Become a Police Officer

Posted by admin in Criminal Justice News Oct 10th, 2009

Another question we get emailed on frequently is “exactly how do I become a police officer.”  Well, the answer is that it really depends on a lot of different factors (where you live, what kind of officer you want to be, etc.).  With all of that said we will try to give a brief overview of what it takes to become a police officer.

Education – A high school diploma is required by most departments across the U.S. and preferential treatment is given to candidates with an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree (not necessarily in Criminal Justice but that is helpful).  You can view several different criminal justice degree programs on this site, but let’s continue with the rest of the requirements for becoming a police officer.

Background – Police officers are subjected to background checks of course.  If you have a criminal record, this is most likely not the career for you.  Even if you just have excessive traffic violations (tickets) you should seriously consider what you are doing before you go down this path.  Assuming this is not problematic you can move to the next step.

Fitness – The perception of police officers being out of shape and eating doughnuts or Twinkies all day needs to be put out of your mind.  This is NOT the case!  You will need to be in a high state of physical conditioning to be accepted on the police force in most cities or municipalities.  The police academy will be an extreme shock to your body if you are not prepared for it so get into the best shape you can.

Exams – You will need to sit for a civil servant exam.  You should contact your local police department and/or city for information on how and where to take the exam in your area.  In addition to that you will be subjected to a physical exam and a series of interviews with police.  You need to be physically AND mentally tough to take up a career as a police officer.

Post Education – You should go into a career as a police officer realizing that you are committing to a continuous education career path.  Most police officers have a certain number of continuing education hours that they must take on an annual basis to help keep them ahead of the criminal element.  So don’t expect that you won’t have to crack a book or two after becoming an officer.

Becoming a police officer can be very rewarding but it is a challenge.  While there is a shortage of officers in nearly every State in the U.S., they will not or cannot take just any applicants for the job.  Make sure you are dedicated to becoming an officer and then get the right education and get prepared both physically and mentally for a career in law enforcement.

Hey, let’s be careful out there…

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