demands of the job. Community outreach, social media, and mental health awareness are just some of the areas where modern law enforcement officials will need to expand their knowledge; a task that is made easier by readily available access to trainings and seminars. For more traditional aspects of the job, on the other hand, the use of excess manpower and resources can be utilized in conjunction with new technology, such as facial recognition software or drones, which can increase the overall effectiveness of law enforcement.
Despite the outlook of increased job opportunities, salaries for police officers in NH are among the lowest in New England. As technology and societal trends continue to impact this field, however, it is possible that the demand for highly trained and more educated police officers may result in higher standards, and salaries, through which the job becomes more desirable to intelligent and engaged future candidates in a region with a higher cost of living than many other places in the country.
