JEFFERSON CITY – The Missouri State Highway Patrol, a premier law enforcement agency, is testing for new troopers. The Patrol is encouraging qualified individuals of all backgrounds to apply and will offer testing at nine different locations in Missouri. Those who successfully complete testing will be eligible to continue in the selection process for the 119th (Accelerated) and 120th (Traditional) Recruit Classes, scheduled to begin training on January 2, 2024. Graduation dates for the 119th and 120th recruit classes are scheduled for April 19, 2024, and June 21, 2024, respectively.
All candidates must possess a high school diploma or GED equivalent and be 21 years of age upon graduating from the Patrol’s Law Enforcement Academy. Additionally, to be eligible for the 15-week Accelerated Academy, candidates must:
· Possess an active Missouri Class A POST license in good standing or be able to obtain one prior to the start of recruit training.
· Must have served a minimum of three consecutive years as a full-time Missouri POST-commissioned police officer, a military police officer, or an out-of-state police officer in a traffic, patrol, or investigations capacity.
**Successful Accelerated Academy applicants will know their assignment prior to entering training.**
Upon graduating from the Patrol’s Academy, troopers are eligible to earn 46 credit hours through Mineral Area College in Park Hills, MO, or 30 credit hours through the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, MO, or 57 credit hours through Missouri State University in Springfield, MO, toward a degree. While attending Academy training, recruits may also be eligible to earn an associate of applied science degree at Mineral Area College by completing an additional 16 general education credit hours through online courses with Western Governors University.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s uniform guidelines allow troopers to have tattoos or brands as long as they meet two requirements: 1) The tattoos or brands cannot depict or support criminal behavior, drug usage, nudity, profanity, promiscuity, subversive groups, bigotry, etc. 2) Tattoos/brands cannot be located on the head, neck, hands, wrists, or any part of the body which would be visible during movements in the performance of their duties while wearing an official uniform or civilian attire. Troopers with tattoos on the arms that would be visible in the class B uniform (short sleeves) will wear the class A uniform (long sleeves).
The starting annual salary for the Traditional Academy trooper and Accelerated Academy trooper is $57,984 and $58,944, respectively. Following three years of service, troopers become trooper first class and salaries are increased to $61,104. Additional salary increases for trooper first class reach a maximum annual salary of $81,960 with 15 years of service. Other benefits include group health insurance, contributory retirement, career advancement, and more.
The selection process is a multi-phase testing procedure including a written examination, a physical fitness for duty assessment, polygraph examination, background investigation, and oral interview board. Written and physical examinations take place in each troop area across the state. After a conditional offer of employment, the applicant must successfully complete a medical examination (to include vision and hearing), psychological examination, a psychological interview, drug screening, and final applicant review.
Interested persons can find out more about the qualifications by contacting a Patrol recruiter at telephone number 1-800-796-7000, or may apply online at Become A Trooper | Missouri State Highway Patrol (mo.gov)