Career Opportunities

Police Officer Candidates

The Dover Police Department is an internationally accredited law enforcement agency, having first attained this significant symbol of professional recognition in March of 1988. At that time, the Dover Police Department was only the 62nd agency in the United States, and the first in New Hampshire, to achieve accredited status. The accrediting body for law enforcement agencies is the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).

Participation in the process represents a department-wide commitment to excellence in law enforcement. CALEA accreditation means that the agency has met the highest standards in existence for professional law enforcement agencies.

Benefits of a Career with the Dover Police Department

Officers of the Dover Police Department provide professional law enforcement services to a growing community of more than 33,000 people. The City of Dover is ideally situated in the southern New Hampshire seacoast area with easy access to major metropolitan areas as well as many four-season recreational areas. The tri-city area has consistently been recognized as one of the best small metropolitan areas in the country. Dover Police officers serve as the sole providers of all emergency and investigative law enforcement services to the community. Regardless of the seriousness and nature of the crime, the agency is equipped to conduct an appropriate and professional investigation. Dover Police personnel receive extensive training and are frequently recognized as experts and leaders within the law enforcement community.

The Dover Police Department offers a highly competitive entry-level salary with progressive annual salary increases and educational incentive pay for related college degrees.

The salary range for 40-hour week police officer is $56,888 to $95,139.20 based on experience and qualifications (before educational incentives).
Specialized training and promotional opportunities.
Annual paid vacations and holidays.
Extensive health and dental benefit packages provided by the City of Dover.
Disability protection in addition to sick leave benefits.
Uniforms and equipment provided with annual cleaning allowance.
State of New Hampshire group II retirement system: This system provides a lifetime 50% retirement salary for 25 years of service at age 52.5 (or older), or at age 60, regardless of service. Additional benefits for longer service.
The State of New Hampshire has no state income tax or state sales tax.

Applicant Requirements

Candidates must be US citizens, must be at least 20 years of age and must possess a high school diploma or the equivalent.
Candidates must not have a prior felony conviction that has not been pardoned.
The selection process is highly competitive.
Candidates that meet the minimum requirements are selected on a competitive basis through a process that includes written testing, oral interviews, fitness testing, psychological testing, polygraph examination, background investigations, and medical testing.

Our Relationship With The Community

We consider our relationship with the community to be of primary importance. As police officers, we recognize that the badge we wear symbolizes a unique trust placed in us by the community that we serve.

All of our efforts have the same goal: to make this a safe and friendly community in which to live. We are privileged to have been entrusted with that responsibility, and we collectively look forward to meeting the challenges of the upcoming years in a continued partnership with the citizens of Dover.

Professional Growth and Development

Dover police officers serve the community in a variety of assignments. Officers assigned to the Field Operations Division serve as the providers of primary police services to the community and truly represent the backbone of the agency.

Patrol officer duties include, but are not limited to: the investigation and prevention of criminal activity, the enforcement of traffic and criminal law and the provision of emergency and quality of life services to the community. As officers develop expertise, additional opportunities for growth and professional development become available.

Officers may be assigned to a number of specialized assignments or functions within the department. Specialized assignments and functions include: Motorcycle Officer, Bicycle Patrol, Field Training Officer, Firearms Instructor, Special Response Team Member, Detective, Crime Unit Member, Sniper, Crisis Negotiator, School Resource Officer, Neighborhood Officer, Problem Oriented Policing Officer, Narcotics Investigator and other assignments.

Application and Testing

The Dover Police Department accepts applications on an open basis. Qualified women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

The Dover Police Department participates in a regional testing process with:

Great Bay Community College
Portsmouth Campus
320 Corporate Drive
Portsmouth, NH 03801
603-334-6306 voice
603-334-6308 fax

Click here for additional information and schedule tests at Great Bay Community College Police Testing Alliance.

You may also submit an application here: https://cityofdover.applytojob.com/apply/VaiRrQt5QY/25011-Police-Officer

For additional information, please contact Sgt. Juel Cooper at 603-742-4646.

The City of Dover is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Click Here To Return To The Dover Police Home Page