Nashville, Tennessee --- The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) announced today it is looking for men and women interested in a career in law enforcement. The THP is scheduled to begin its next Trooper Cadet class on January 30, 2005 in Nashville.

Individuals interested in applying for a Trooper position must be at least 21 years old, a U.S. citizen and have a high school diploma or equivalent. No applicants with felony convictions will be considered. If hired, individuals must obtain a valid Tennessee Driver License. Recruits must also successfully complete a physical agility test, background investigation, as well as psychological and medical examinations, which includes a drug screening.

All qualified persons must submit an employment application to the Tennessee Department of Personnel for approval to take the required civil service examination. Due to the time associated with the application process, all applicants must apply online at www.tnanytime.org/tnjobs or in person at the Department of Personnel's office in the James K. Polk Building in Nashville.

For applicants applying in person, the civil service exam is given daily from 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. All in-person applicants are encouraged to take the test by October 14, 2004.

For applicants applying online, the civil service exam will be conducted at six field locations across the state. To take the exam at one of the field sites, the online application must be submitted 14 days prior to the testing date. Applicants will be notified by mail of their testing date. The field locations and testing dates are as follows:

• Cleveland-September 21, 2004
• Jackson-September 17, 2004
• Kingsport-September 9 and October 7, 2004
• Knoxville-September 10 and October 8, 2004
• Livingston-September 22, 2004
• Memphis-September 18, 2004

If applicants cannot meet the field test schedule, they are encouraged to take the civil service exam in Nashville.

For more information about applications and testing, contact the Tennessee Department of Personnel Applicant Services Division at (615) 741-4841. There are currently 973 authorized commissioned officer positions within the THP. Trooper recruits will be assigned to vacant positions across the state upon graduation. Starting salary is $29,112 annually. With regular pay increases, a trooper can earn $43,260 per year after ten years of service. Recruits are paid while in training.

The Tennessee Department of Safety's mission is (www.tennessee.gov/safety) to ensure the safety and general welfare of the public. The department encompasses the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Office of Homeland Security and Driver License Services. General areas of responsibility include law enforcement, safety education, motorist services and terrorism prevention.