From the Cheektowaga police site -
Take the Test
The Cheektowaga Police Department hires only from the Erie County Civil Service list. The Civil Service test for Police Officer is given every three years. The next test is projected to be given in November 2016. The candidate must not have reached his/her 35th birthday on or before the date of the written examination. More information is available from the Erie County Website.
Pass the Written Test
Those who pass the Police Officer test are placed on the list for the Police Department in the City or Town in which they live. Candidates must live in Cheektowaga or Depew to be placed on the list for Cheektowaga Police. The address given on the application for the Police Officer test will determine the list(s) on which the candidate will be placed. There is no minimum amount of time a candidate must live at an address before he or she can use it on the application. Those who move to a new Town or City must change their address through Erie County Civil Service. Currently, Erie County makes address changes effective the 15th of the month following the date of the address change application. Any updates to this will be noted in the link below. The change of address form is available by clicking HERE.
Score Well
After Erie County mails out test scores, they also will schedule physical agility tests for candidates passing and scoring high enough on the written test.
Once test results are received, and the Department is ready to begin the hiring process, eligible candidates are selected by their test score. Candidates are sent a canvass letter by the Town, to see if they are still interested in the position. If more than one candidate has the same score, all candidates at that scoring level receive a canvass letter. The Department is required to hire one of the top three candidates, if more than three candidates have the same score all are considered equal as the “top three”. Below is a link to the applicable Civil Service Law; CSL § 61.1, CSR § 3.6, 4.2
http://s507374536.onlinehome.us/2013Police/?page_id=657