New York State Police

[GPF727]

Hello Everybody,

New to the forum. Been reading this for years (Great Forum) but first time I'm actually posting...

Just for background purposes and to post my status out there...Like many others on this forum, I attended the processing in September. Had my psych interview in October and was then notified in November that the State over-processed candidates and I wouldn't be considered for the January class... I then received a phone call last week from the background investigator. I'm confused cause alot of you on here say that the next academy is in June... This investigator told me it was as soon as the end of April... so not sure what is right...

I have a few questions for some of the Troopers on this forum. I want to make sure I'm making a sound, smart decision since I am now a family man (took the test 5 years ago) I understand the shifts are 12 hr shifts... seems mostly 7pm - 7am and vice versa...

Question 1... Are there any other shifts available or are they pretty strict and only allow the 7-7?

Question 2... I hear that you may bounce around from shift to shift... nights to days... back and forth... Not to ask a funny question but... If you Troopers currently have young kids, do you find it almost impossible for your wives or husbands to work full time? (not a huge fan of daycare)

Question 3... If a Trooper is willing to work night shifts, could he/she work schedules out with the other Troopers (do swaps) where he/she could stay on nights instead of bouncing around from shift to shift or is that not really possible in this career?

I appreciate you taking the time to answer these for me... Like I stated up above... I just want to make sure I get some questions answered and FULLY know what I could be getting myself into... Take care guys... good luck to you all...

[MB Troop]

Hello Everybody,

New to the forum. Been reading this for years (Great Forum) but first time I'm actually posting...

Just for background purposes and to post my status out there...Like many others on this forum, I attended the processing in September. Had my psych interview in October and was then notified in November that the State over-processed candidates and I wouldn't be considered for the January class... I then received a phone call last week from the background investigator. I'm confused cause alot of you on here say that the next academy is in June... This investigator told me it was as soon as the end of April... so not sure what is right...

I have a few questions for some of the Troopers on this forum. I want to make sure I'm making a sound, smart decision since I am now a family man (took the test 5 years ago) I understand the shifts are 12 hr shifts... seems mostly 7pm - 7am and vice versa...

Question 1... Are there any other shifts available or are they pretty strict and only allow the 7-7?

Question 2... I hear that you may bounce around from shift to shift... nights to days... back and forth... Not to ask a funny question but... If you Troopers currently have young kids, do you find it almost impossible for your wives or husbands to work full time? (not a huge fan of daycare)

Question 3... If a Trooper is willing to work night shifts, could he/she work schedules out with the other Troopers (do swaps) where he/she could stay on nights instead of bouncing around from shift to shift or is that not really possible in this career?

I appreciate you taking the time to answer these for me... Like I stated up above... I just want to make sure I get some questions answered and FULLY know what I could be getting myself into... Take care guys... good luck to you all...

Troopers work 12 hour shifts- usually 7a-7p or 7p-7a. For the most part, those are the main shifts. However, depending on the station you work at and/or if there is enough coverage on the road (which there has not been for some time), you can work 5a-5p or 5p-5a or 12p-12a. Those modified shifts would not be available all the time, but once in a while they may be (depending, of course).

Answer 2- There is possibility of bouncing around shift to shift as you stated. You may be scheduled to work nights on Monday and Tuesday and then days on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. You would never be scheduled to work for example, a night shift on Monday and a day shift on Tuesday (hopefully thats obvious). Troopers with young children and wives who work full-time usually prefer to work night shifts. That being said, its something that could be discussed with your station commander and if its possible to do so, while putting the best interests of the division of state police first, then its not completely out of the question.

Answer 3- You can do swaps with other members in your platoon/station, but just like everything else it has to be approved by your station supervisor(s) and zone supervisor(s). You also don't want to be the guy with "red ink" all across the station schedule.

This job takes a lot of commitment and sacrifice. Don't expect to walk in the first week and make requests for swaps, shift changes, etc. If being a Trooper is what you want to do, then you will have to adjust your personal schedule around your job at first.

That pretty much sums it all up. Hope that answers most of your questions.

[GPF727]

Troopers work 12 hour shifts- usually 7a-7p or 7p-7a. For the most part, those are the main shifts. However, depending on the station you work at and/or if there is enough coverage on the road (which there has not been for some time), you can work 5a-5p or 5p-5a or 12p-12a. Those modified shifts would not be available all the time, but once in a while they may be (depending, of course).

Answer 2- There is possibility of bouncing around shift to shift as you stated. You may be scheduled to work nights on Monday and Tuesday and then days on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. You would never be scheduled to work for example, a night shift on Monday and a day shift on Tuesday (hopefully thats obvious). Troopers with young children and wives who work full-time usually prefer to work night shifts. That being said, its something that could be discussed with your station commander and if its possible to do so, while putting the best interests of the division of state police first, then its not completely out of the question.

Answer 3- You can do swaps with other members in your platoon/station, but just like everything else it has to be approved by your station supervisor(s) and zone supervisor(s). You also don't want to be the guy with "red ink" all across the station schedule.

This job takes a lot of commitment and sacrifice. Don't expect to walk in the first week and make requests for swaps, shift changes, etc. If being a Trooper is what you want to do, then you will have to adjust your personal schedule around your job at first.

That pretty much sums it all up. Hope that answers most of your questions.

Thank you so much. It's much appreciated...

[GPF727]

I thought of a couple other questions to post to the forum for anyone to answer... I apologize ahead of time if these were already asked and or addressed...

Question 1 . . . If you get selected to attend the Academy, how long does it take for your family to be covered by insurance?

Question 2 . . . I imagine for us attending the Academy we would be under Tier 6, correct? Under Tier 6, it's still 20 years and out (if you want) correct? Not sure if that gets affected by the different Tier's and... when they say 20 years and out, can you start collecting your pension right after 20 years if you choose to retire or is there a minimum withdrawal age?

Again, apologize if these were answered before... I don't mean to be repetitive...

Update: Got a phone call for a Poly appointment. The investigator said that the background and poly has to be done by the end of February...

[SlowDownThere]

I thought of a couple other questions to post to the forum for anyone to answer... I apologize ahead of time if these were already asked and or addressed...

Question 1 . . . If you get selected to attend the Academy, how long does it take for your family to be covered by insurance?

Question 2 . . . I imagine for us attending the Academy we would be under Tier 6, correct? Under Tier 6, it's still 20 years and out (if you want) correct? Not sure if that gets affected by the different Tier's and... when they say 20 years and out, can you start collecting your pension right after 20 years if you choose to retire or is there a minimum withdrawal age?

Again, apologize if these were answered before... I don't mean to be repetitive...

Update: Got a phone call for a Poly appointment. The investigator said that the background and poly has to be done by the end of February...

1) I think it's 60 days.

2) Yes, still 20 years. And yes, start collecting immediately upon retirement. Tier 6 people contribute 3 per cent of their salerly towards retirement, and there are a few other changes too. But it's still a 20 year system.

[run4fun]

1) I think it's 60 days.

2) Yes, still 20 years. And yes, start collecting immediately upon retirement. Tier 6 people contribute 3 per cent of their salerly towards retirement, and there are a few other changes too. But it's still a 20 year system.

If you are already a state employee with state insurance NYSHIP, do you still have to wait the 60 days or can your benefits transfer over?

[frontier5686]

Good question. Also if you are already a tier 3 pension and are vested can you still be moved to a tier 6?

[GPF727]

1) I think it's 60 days.

2) Yes, still 20 years. And yes, start collecting immediately upon retirement. Tier 6 people contribute 3 per cent of their salerly towards retirement, and there are a few other changes too. But it's still a 20 year system.

Thank you for your reply...

[XNavyVET27]

I thought the last test was a few years ago...how long was the wait for this new class....any idea when the next test is coming out?

[frontier5686]

This is still processing from the 2008 exam.

[GPF727]

So from what I read on this forum... final medical is in May sometime and the Academy is scheduled for December... Is it possible for a candidate to pass everything, including the final medical and somehow get disqualified or passed over? Or if you pass the background, poly and final medical is it pretty much certain that you will make one of the future Academies?

For the Troopers that take part in this forum, I understand that being a Trooper isn't just a job... It's a life style, a commitment to service and a great sacrifice. As I stated in a previous post above, I'm weighing my options. We all took the test 5 years ago and as we all know, life changes and things become different (i.e. marriage, kids, etc.) How is family life overall for you Troopers, is it a good balance or do you find yourself working non-stop overtime especially giving the attrition rates due to the hiring freeze? I saw online that Troopers work a 60 hr week, then a 24 hr week (3 day weekends)... Is that how it really is, or are your schedules much different than that? Just being curious... Who better to ask than the people who already are on the job.

[SlowDownThere]

If you are already a state employee with state insurance NYSHIP, do you still have to wait the 60 days or can your benefits transfer over?

If you are already in NYSHIP, you already did the 60 day waiting period. You would only need a new 60 day waiting period if there was a break in insurance coverage. If there is a break in employment, you can keep insurance coverage in place by paying for it yourself. If no break in employment, there is no break in insurance coverage, and no new 60 day waiting period.

[SlowDownThere]

Good question. Also if you are already a tier 3 pension and are vested can you still be moved to a tier 6?

Hmmm... good question. I don't know if there is a Police/Fire component to Tier 3. There is to Tier 1and 2, but I don't know about Tier 3.

[SlowDownThere]

I saw online that Troopers work a 60 hr week, then a 24 hr week (3 day weekends)... Is that how it really is, or are your schedules much different than that? Just being curious... Who better to ask than the people who already are on the job.

That's really how it is. You will work seven 12 hour days in a 14 day pay period, and have seven days off. For example:

Mon: off
Tue: off
Wed: work
Thu: work
Fri: off
Sat: off
Sun: off
Mon: work
Tue: work
Wed: off
Thu: off
Fri: work
Sat: work
Sun: work

Lather, rinse, repeat.

[GPF727]

That's really how it is. You will work seven 12 hour days in a 14 day pay period, and have seven days off. For example:

Mon: off
Tue: off
Wed: work
Thu: work
Fri: off
Sat: off
Sun: off
Mon: work
Tue: work
Wed: off
Thu: off
Fri: work
Sat: work
Sun: work

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Thank you for the response...