HPD hires qualified candidates and will provide a trainee police officer salary while attending BLET.  HPD will cover the cost of tuition, books and uniforms for the BLET program.  Police Officer Trainees must sign a tuition waiver with the City of Hickory, promising three years of service.  If the service requirement is not met, tuition BLET costs must be repaid on a pro-rated scale.

BLET – What is it?
 
The Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) Curriculum is designed to prepare entry-level individuals with the cognitive and physical skills needed to become certified law enforcement officers in North Carolina. The course is comprised of 39 separate blocks of instruction to include topics such as Firearms, Driver Training, Motor Vehicle Law, and Arrest, Search and Seizure. The BLET course is filled with practical exercises and an extensive ethics section that is woven throughout the training experience. 

The BLET course has been thoroughly researched, legally reviewed and contains the most current law enforcement information available. The Commission mandated 868-hour course takes approximately 23 weeks to complete and concludes with a comprehensive written exam and skills testing. Upon successful completion of the BLET State Comprehensive Written Examination, the BLET trainee has one year from the date of the State Comprehensive Examination to be duly appointed and sworn as a law enforcement officer in North Carolina. 

The North Carolina Justice Academy develops and maintains the BLET curriculum. 

Patrol Officers work 11.5 hour shifts with a two-week repeating schedule. Patrol Officers have every other weekend off, work 14 out of 28 days with three days off every other week. 

Officers are assigned to specific Pacts (geographical zones) within the City, encouraging the strong Community Based Policing philosophy.

For more information, contact the recruiting sergeant at 828-261-2699.

Please contact the Human Resources Department with any questions regarding employment with the City of Hickory.  If you are having technical problems with the online application, please contact NeoGov at 1-855-524-5627.