Metropolitan Police Department Internship Program
Applications are no longer being accepted for Spring 2008 Program. Follow the instructions below to apply today for the Summer 2008 Program.
The Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is always seeking qualified individuals to consider careers in law enforcement either as sworn members or as civilian employees that support the vital mission of the agency. MPD is pleased to offer challenging and rewarding opportunities for professional development to qualified college and university students. Internships allow students to think about the transition from school to practice and to develop insights into the law enforcement profession that are rarely available in a conventional classroom setting. The MPD College Internship Program introduces students to aspects of law enforcement that enhance students’ understanding of the criminal justice system. In addition, students are introduced to the various career opportunities that await them should they decide to choose law enforcement as a career.
Students who participate in the MPD Internship Program may receive academic credit for their fieldwork in accordance with the criteria developed by their particular institution. Interns will not, however, receive monetary compensation for their participation. Interns will be closely supervised and exposed to exciting opportunities such as brown-bag luncheons with Command Staff members, ride-alongs, visits to the Metropolitan Police Academy training facilities, and opportunities to observe the Joint Operation Command Center, a state-of-the-art communication center designed to coordinate law enforcement activities among various federal and state public safety agencies.
The MPD Internship Program also provides information to students who wish to enter careers in law enforcement such as the application process for sworn membership, the background investigation process, and career development advice on interviewing and drafting a resume. Students interested in becoming police officers will be able to meet with MPD recruiters and arrange to take the entry-level examination during their internship.
Eligibility
Students participating in the MPD College Internship Program must be a bona fide student at an accredited college or university. Undergraduate students must be in their sophomore, junior, or senior year with a minimum of 36 credits. Graduate and law students are also eligible. Students must be United States citizens. However, in some instances, foreign students will be considered—provided the student is here on the appropriate student visa.
- Bona fide student at a college or university
- Undergraduate class standing of Sophomore, Junior, or Senior by credit hours (minimum of 3 completed semesters and at least 36 credit hours)
- United States citizen
- Must sign confidentiality agreement
- Must pass full personal background investigation
Note: The background investigation for interns is equal to the investigation for Police Officer applicants. The investigation will include a criminal history check and applicants will be required to submit fingerprints.
Commitment
Students participating during the Spring and Fall Semesters must complete a minimum of 16 hours per week for a minimum of 14 weeks. Summer program students will be required to complete a minimum of 24 hours per week for a minimum of eight weeks. Students may be employed part-time outside of the MPD provided that their work hours do not interfere with their MPD assignments and work hours. Some internship assignments might require the student to work rotating shifts or a tour-of-duty outside the normal 0900-1700 tour used by private sector employers. In these cases, students will be informed of the hours prior to accepting the internship with the unit.
Interns will be required to complete weekly journals that detail their weekly assignments. These journals will outline their work product and track assigned tasks. These journals will be collected at the end of the term for evaluation purposes.
- Fourteen-week work commitment for semester program at least 16 hours per week and no more than 40 hours per week. (Intern may be assigned to work various tours of duty based on the needs of their assigned unit.)
- Eight weeks and a minimum of 24 hours per week for MPD summer program
- Weekly assignment journals that outline student work product and track student assignments
- Formal exit evaluation with supervisor
Application and Selection Process
Interns may apply directly via the MPD recruitment website. Once the application is received, it will be disseminated to various MPD units for review and consideration. Applicants may be contacted for face-to-face or phone interviews. Applicants will be notified of their selection at least one month prior to their start date. Once notified of their selection, applicants will be given directions for completing the processing requirements.
Application Requirements:
- Complete Online Application Form
- Personal Resume attached to Online Application
- Personal Essay of between 500-750 words attached to Online Application, answering the following questions:
- Why are you interested in an MPD internship?
- What can you offer the MPD as an intern?
- What do you expect to learn from your internship?
- Why have you selected your preferred internship assignments?
- Unofficial transcript must be submitted either via email (mpd.internship@dc.gov) or via regular mail (#6 DC Village Lane SW, Bldg. 1A, Washington, DC 20032)
Applicants not submitting all four complete parts of the application will not be considered.
Timeline:
For Fall Semester (September to December)
Application due by June 1
Notified of decision by August 1
For Spring Semester (January to May)
Application due by October 15
Notified of decision by December 15
For Summer Semester (May to August)
Application due by March 1
Notified of decision by May 1
Standards of Evaluation
- University Standards of Evaluation:
Students will be evaluated in a manner consistent with the evaluation criteria developed by the college or university where the student is receiving course credit. The intern’s supervisor will complete any required evaluation for the intern to receive university credit. The final grade given to the student is at the sole discretion of his/her university.
- Internal MPD Standards of Evaluation:
Each intern will complete an evaluation form and attend a debriefing session at the end of the internship to discuss their internship experience and meet other interns. Students will be evaluated on project assignments and work ethic (on time arrival, proper dress, customer service, etc). Students will not receive final evaluations until they have completed the minimum number of hours as described in the commitment section.
Application Process
Apply to the internship program!
Contact Information
For further information on internships with the Metropolitan Police Department, please email:
Phillip J. McHugh
Office of the Assistant Chief of Police
Professional Development Bureau
mpd.internship@dc.gov(202) 727-2900
