NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) – In the wake of a hiring crisis, the NYPD is reducing its college credit requirement and reinstating physical tests for new recruits, Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced Wednesday.
Now, police recruits will only need 24 college credits to enter the Police Academy – down from the previous requirement of 60 credits with a minimum 2.0 GPA. To graduate from CUNY schools, students need to complete 120 college credits.
The previous 60-credit requirement disqualified 29% of NYPD applicants in 2023, Tisch said.
At the same time, the academy will now count for more college credits. Finishing the six-month course is equivalent to 45 college credits, up from the previous 36, based on an assessment by the National College Credit Recommendation Service, Tisch said.
The department will emphasize its focus on a “physically fit force” by reinstating a running test. Recruits will be required to run 1.5 miles in under 14 minutes and 21 seconds.
The NYPD’s uniformed police headcount hit a 20-year high in 2000, reaching 40,285 uniformed members. The force has since dropped to 33,475, according to city data.
Tisch has made it a priority to increase the number of uniformed officers during her tenure, she said.
Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter who has covered New York City since 2023 after reporting in Los Angeles for years. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here.
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