The Asheville Police Department is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in employment or the provision of services based on race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender (including pregnancy), gender identity, or expression, or familial status.

View available jobs and apply on the City of Asheville website

 

Visit the Asheville Police Department Recruiting website to learn more about joining. 

Employee Benefits and Position Information

If you’ve ever thought, “I want to make a difference,” now’s your chance. The Asheville Police Department is looking for people like you to help protect and serve our community.

Hiring Bonuses

We offer a pre-tax hiring bonus for:

  • $5,000 for new lateral Police Officers.

  • $3,500 for new Police Officer Trainees.

Career Ladder and Salary Ranges:

  • Police Trainee: $47,915.10
  • Police Officer: $50,309 to $75,464
  • Senior Police Officer I / Detective I: $52,825 to $79,237
  • Senior Police Officer II / Detective II: Police Detective: $55,466 to $83,199
  • Master Police Officer I / Master Police Officer I: $58,239 to $87,359
  • Master Police Officer II / Master Police Officer II: $61,152 to $91,727

Note for Lateral Officers: Your base pay is determined by your years of full-time certified service aligned with our career ladder structure. This does not include additional incentives you may qualify for.

Strong Incentive Program (not included in base salary):

  • Uniform Allowance: $1,200
  • Education: 1.5% for an Associate’s, 3% for a Bachelor’s, or 5% for a Master’s Degree.
  • Specialty Team Pay: 3%
  • Foreign Language Bonus: 3% 
  • State Certificates: 3% for Intermediate or 5% for Advanced Law Enforcement Certificates.
  • Shift Differential: $2.00 per hour
  • On-Call pay: $30 daily
  • Take Home Vehicle Program

BenefitsAsheville Police detectives and forensic technicians at a crime scene. They are collecting evidence to solve a case.

The City of Asheville offers a comprehensive benefit package.

  • Get paid while attending Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET).
  • Relocation assistance may be available.
  • Retirement program through the NC Local Government Employees’ Retirement System (LGERS). The City of Asheville also provides a 401K plan with employer contributions. Sworn officers receive an additional law enforcement retirement supplement through the LGERS system.
  • Mentoring and peer support for new hires.
  • Tuition reimbursement for qualifying courses of study.
  • Health, dental, and life insurance.
  • Embedded Certified Clinicians.
  • Sworn lateral transfers will be provided with a balance of 5 vacation days upon hire.

Additional information on employee benefits is available through the City of Asheville Human Resources Department.

APD Career Ladder & Salary Ranges FY 25-26

Patrol Officer Schedule

Patrol officers work non-rotating twelve-hour day or night work shifts with every other weekend off. Hours may vary for administrative or specialty assignments.

Specialized Teams

The department has several specialty teams, including the Bomb Squad, Emergency Response Team, Crisis Negotiation Team, Crowd Control Team, Bike Response Team, and a Drone Unit.

Minimum Qualifications and Automatic DisqualifiersAsheville Police officer with k9 dog in the woods.

Complete qualifications and automatic disqualifiers will be listed in the job posting.

To meet the minimum qualifications to be a police officer, applicants must:

  • Be 20 years of age at the time of application
  • Be a citizen of the United States
  • Have a high school diploma or GED
  • Have no felony convictions
  • Have no serious misdemeanor convictions in the past five years, which include:
    • Any crime for which the punishment could have been more than two years
    • A crime or unlawful act defined as a Class B Misdemeanor within the last ten years
    • Two or more crimes or unlawful acts defined as Class A Misdemeanor within the last five years
    • A DUI or DWI within the last ten years
  • Pass a physical fitness test and the Police Officer Physical Agility Test (POPAT)
  • Meet vision, hearing, and other physical requirements
  • Possess a valid driver’s license with no suspensions of driving privileges in the past three years
  • Satisfactorily pass a background investigation, polygraph examination, psychological evaluation, and drug screen

Automatic disqualifiers for the position of police officer or police officer trainee include:

  • Illegal selling or distribution of any drug
  • Any use of hard illegal drugs such as methamphetamine, cocaine, LSD, or heroin within the past two years

Candidates applying for a certified law enforcement position (lateral entry) must meet all requirements for non-certified applicants, possess a valid law enforcement certification from the North Carolina Law Enforcement Training and Standards Commission, and must have been employed as a law enforcement officer in good standing in the State of North Carolina within the last twelve months.

Out-of-state candidates who have been employed as full-time law enforcement officers will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine whether or not they must complete North Carolina Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET). Out-of-state candidates are encouraged to contact the Recruitment and Career Development Section at apdrecruitment@ashevillenc.gov for further information.

Application and Hiring Process

The hiring process with the department may take between 90 and 120 days to complete. The following steps are part of the hiring process:

  • Pre-employment testing (police officer trainees)
  • Physical fitness testing (police officers only)
  • Panel interview and one-on-one interview.
  • Health assessment (police officers only)
  • Background investigation, which includes a polygraph examination
  • Psychological evaluation (police officers only)
  • Drug screen

Physical Fitness Requirements for Police Officers

Pre-employment Physical Fitness Test

If you are applying for a Police Officer Trainee position, you must pass a physical fitness test. This test is a modified version of the Police Officer Physical Agility Test (POPAT).

Watch the Pre-Employment Physical Fitness Test Overview Video to see the different parts of the test and how to prepare.

The Police Officer Physical Agility Test (POPAT)

To become a certified law enforcement officer, the State of North Carolina requires you to pass the POPAT.

Police Officer Trainees must pass this test at the end of their Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET). If a cadet does not pass this physical test, they cannot become a police officer.

Watch the NC BLET Popat Test Overview Video to see the different parts of the test. 

APD In-House Academy Training

Candidates hired as Police Officer Trainees will attend the Asheville Police Department’s own training academy.

  • Program Length: The academy lasts 20 to 22 weeks.

  • Certification: Trainees learn 39 required subjects to earn their Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) certification. You must complete this training to become a certified police officer.

Pay and Benefits

  • Full-Time Pay: You are a full-time employee and will receive a salary while attending the academy.

  • Health Insurance: Your health benefits will begin on the first day of the month after your start date.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is there an age limit to being a police officer?                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Applicants must be at least 20 years old by the time they finish the academy. You must also be able to perform all the essential duties of the job.

I don’t live in North Carolina. Can I do the police officer testing in one or two trips?                                                                                                                                                          Yes. If you live out of state, you can expect to make at least two trips to Asheville. Each trip usually lasts 2 to 3 days to cover different parts of the process.

Can I work part-time or continue my education while in the academy?
No. The training academy is very demanding. It requires your full focus, mentally, physically, and academically.

Do I have to live in Asheville?
If you are hired as a police officer, you do not have to live inside the city limits. However, you must live within 45 miles of City Hall (60 Court Plaza, Asheville).

I have tattoos. Is that okay?
Yes, the department permits the display of tattoos while on duty with a few stipulations:

  • Tattoos, branding, or intentional scarring are prohibited (not allowed) on the face, neck, ears, or scalp. (Permanent makeup is allowed).
  • Tattoos cannot be offensive, gang-related, or convey sexual, racial, religious, ethnic, or related intolerances, or portray derogatory or offensive characterizations contrary to the department’s values are prohibited (not allowed.)
  • Tattoos that would be visible while on duty cannot be offensive, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate.

Contact Information

For additional information or questions regarding employment opportunities at the Asheville Police Department, please contact our Recruitment & Career Development Division by: