More Cops, Better Training: Commissioner Tisch Announces New Policies to Expand Recruitment and Strengthen Training of NYPD Candidates

 

In Face of Hiring Crisis, New Plan Will Reduce College Credit Requirements for Police Academy Entry, While Recent Review Increased Credits Earned Upon Graduating

NYPD Will Also Reinstate a Timed-Run Requirement to Ensure Physical Fitness

Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch announced new policies to expand the New York City Police Department’s (NYPD) recruitment efforts and strengthen academic and physical training.

The three-part plan to attract more candidates and modernize education requirements will reduce the number of college credits required to enter the Police Academy, increase the credits earned by completing recruit training at the academy, and reinstate the timed-run requirement to graduate. The NYPD is one of the only municipal police forces in the country that still requires college credits for candidates, and in 2023, 29% of NYPD applications—or 2,275 potential officers—were disqualified solely because of this requirement. As the department is facing a hiring crisis, these changes will allow the NYPD to attract more potential officers while maintaining academic and fitness standards.

Effective immediately, the NYPD will reduce the college credit requirement to enter the Police Academy from 60 credits to 24 credits. Individuals interested in an NYPD career who have acquired a minimum of 24 college credits are now eligible to apply, including more than 5,000 candidates on 29 active civil service lists who were previously ineligible.

Following a recent reassessment conducted by the National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS), the agency determined that completion of the six-month NYPD Police Academy recruit training program is equivalent to 45 college credits, up from the previous 36 credits. This increase is based on the academic strength and rigor of the program, which includes coursework in criminal law, criminal procedures and investigations, constitutional rights, crisis intervention, and more. Graduates of the academy will enter the NYPD with a minimum of 69 college credits.

The new plan also emphasizes a physically fit police force by reinstating the longstanding requirement of completing a 1.5-mile run in less than 14 minutes and 21 seconds. By prioritizing fitness, the NYPD’s Training Bureau will ensure that incoming officers are better prepared to meet the unique demands of law enforcement.

Police departments across the country have struggled in recent years with workforce declines and attrition. New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Commissioner Tisch have set an important goal of increasing the headcount of the NYPD in the coming years, up from the current level of approximately 34,000.

“Public safety and justice are the prerequisites to prosperity, and as we continue to see record declines in crime across our city, we know we must take bold, decisive action to ensure we are doing everything in our power to put more officers on the streets and keep New York City the safest big city in America,” said New York City Mayor Adams. “I applaud NYPD Commissioner Tisch for embracing this vision and ensuring we reach every qualified individual who is committed to serving our city and protecting its people. We need not only more officers but also enhanced training, and this new initiative delivers on both fronts, setting us on a path to an even safer, more secure city.”

“Keeping the greatest city in the world safe requires recruiting and retaining the best people for the job,” said NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “Our officers work tirelessly to keep crime down and protect our communities, but it’s no secret that the NYPD is facing a hiring crisis. These changes will bring the department more in line with peer agencies across the country, strengthen our officer training, and ensure that the NYPD remains the best, and most rewarding way for someone to serve their community.”

The NYPD is one of the only remaining big-city municipal police forces with a college credit requirement, competing for applicants with cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Miami, and Detroit—none of which have a college credit requirement. Many other local agencies, including Suffolk County, Westchester County, Yonkers, and Mount Vernon, also have no requirement.