*NOTE: This section includes amendments by temporary legislation that will expire on September 11, 2026. To view the text of this section after the expiration of all emergency and temporary legislation, click this link: Permanent Version.*

1. (a) Repealed.
2. (b) Repealed.
3. (c) Repealed.
4. (d) Repealed.

5. (e) To be eligible for appointment as a sworn member of the Metropolitan Police Department, an applicant shall have either:

   1. (1) Successfully completed 60 hours of post-secondary education at an accredited college or university; except, that, if the Metropolitan Police Department enters into an agreement with an accredited college or university to award credit hours to recruits successfully completing the Department's initial training program for recruits, an applicant may satisfy up to 20 credits of the 60-credit hour requirements by earning credits through the initial training program for recruits;

      .

   2. (2) Served in the Armed Forces of the United States, including the Organized Reserves and National Guard, for at least 2 years on active duty and if separated from the military, have received an honorable discharge; or
   3. (3) Served at least 3 years in a full-duty status with a full-service police department in a municipality or state within the United States and have resigned or retired in good standing.

6. (f) An applicant shall be ineligible for appointment as a sworn member of the Metropolitan Police Department if the applicant:

   1. (1) Was previously determined by a law enforcement agency to have committed serious misconduct, as determined by the Chief by General Order;
   2. (2) Was previously terminated or forced to resign for disciplinary reasons from any commissioned, recruit, or probationary position with a law enforcement agency; or
   3. (3) Previously resigned from a law enforcement agency to avoid potential, proposed, or pending adverse disciplinary action or termination.

History

Oct. 4, 2000, D.C. Law 13-160, § 202, 47 DCR 4619

Sept. 30, 2004, D.C. Law 15-194, § 702(a), 51 DCR 9406

Mar. 6, 2007, D.C. Law 16-223, § 201(a), 53 DCR 10221

June 30, 2016, D.C. Law 21-125, § 212

Apr. 21, 2023, D.C. Law 24-345, § 115

Oct. 28, 2025, D.C. Law 26-52, § 3

Jan. 29, 2026, D.C. Law 26-81, § 3(1)

Emergency Legislation

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3 of the Metropolitan Police Department Officer Retention and Recruitment Incentives Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Act 21-332, Mar. 17, 2016, 63 DCR 4304).

For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2 of Metropolitan Police Department Educational Requirement Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2004 (D.C. Act 15-323, January 28, 2004, 51 DCR 1586).

For temporary (90 days) , see § 3 of Metropolitan Police Department Officer Retention and Recruitment Incentives Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Act 21-420, June 23, 2016, 63 DCR 9008).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 115 of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Second Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-336, July 22, 2020, 67 DCR 9148).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 115 of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-437, Oct. 28, 2020, 67 DCR 12993).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 115 of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2021 (D.C. Act 24-76, May 3, 2021, 68 DCR 004935).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 115 of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2021 (D.C. Act 24-128, July 29, 2021, 68 DCR 007656).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 115 of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2022 (D.C. Act 24-370, Apr. 7, 2022, 69 DCR 3370).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 115 of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2022 (D.C. Act 24-454, June 28, 2022, 69 DCR 007767).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 113 of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2023 (D.C. Act 25-61, Mar. 24, 2023, 70 DCR 3820).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3 of Peace DC Omnibus Emergency Amendment Act of 2025 (D.C. Act 26-109, July 14, 2025, 72 DCR 8013).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3 of Peace DC Omnibus Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2025 (D.C. Act 26-169, Oct. 23, 2025, 0 DCR 0).

Temporary Legislation

For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 2 of Metropolitan Police Department Education Requirement Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2004 (D.C. Law 15-147, April 22, 2004, law notification 51 DCR 4931).

For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 115 of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Second Temporary Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Law 23-151, Dec. 3, 2020, 67 DCR 9920).

For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 115 of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Temporary Amendment Act of 2021 (D.C. Law 24-23, Sept. 3, 2021, 68 DCR 005837).

For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 115 of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Temporary Amendment Act of 2022 (D.C. Law 24-149, Aug. 12, 2022, 69 DCR 007767).

For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 3 of Peace DC Omnibus Temporary Amendment Act of 2025 (D.C. Law 26-81, Jan. 29, 2026, 0 DCR 0).

Effect of Amendments

D.C. Law 16-223, repealed subsecs. (a) to (d), and added subsec. (e).

D.C. Law 15-194 rewrote subsec. (a) and added subsec. (d). Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) had read as follows: “(a) To be eligible for appointment as a sworn member of the Metropolitan Police Department, as of December 31, 2003, an applicant must have successfully completed 2 years of post-secondary education.”