So what are the requirements these days to be a police officer in the United States of America? Things are slowly but surely changing. These days its more about having good qualifications as opposed to years of on the job experience.
First Step: High school Graduation
Every police department do at least require a high school diploma or something that is equivalent in order to join the department. Its possible to join up to the police straight after high school, but often its the case that a high school graduate need be at least 21 years of age.
Second Step: Complete College Degree Level Education
In order to gain a job as a police officer, its becoming more of a pre-requisit these days to have an associate or bachelor’s degree in law enforcement, criminal justice or something of a similar nature. Although its not entirely a requirement by many police departments, it can most certainly be beneficial to have a degree, particularly to get into officer positions on a fast track career policy.
If applying to state or federal agency positions, then a college degree generally is a requirement. Furthermore, again – college degree holders can expect to advance more rapidly within the ranking system. On-the-job educational programs are also available to those who wish to go into specialist fields.
Third Step – Go to Police Academy
Large police precincts will tend to send their own recruits to police academies affiliated with that particular precinct. For smaller departments, their recruits often are sent to these acadamies too. The program tends to last 3 to 4 months. Class room instruction includes topics on state and local laws, civil rights, constitutional law, and criminal investigation. Hands-on experience is also gained where recruits are supervised and instructed in accident and emergency response, self-defence classes, use of firearms, traffic command, to name but a few. This is all in preparation for active duty.
Fourth Step – The Passing of All Examinations
The insurance of competencies by passing all set exams means that candidates are then ready to join the police force officially. Apart from the passing of written exams, there are also tests of physical ability, vision, agility, hearing and drug as well as lie detector tests. Psychiatric testing as well as personal traits testing is also carried out by some academies. These all go to prove the over-all suitability of each candidate to a career in the police force.
Fifth Step – Promotion
Once some time has been spent working in the police force, employees are generally offered the opportunity to rise up the ranks to specialized positions such as detective, lieutenant or captain. In order for eligibilty to rise to these positions, officers will have needed to prove previous on-the-job capabilities to an exceptional level, as well as to carry out further examinations and testing. These higher positions will tend to be more akin to management and will entail far more in the way of paper-work and man management skills than does a basic police officer’s job.