Education · 1 of 5
The path
The state hires you first, then trains you. Everything happens in that order.
- 1
High school diploma or GED (General Educational Development certificate)
Grade 12
That is the education floor in most states. Some agencies want college credits or military service instead, and a few require a degree.
- 2
Meet the minimums and apply
Age 20 or 21
United States citizenship, a driver's license, no felony record, vision within the agency's standard, and a minimum age. Pennsylvania takes applications at 20 and will not appoint anyone who has reached their 40th birthday.
- 3
Get through the selection process
6 to 12 months
Written exam, physical fitness test, background investigation, polygraph in many states, then psychological and medical evaluations. It commonly takes six months to a year.
- 4
The academy
4 to 8 months
A live-in, disciplined training school run by the state: law, driving, firearms, defensive tactics, first aid, crash investigation. Usually several months, and you are paid throughout.
- 5
Field training, then solo patrol
3 to 6 months
You ride with a training officer who signs off on your decisions before you are turned loose in your own car.