How Do I Become A Police Officer

While this process varies with each police department you can typically expect some combination of the following.

How do i become a police officer. In fact a high school diploma is often the minimum formal education required. Your education and training will prepare you to take the peace officer standards and training post exam. If you have a driver s license and high school diploma or ged choose a police academy that s conveniently located for you and go through the screening test.

Getting hired as a police officer usually means you have been vigorously vetted in a multi step process. To become a police officer you must be a legal resident and at least 18 years old. Once you take and pass the exam your name will be placed on a list to be considered.

Each state has its own licensing board so the tests will also vary. While different departments and different levels of government have varying standards the process of going from new recruit to full fledged police officer can take 4 6 or 12 months or even longer. An associate s bachelor s or graduate degree is rarely mandatory.

Police academy training generally lasts about 12 14 weeks. When it s time to attend the police academy you will be challenged both physically and academically. The application process for cops consists of more than just completing an application.

You re not going to walk into your local police station one day hand in a job application then be patrolling the streets within days or even weeks. Next you will want to be prepared for the written exam. All you need to know about becoming a police officer in a civil service department first you need to apply for the exam.

Law enforcement agencies and police academies alike need to know that you re up for the task and one indicator of this is the ability to earn your diploma. Instead extensive and specialized training is required. The next step to becoming a police officer is to earn a passing score on your state s police licensing board exam.