Employment Opportunities
Entry Level Amherst Police Officer Job Requirements:
The Police Officer/Deputy Sheriff Civil Service exam is given every three (3) years. The maximum of the eligible list is three (3) years. See Erie County Employment Opportunities for the next exam announcement.
- United States Citizenship is required at time of appointment.
- To be eligible for appointment candidates must possess a valid New York State Driver's License.
- Conviction of a felony will bar and conviction of a misdemeanor or other offense may bar participation in examination and appointment.
- Must have a high school diploma or possess a high school equivalency diploma.
- Candidates must be at least 19 years old to be admitted to the Erie County police officer/deputy sheriff exam. Eligibility for appointment begins when the candidate reaches age 20. Candidates who reach their 35th birthday on or before the date of the written examination are not eligible except as follows*: Candidates may have a period of military duty or terminal leave up to six years, as defined in Section 243 (10-a) of the Military Law, deducted from their age for the purpose of meeting the age requirement.
- Candidates must demonstrate successful completion of 60 semester credit hours of college education at the time of certification to be eligible.
- For appointment, preference may be given to candidates who were legal residents of the Town of Amherst for four months immediately preceding the date of the written test and are residents of the Town of Amherst at the time of appointment. Appointees will be required to be legal residents of the Town of Amherst wherein they receive appointment in accordance with local law or ordinance.
- Erie County will not allow direct transfers from out of state police agencies. Within the state or county, the police officer must be certified and must be employed (full time status) as a police officer and have passed a civil service exam to be considered for a transfer.
*Candidates who may be impacted by the maximum age requirement and who are requesting an alternate test date (for active military duty, Sabbath observance or for an alternate test date situation which meets the conditions of Erie County's alternate test date policy) are advised to contact Erie County to discuss the request.
Physical and Medical: Candidates must have visual acuity of no worse than 20/100 in each eye uncorrected and must otherwise satisfy the medical and physical fitness standards prescribed by the New York State Municipal Police Training Council. These physical and medical requirements are posted in the Erie County Personnel Department, 95 Franklin Street, Buffalo, New York, Room 604. Note that an assessment of an individual's physical agility will be made. Candidates should also be aware that an offer of employment as a police officer is contingent upon passing an appropriate medical examination.
The agility test consists of bent-leg sit-ups, a flexibility test (sit and reach) and a 1.5 mile run and measures muscular endurance, flexibility, muscular endurance of the upper body and cardiovascular activity. The Municipal Police Training Council adopted the physical fitness screening test based on the model formulated by the Cooper Institute of Aerobics Research. The minimum passing scores, depending on age and sex, represent the fortieth (40th) percentile of physical fitness as established by the Cooper Institute. Candidates who pass the written test will receive more detailed information. In addition, the standards are available for review at the Erie County Department of Personnel. Agility testing will be performed before candidates are certified to appointing authorities.
Both the medical exam and agility test are given on a pass/fail basis. Re-tests will be permitted only in accordance with guidelines prescribed by the Commissioner of Personnel. | 
