U.S. Capitol Police Career, Salary and Training Info

The highly specialized mission of the U.S. Capitol Police is to protect the Congress of the United States.

Created in 1828, with an initial mission of providing security for the Capitol Building, the Capitol Police has expanded in numbers, responsibility, and duties within the past century.

Today, the U.S. Capitol Police is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) and provides a full range of police services to Congress and its visitors. Charged with preventing and investigating crimes, and with protecting life and property, Capitol Police also enforce traffic regulations in the Congressional complex and parks.

As a member of the U.S. Capitol Police you will take responsibility for protecting Members of Congress, Officers of the House and Senate, and their families. You may serve in the District of Columbia or throughout the U.S. and its territories.

U.S. Capitol Police Requirements

Applicants must be at least 21 years of age and under the age of 37 at the time of appointment. The maximum age may be waited for those with previous service in a qualifying federal civilian law enforcement position.

You must be a high school graduate or have a GED and be a U.S. citizen with a valid U.S. driver’s license. Vision must be less than 20/100 uncorrected, correctable to 20/20 in each eye, and the weight must be proportionate to height, with excellent physical health.

A felony conviction will disqualify you as an applicant as will pending criminal litigation. If you were a member of the military, an Honorable discharge is required.

Qualified applicants will be able to work with minimal supervision and must have an interest in assisting all Congressional Members, employees, and visitors. A high degree of tact is necessary; maturity and responsibility are personal traits awarded high value.

U.S. Capitol Officer Education and Training

Training begins immediately upon employment while you receive full pay. It begins with one week of orientation at the training facility in Washington, D.C. Metro area, followed by 12 weeks at either the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Glynco, GA or in Artesia, NM.

The intensive twelve week training covers areas such as police procedures, psychology, criminal law and laws of arrest, search and seizure, and physical defense techniques.

Also included are the Physical Abilities Test, the Physical Efficiency Battery, and you will be expected to meet the height and weight guidelines.

U.S. Capitol Police Salary

Starting salary for a U.S. Capitol Police Officer is $54,338 yearly, plus benefits. After completing training successfully, salary increases to $56,243. For a Private First Class, with 30 months of service, annual salary is $63,064.

Benefits are generous for new members of the Capitol Police with 13 days of annual leave and 13 days of sick leave per year as well as 10 paid holidays annually.

Equipment and uniforms are furnished at no cost along with low cost group life insurance and group health plans for officers and their families.

U.S. Capitol Police Career Opportunities

The duties of the U.S. Capitol Police have become an integral part of the operation of the Congressional community and the safety of Members of Congress and to the visiting public.

You will be able to interact with leaders of the country as well as with the public in a position of great responsibility which requires intelligence, tact, and discretion.

Take a look at other great Criminal Justice Careers.

Article written by Radek Gadek

Radek holds a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Boston University. He is currently doing consulting work and runs this blog to provide relevant information on criminal justice degrees, colleges and related careers.

6 comments… add one
  • Carlos

    To Whom it concerns,

    I am currently enrolled in Everest College, studying Homeland Security, where I currently maintain a 3.5 gpa and working harder to raise it to a 3.7 gpa. While searching for careers, the position of Capitol Police, has caught my attention and I would like to peruse a career working in this field. If you can please inform me on how to apply for this position, my email address is… and my phone# is …

    Thank You,
    Carlos

    • Radek M. Gadek

      Hi Carlos,

      You should go directly to the Capitol police website. There, you can obtain all the information you need in order to pursue a career with the Capitol police. By the way, kudos on your GPA.

  • Angel

    Hello,

    I have a BA in Sociology/Criminal Justice and I am 1 class away from earning my MS in Criminal Justice. Unfortunately, I did not do as well as I would have liked to. How important are the my grades when applying for criminal justice positions? Will they look at the fact that I have a Master’s or do they look at GPA? I am asking this because I will applying for jobs soon and I am afraid my transcript will not be enough. Thanks

    • Radek M. Gadek

      I think that at most agencies GPA is looked at (whether they tell you this or not), but the fact that you have a Masters is positive.

  • Cedric

    I want to know if there is a chance of me getting hired for a position at uscp if I have no college history but I pass every thing else that they required.

  • Kate

    What are the vision requirements for capitol police? This disqualified me from the last department I applied to.

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