October Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Salary: $0.00 Biweekly
Location : Statewide, MA
Job Type: Not Applicable
Job Number: 261002PO
Department: MUNICIPAL DEPT
Opening Date: 06/22/2026
Closing Date: 8/31/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
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: October 2, 2026 through October 10, 2026*
Application Period Begins: June 22, 2026
Application Deadline: August 31, 2026**
Examination Processing Fee: $75
*The exam period may be extended depending on the number of candidates.
Note: For statutory purposes the first day of testing, October 2, 2026, is the original exam date and is referenced throughout this posting in italics.
**There is no late fee for applications. Applications will not be accepted after August 31, 2026.
Refunds: There will be no refund of the examination processing fee unless the examination is cancelled by HRD.
Written examination locations: Various sites across the Commonwealth.
Examination Information
Examination Requirements:
Age Requirement: Pursuant to , candidates must be 19 years of age on or before October 2, 2026, to take the exam for Municipal and Transit Police Officer. Candidates are also required to be at least 21 years of age by the date of appointment as a Municipal or Transit Police Officer. Please review the list of to identify those that may have an upper age limit.
Education Requirement: As of the date of appointment, candidates must have either a high school diploma or equivalency certificate approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, or three years of experience in the armed forces of the United States with last release or discharge under honorable conditions.
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.
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, October 2, 2026. Fee Waiver Forms are available on our website (). 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, visit for more information.
Makeup Examination: With the exception of current military personnel as described above, no candidate has a right to a makeup examination due to personal or professional conflicts on the testing date. Candidates are advised to consider this before applying for the examination. If you file an examination application by the application deadline but are unable to appear for the examination on the examination date due to an emergency or unanticipated hardship, you may request a makeup examination by filing a written request with verifiable documentation to HRD no later than seven calendar days from the original written examination date. HRD reserves the right to approve or deny your request. HRD may require an additional examination 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 and submit supporting documentation as outlined on the form from a qualified professional detailing what type of accommodation you require at the examination site. The form and supporting documentation must be scanned and attached to the application or emailed to no later than four (4) weeks prior to the examination 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 accommodation for examinations and will not be used for any other purposes. For information regarding reasonable accommodations and the required form please see:
Credit for Employment/Experience: Pursuant to the provisions of , 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 Supporting documentation must be submitted no later than October 9, 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 October 2, 2025, through October 2, 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
• Veteran Status: Visit for information.
• Disabled Veteran Status: Visit for information.
• 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 timethat score notices are released.

Notice to Appear for Examination: Approximately two weeks prior to examination date.
Identification at the Examination Site: At the examination site, candidates must present current and valid photo identification with signature (e.g., driver's license, passport, military ID).
Typical Qualifications:
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
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.
It is your responsibility to review the on our website. Upon request, candidates must provide original supporting documentation to verify any copies submitted and claims made.
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 exam before participating in the PAT. The are available for review on our website. Candidates may also be required to pass a psychological evaluation before appointment:
• 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 is available on our website.
• Smoking Prohibition: In accordance with , candidates hired from the Police Officer eligible list resulting from this exam are prohibited from smoking tobacco products at the time of and after appointment.

Additional Information: Visit
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
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.
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 or email the Civil Service Unit at The 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 June 22, 2026 and ends August 31, 2026.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Q: I took and passed the Police Officer exam in 202