How to Become a Police Officer
Meet the basic requirements., Be an upstanding citizen., Start building good credit., Have a strong work ethic., Get physically fit., Know what the job entails.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Meet the basic requirements.
You must also be at least 18 years of age, have a driving license, and be a legal resident of the United States in order to become a police officer.
Some police departments, however, require recruits to be at least 21, so double-check the age requirement with your local department., Police officers are expected to act as role models in their communities, and it's never too early to start embodying the values you will be tasked with enforcing.
Avoid using illegal drugs, drinking alcohol to excess, and committing crimes, no matter how small.
All of these behaviors can make it tougher to get a job as a police officer when it comes time to apply.
Having a felony conviction as an adult, a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction, or a conviction for a crime related in any way to race (a hate crime) disqualifies you from being able to pursue a career as a police officer.
Juvenile convictions can't legally be held against you, since the record is sealed when you reach 18, but getting tangled up in crimes as a teenager is not good preparation for becoming a police officer.
Having a good reputation in your community will be important when you apply for jobs. , When you apply to become a police officer, the department will run a credit check as part of your background check, and you will be penalized if your score is quite low.
Avoid accumulating debt, and pay your bills on time.
Get a credit check now so you know exactly what financial state you are in.
If you don't have good credit, take steps toward building it back up.
Even if your credit score is low, the efforts you make to attain better credit will show that you're a responsible person. , Having work experience helps prepare you for the long hours and strict requirements of a police officer job, and it also gives you an edge over applicants with no experience.
Your job experience doesn't have to be related to law enforcement, although that can help; any work experience that shows you're responsible and capable of doing a job well will help.
Consider taking a job that requires you to interact with the public.
Police officers need excellent communication skills.
Other government jobs, such as a job at your local state park, can give you a sense of what it's like to work as part of a law enforcement team.
Some choose to join the military service for a year or two before joining the police force, as this prepares them physically and mentally for the duties of a cop. , Police officers have to have quick reflexes, the ability to run short or long distances, and the strength to detain suspects.
You'll have to pass a physical agility test to qualify for becoming a police officer, so start working out now to make sure you're in your best physical shape.
Start running.
Do sprints to build up your strength and longer runs to build up your endurance.
Work on your reflexes.
Run on trails and play dodgeball to develop a quicker reaction time.
Read How to Improve Your Reflexes for more information.
Lift weights.
Strength training builds your muscles, which is essential for total-body fitness. , Police officers are a familiar sight around communities and in the media, but in order to really understand what its like to be a police officer, you have to spend time on the job with one.
Contact your local police station and find out whether you can participate in a "ride-along"
- essentially, spend a day shadowing a police officer.
Have questions prepared so that you'll get the most out of the ride-along.
Ask the officer why he or she entered the police force, what you should do to prepare yourself, and what to expect on the job. -
Step 2: Be an upstanding citizen.
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Step 3: Start building good credit.
-
Step 4: Have a strong work ethic.
-
Step 5: Get physically fit.
-
Step 6: Know what the job entails.
Detailed Guide
You must also be at least 18 years of age, have a driving license, and be a legal resident of the United States in order to become a police officer.
Some police departments, however, require recruits to be at least 21, so double-check the age requirement with your local department., Police officers are expected to act as role models in their communities, and it's never too early to start embodying the values you will be tasked with enforcing.
Avoid using illegal drugs, drinking alcohol to excess, and committing crimes, no matter how small.
All of these behaviors can make it tougher to get a job as a police officer when it comes time to apply.
Having a felony conviction as an adult, a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction, or a conviction for a crime related in any way to race (a hate crime) disqualifies you from being able to pursue a career as a police officer.
Juvenile convictions can't legally be held against you, since the record is sealed when you reach 18, but getting tangled up in crimes as a teenager is not good preparation for becoming a police officer.
Having a good reputation in your community will be important when you apply for jobs. , When you apply to become a police officer, the department will run a credit check as part of your background check, and you will be penalized if your score is quite low.
Avoid accumulating debt, and pay your bills on time.
Get a credit check now so you know exactly what financial state you are in.
If you don't have good credit, take steps toward building it back up.
Even if your credit score is low, the efforts you make to attain better credit will show that you're a responsible person. , Having work experience helps prepare you for the long hours and strict requirements of a police officer job, and it also gives you an edge over applicants with no experience.
Your job experience doesn't have to be related to law enforcement, although that can help; any work experience that shows you're responsible and capable of doing a job well will help.
Consider taking a job that requires you to interact with the public.
Police officers need excellent communication skills.
Other government jobs, such as a job at your local state park, can give you a sense of what it's like to work as part of a law enforcement team.
Some choose to join the military service for a year or two before joining the police force, as this prepares them physically and mentally for the duties of a cop. , Police officers have to have quick reflexes, the ability to run short or long distances, and the strength to detain suspects.
You'll have to pass a physical agility test to qualify for becoming a police officer, so start working out now to make sure you're in your best physical shape.
Start running.
Do sprints to build up your strength and longer runs to build up your endurance.
Work on your reflexes.
Run on trails and play dodgeball to develop a quicker reaction time.
Read How to Improve Your Reflexes for more information.
Lift weights.
Strength training builds your muscles, which is essential for total-body fitness. , Police officers are a familiar sight around communities and in the media, but in order to really understand what its like to be a police officer, you have to spend time on the job with one.
Contact your local police station and find out whether you can participate in a "ride-along"
- essentially, spend a day shadowing a police officer.
Have questions prepared so that you'll get the most out of the ride-along.
Ask the officer why he or she entered the police force, what you should do to prepare yourself, and what to expect on the job.
About the Author
Stephanie Lee
Committed to making DIY projects accessible and understandable for everyone.
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