Basic Requirements  -  Police Officer  -  Village of Mount Prospect

1.  Citizenship         Must be a citizen of the United States at the time of filing formal application.

2.  Age                  All applicants must have attained the age of twenty-one (21) years but not more than 35 years old by the date of preliminary application filing. 

3.  Education          Applicants for original appointment to the police department must possess a high school diploma or its equivalent as recognized by the state of Illinois and not less than sixty (60) college semester hours or its equivalent as stated below.  For purposes of original employment, the following shall be deemed to be the equivalent of the number of college credits set forth:

A.    Thirty (30) college equivalency semester hours for each full 12 months of non-disability service as a police officer with another full time, officially constituted and sanctioned police department in the United States.  *(a full 24 months of such service shall equate to sixty (60) college semester hours)

B.    Thirty (30) college equivalency semester hours for each full 12 months of engagement in the military service of the United States.  This shall not apply to persons who were not honorably discharged or who were convicted by court martial or other legal process for disobedience of orders or crimes in the military which are the substantive equivalent of the crimes set forth in the rules and regulations of the board of fire and police commission.  Persons who were solely reservists shall not be eligible to claim these equivalency credits.  *(a full 24 months of such service shall equate to sixty (60) college semester hours)

C.    Applicants who are or were employed in the village of Mount Prospect Police Department as community service officer may claim ten (10) hours of college equivalency credits for each full twelve (12) months of such employment up to a maximum of twenty (20) hours.

D.    Thirty (30) college equivalency semester hours for demonstrating fluency in any language prevalent in the Mount Prospect police service area.  Fluency shall mean a clearly demonstrated ability to read, write and understand the language in common police and fire circumstances.  Whether or not a foreign language is prevalent in the mount prospect police service area shall be the sole determination of the board.

4.  Driver's license   Must possess a valid driver's license.     

5.  Physical             Must satisfy the health and physical aptitude requirements of the physical agility test and medical examination.           

6.  Vision                Must have vision that is correctable to 20/40 in the poorer eye and 20/25 in the better eye, as well as proper color and peripheral vision.  If the uncorrected vision is worse than 20/200 an ophthalmologist report will be required, prior to hire, to certify the condition of the retina, the applicant's ability to function as a police officer despite the condition and that the applicant understands the potential harm from the rigors of police work.