Eligibility for Hire

Eligibility for appointment to sworn positions in the Conway Police Department is governed by Ark. Code Ann. § 14-51-301, as that statute may be amended from time to time. All necessary prerequisites to being considered for such positions shall be included in job postings distributed by the HR Department. In addition to the minimum qualifications stated below, applicants must comply with any deadlines for submitting all necessary information in order to be eligible to compete in the hiring process. Deadlines for submitting such necessary information shall be set by the HR Department. Selection of the Police Chief is not governed by these Rules and Regulations.

Qualifications

To be considered for employment as a police officer with the Conway Police Department, applicants must meet the following minimum qualifications, most of which are promulgated by the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training ("CLEST"). In the event of additions or modifications adopted by the CLEST, such changes shall be followed, and will be included in this section without need of a public hearing:

1. Citizen of the United States;
2. Applicant must turn twenty-one (21) years of age within six (6) months of test date;
3. No felony convictions or misdemenor domestic abuse convictions;
4. High school graduate or possess GED;
5. Hold a valid driver's license;
6. Be of good character as determined by a thorough background investigation;
7. Have acceptable vision (uncorrected visual acuity must not exceed 20/100 in either eye, correctable to 20/20 or better in each eye);
8. Possess normal hearing and be free of any hearing defect which, in the opinion of the physician administering the required post-offer physical examination, could adversely affect performance of duty; and
9. Successfully complete a physical agility test, psychological examination and post-offer physical examination, including a post-offer of employment drug test.

Hiring Process

1 Written Examination

First, candidates must take and pass a written examination. This exam is video-based and there is not a study guide or test-prep. It will identify candidates who have the observation and analytic ability to assess situations, the confidence and maturity to handle enforcement, the skills to interact with the public in a customer oriented way, the respect to work within a chain of command and the responsibility and ethics to handle the authority of the job.

2 Physical Agility Test

Candidates who successfully pass the written examination will be authorized to continue the hiring process by completing our Physical Agility Test which consists of three individual phases.

Phase 1 and Phase 2 are both timed courses. Each candidate must complete both Phase 1 and Phase 2 in 4 minutes and 30 seconds or faster.

During Phase 1, candidates will complete four laps while consistently navigating certain obstacles throughout the physical agility course.

During Phase 2, candidates will move to the physical control simulator and begin by pulling on the rope and completing six 180-degree arcs. After completing the pulling section, candidates will complete six “down and ups,” alternating between their chest and back. Once the candidate has completed the six “down and ups,” they will move back to the physical control simulator and begin by pushing on the machine to complete six 180-degree arcs.

Once Phase 1 and Phase 2 are complete, the candidate will have 30 seconds to proceed to Phase 3.

During Phase 3, candidates must carry a 100-pound torso bag a total of 50 feet without dropping it. When the candidate reaches their starting position, they must place the bag down in a controlled manner.

4 Background Investigation

Candidates who pass both the entry level and physical agility test will undergo a complete background investigation including a Truth Verification test. Candidates receiving conditional offers of employment will undergo a physical and psychological exam, visual acuity test, hearing exam and drug screen.

The City of Conway is committed to providing equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to: hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leave of absence, compensation and training. Females and minorities are encouraged to apply.