How to become a police officer in West Virginia

Pay at the Charleston Police Department

Each city and county sets its own pay.

Charleston PD's employment page lists no salary figure; it states recruits are paid during academy training. No official Charleston pay plan was retrieved.

Source:[charlestonwvpolice.org]

Pay for this work across West Virginia

Federal survey figures for police and sheriff's patrol officers in West Virginia, counting every employer in the state, public and private, so they differ from any one agency's pay scale above.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates (all employers)[bls.gov]

Requirements

• Minimum age: 18
• Civil service cities (Class I and II): applicants must be at least 18 at the date of application, with no other age-based restriction on original appointments (W. Va. Code §8-14-12(c)); applicants state U.S. citizenship, age and health under oath
• Must be certified, or conditionally employed while applying to an approved academy within 90 calendar days of employment and completing it within 18 consecutive months (W. Va. Code §30-29-5)
• Academy application packet within 90 days: application, medical history statement, complete medical examination report, and federal and state fingerprint cards (149CSR2 §8.2)
• Medical examination by a licensed physician chosen and paid for by the employing agency
• Physical ability test: sit-ups and push-ups in 1 minute and a 1.5-mile run
• Officers who fail to file the academy application on time, voluntarily leave, or are dismissed from the academy are terminated

Source:[code.wvlegislature.gov]

Hiring process

1. Application and civil service written exam / physical ability test (agency-specific)
2. Conditional employment by a city or county agency
3. Academy application packet with medical exam and fingerprints within 90 days of hire
4. Physical ability test for academy entry
5. Entry-level training program (minimum 850 hours)
6. Entry level law-enforcement examination (75% to pass)
7. Written application to the Subcommittee for certification

Source:[apps.sos.wv.gov]

Entrance exam

West Virginia entry level law-enforcement examination. 149CSR2 §13.7: officers requesting certification must pass the entry level law-enforcement examination; written test minimum passing grade 75%; a failed test may be retaken within 10 days, maximum 3 attempts unless the Subcommittee approves otherwise. Academy exams also require 75%.[apps.sos.wv.gov]

Required training

850 hours minimum. 149CSR2 §7.1 (effective 7/1/2026): the curriculum's objective is to provide all law enforcement officers a minimum of 850 hours of entry level training for certification; employing agencies add local ordinances and policies. Charleston PD says its recruits normally attend the West Virginia State Police Academy at Institute for approximately 15 weeks, paid.[apps.sos.wv.gov]

Pension and retirement

• Plan: West Virginia Municipal Police Officers and Firefighters Retirement System (MPFRS), administered by the Consolidated Public Retirement Board
• Benefit formula: 2.75% of final average salary per year for the first 20 years of credited service, plus 2% per year for years 21-25 and 1.5% per year over 25 years; maximum 90% of final average salary (highest 5 consecutive plan years within the last 10) (W. Va. Code §8-22A-2)
• When you can retire: Normal retirement age is the first of: age 50 with 20 years of service; age 50+ while in covered employment with age plus service of at least 70; age 60 with 10 years while in covered employment; or age 62 with 5 years (W. Va. Code §8-22A-2(cc))

New police officers hired by a municipality that has a policemen's pension and relief fund under §8-22-16 and participates in MPFRS become MPFRS members (W. Va. Code §8-22A-6); other cities may join under §8-22A-33.

Source:[code.wvlegislature.gov]