Visit our recruitment staff at the RPD’s Recruiting Office in Raleigh at 6716 Six Forks Road. The preliminary interview provides you with an overview of the application process. Dress in business attire and be ready to have your picture made. Please make sure that you bring a completed copy of the entire basic application kit* to your initial interview (click here for the lateral applicants). Also, don't forget to bring valid driver's license and original social security card.

Recruitment Office Hours: Interviews are conducted on a walk-in basis, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (excluding holidays). Just show up! No appointment is necessary.

This is not a pass/fail test. Applicant performance will be taken into consideration in the hiring decision. The physician’s waiver must be completed and turned in on the day of testing. The physician’s waiver form must be signed by your physician stating that you are in adequate physical condition to take our physical fitness test. For a detailed description of the components of the physical fitness assessment, visit or call our recruiting staff at (919) 996-1343.

Applicants are selected for background investigations based on their overall qualifications and the needs of the Department. If you are selected, the detective assigned to your case will call you at the beginning of the investigation and will make an appointment with you for an additional interview.

Please see application kit for further information.

You will be given a polygraph test. The Polygraph measures physiological reactions to specific stimuli. Areas that will be scrutinized include: traffic and criminal law violation, employment history, and general truthfulness. The Personal History Statement (Form F3) is required at the time of this testing. Failure to disclose relevant information in this document will likely disqualify you from the hiring process. Make sure to have Form F3 notarized PRIOR TO submitting it.

If you successfully complete the background investigation, you will be scheduled for the Oral Board where a selected panel of police personnel will conduct an in-depth question and answer session.

If given a conditional offer of employment following the Oral Board, you will need to pass these exams and screening. These exams are scheduled and paid for by the Raleigh Police Department.

You will be notified to go to Room C-295 (CCBI) of the Wake County Public Safety Center to be fingerprinted. You must return one card to us on the same day.

Considerable home study and daily physical fitness are required. During their probationary periods, recruits are not allowed to engage in any off-duty employment or attend other educational institutions.