Chicago Police Announce Results of Recruitment Campaign, Test Venue

More than 14,200 individuals have applied to become police officers during the Chicago Police Department’s most recent recruitment campaign that ended last month, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Interim Superintendent John Escalante said in a news release.

Seventy-one percent of those who applied are minority applicants, up 13 percent since CPD’s last recruitment campaign in 2013. The three-month-long recruitment campaign reached out to churches, community organizations and schools targeting minorities to ensure a police department more representative of the communities it serves.

In the latest pool of applicants, nearly 29 percent are African-American, 39 percent are Hispanic, and 3 percent are Asian, helping the police department reach its goal of building diversity among its ranks. In addition, for those who identified their gender on the application, 30 percent of applicants identified themselves as women.

The Chicago Police Department also announced the venue where the test exam will be given at McCormick Place, 2301 S Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, on April 16. The exact time that the test will begin has not been announced.

On test day, parking at McCormick Place will be reduced to $10 for test takers. The Cermak-McCormick Place CTA Green Line station is also located two blocks away from the testing center.

A score of 80 percent or better is needed to be considered as a candidate for the police academy. Also, city residency is required upon hiring.

After applicants complete the written exam, the city will update candidates quarterly on the status of the hiring list. Applicants will also be apprised on requirements and timing of subsequent pre-employment steps.

Upon completion of the entire pre-employment process, recruits spend five months at the Chicago Police Academy and receive approximately 1,000 hours of instruction and training before beginning a field training program as a probationary police officer.

Following acceptable completion of the field training program and 13 months of field experience, probationary police officers become full-fledged police officers.

Applicants with questions about test preparation, transportation services or additional support may email CPDtest@cityofchicago.org for more information.

The city is also providing all applicants with a test preparation guide which includes information about the test and sample questions. Applicants may also participate in test preparation classes offered by NOBLE Chicago at eleven Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership centers throughout the city and suburbs, including:

Southwest Workforce Center

7500 S. Pulaski Rd., Building 100

Chicago, IL 60652

773-884-7000

Garfield Workforce Center

10 S. Kedzie, 1st Floor

Chicago, IL 60624

773-722-3885

Mid South Workforce Center

4314 S. Cottage Grove, Room 209

Chicago, IL 60653

773-538-5627

Pilsen Workforce Center

1700 W. 18th St.

Chicago, IL 60608

312-994-8300

Northside Workforce Center

5060 N Broadway, Suite 690

Chicago, IL 60640

773-334-4747

Evanston Public Library

1703 Orrington Ave., 3rd Floor

Evanston, IL 60201

847-448-8649

Arlington Heights Workforce Center

723 W Algonquin Rd.

Arlington Heights, IL 60005

847-981-7400

Prairie State College

202 S. Halsted, Suite 148

Chicago Heights, IL 60411

708-709-7975

Cicero Workforce Center

2138 S. 61st Court, 3rd Floor

Cicero, IL 60804

708-222-3100

Maywood Workforce Center

1701 South 1st Avenue, Suite 10

Maywood, IL 60153

708-223-2652

Oak Forest Illinois WorkNet Center

15900 S. Cicero Ave.

Building B, 2nd Floor

Oak Forest, IL 60452

708-633-2777