Applications now open for the New York State Police Entrance Exams

State Police Entrance Exams are now open for anyone looking to join the ranks.

This recruitment period comes from a $66 million investment for more Police Academy classes. The goal is to increase the number of state troopers who deal with some of the state's major crime problems, like gun trafficking.

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in applying:

• The starting salary for Police Academy is $59,612
• The minimum compensation rises to $98,300 after one year of service
• You can also get a full health benefits and retirement plan.

To apply you must:

• Be a U.S. Citizen
• Be at least 20 years old and a maximum of 34 years old. But if you have full-time active duty military experience, the maximum age could be extended by a year for up to 7 years of service.
• Have a high school diploma or the equivalent.
• Have at least 60 college credits, or 30 credits if you have police training or if you've been discharged from the military after two years of active service.

Just last year, State Police loosened their tattoo restrictions for applicants and raised the maximum age to apply.

They told 7 News last October they've been short staffed since the pandemic. We're told they lose 300 troopers statewide because of retirements and other decisions, but gain about 400 new recruits.

At this pace, they say it would take over a decade to recover from the pandemic, which is why they made these changes.

The exam costs $20 dollars to apply and there's a $44 fee for the testing software.

You can sign up here .

Testing starts on August 15th.