Why Become A Police Officer
Every single shift you work as a police officer is an opportunity to directly and positively impact the quality of life in your own community. Whether you are patrolling a dangerous part of town, responding to a call about domestic abuse, or writing up the details of an accident, you are making a difference in your community and helping to keep it safe.
The citizens you serve will entrust you with incredible power, but with that power comes responsibility. Youll be expected to live by an oath to protect and serve, even at the cost of your own life.
Police work is not for everyone, but if you can handle the stress and the scrutiny, the danger and the demands, the career of a police officer is more than just a jobits a proud calling and a lifestyle. Learn more about what its like to work as a police officer.
Police Academy Training What You Need To Know
Law enforcement agencies across the country help keep our communities safe and play a vital role in society. In order to get them ready for this important role, the training process they have to go through to become a police officer is far from easy. The training at the police academy prepares them for just about anything and everything that might occur during their career to ensure they are well equipped and well trained in order to serve and protect.
Most people dont really know what type of training police officers go through during the academy. Making the public aware of what police academy training involves can be helpful to people who are interested in becoming a police officer or uneasy about the safety of their communities and the qualifications of their communitys officers.
What Tests Do I Need To Pass To Become A Police Officer
With no federal standards for the minimum requirements for becoming a police officer, each state has its own testing methods to determine eligibility for the job. However, there are some basic criteria for police hiring qualifications such as being at least 21 years old with a high school diploma or GED equivalent and at least two years of higher education.
Here are some of the most common types of tests recruits need to pass to become certified:
- Physical fitness tests
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Major Subjects Taught In Police Academies
Police academies assure that each and every graduate is well rounded when they start their enforcement careers. The best way they can do this is to create curriculums that encompass as many topics as possible.
Listed below are some of the major topics that are discussed in police academies.
Operations
This subject is meant to teach police trainees the technical and procedural processes and steps that police officers take when doing their job.
Some topics discussed under this subject are report writing, patrol procedures, investigations, traffic accident investigations, emergency vehicle operations, basic first aid, and computer/ information services.
Weapons, Defensive, and Offensive Tactics
The central concept taught in this subject is how police officers can protect themselves from outside threats. It also shows them the proper handling and maintenance of both lethal and nonlethal weapons.
Some topics included in this subject are defensive tactics, firearms skills, use of force, and nonlethal weapons.
Self-Improvement
How a police officer acts and behaves all depend on how their mental state has been trained. The difference between a good cop and a bad cop are the principles that have been imbued within them during their earlier years.
Legal Education
Community College Or University
Aspiring officers can find programs in police science, law enforcement, or criminal justice that combine police training with academic courses.
Note that more and more police departments are requiring candidates to have at least several years of college. In addition, the possibility for higher pay and advancement opportunities lead many students to earn a degree.
In order to find a top college or university for police training, look for the following:
- What is the programs job placement rate?
- Does the program provide practical experience that involves shadowing local police officers?
- Does the school offer non-training courses that you are interested in?
- Is the program state-approved?
- Does the school offer tuition assistance?
If cost is an issue, check out our Criminal Justice Trailblazer Scholarship, which offers a $1,000 award for criminal justice students. Also refer to our scholarship guide for criminal justice degrees.
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The Real Truth: How Hard Is The Police Academy
You may have heard the saying, nothing worth having comes easy. This statement can easily be applied to the training that is required to become a police officer.
Police academy training includes both classroom and practical training and requires a great deal of dedication and discipline.
But exactly how hard is the police academy? In this article, well cover some common questions about police academies and the training that is required.
Find Your Military Bearing Fast
You and your new academy classmates will most likely be ordered to immediately get into formation and to do it quickly. Some of your fellow recruits will probably have prior military experience and they will respond immediately and without confusion. Your best bet is to find the spot where everyone is forming up and just fall in with them.
Line up so you’re even with the person to your right, an arm’s length away. Come to the position of attention with your thumbs along the seams of your trousers, chin up, eyes forward and feet at a 45-degree angle.
Don’t move from this position unless and until you’re told to do so. Don’t look around and don’t move your hands or head. And don’t lock your knees. If you do, you’ll faint…and you won’t be the first one.
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Who Is Training To Become A Police Officer
A total of 488 academies provided data on the sex of 91,000 recruits entering basic training programs from 2011 to 2013. Fifteen percent of these recruits were female, down slightly from the estimated 17% in 2005. During the same period, 336 academies provided data on race and Hispanic origin for 58,000 recruits entering basic training. As in 2005, 70% of these recruits were white, and 30% were members of a racial or ethnic minority. Blacks and Hispanics each accounted for 13% of recruits, and 4% were members of other races.
What Are The Police Academy Exams Like
In most academies, candidates have to take a handful of tests that cover reasoning, memory, English language, math, and more. There are usually an additional four practical tests on firearms, defense tactics, driving, and first aid. Academy tests are varied and challenging. They will push you mentally and physically and have been known to be quite stressful.
Police academy exams will be different depending on where you are training. The RCMP exam will be different from provincial exams and each provincial exam will be different from other provinces.
But there are some commonalities that can help you prepare for success, no matter which department youre vying for.
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Georgia Police Academy Faq
Below are some of the questions that GPSTC students and customers most frequently ask the staff of the Georgia Police Academy. If you find that you still need assistance, you may contact the Georgia Police Academy by phone at 993-4467.
In Georgia, the peace officer certification process is regulated by the Georgia Peace Officers Standards and Training Council . Candidates interested in becoming a peace officer in Georgia must complete an application with POST prior to enrolling in GPSTCs Basic Police Officer Training Program.
Candidates pursuing Basic Training at GPSTC must meet the following minimum requirements: be at least 18 years old, be a citizen of the United States, have a high school diploma or its equivalent, not have been convicted of a crime for which the punishment could have been imprisonment, undergo a background investigation, be fingerprinted, undergo a physical examination, complete an entrance exam, and be interviewed by the manager of the GPSTC Regional Academy where the student will attend training.
Upon meeting or completing the above requirements, candidates may enroll in GPSTCs Basic Law Enforcement Training Program. The training is a rigorous program that takes 11 weeks to complete. After a candidate has completed the program, they are eligible for POST certification and for employment as an entry-level law enforcement officer.
What Does Police Academy Training Entail
Police academy training involves educating, preparing, and training recruits in many different areas. It is important that the training is diverse in order to properly prepare officers for their day-to-day activities on the job and for the unexpected.
Most police academies have programs that involve both classroom-type settings as well as intense physical training. They also require a strict lifestyle to be adopted, such as abiding by strict rules pertaining to appearance, sleeping and eating schedules.
Physical training for someone in the academy is intense to say the least. Fitness tests are performed regularly in order to evaluate where each potential officer is at and how far they have come since the beginning. Academy training consists of body strengthening and running regimens to ensure that each officer can be ready to move quickly without much notice. There is also firearm training and range time to properly educate and train officers if they need to use their firearm. There may be additional weapons training, including training with tasers and pepper spray.
The classroom setting of police academy training involves educational courses regarding safety, psychology, local and state laws, protocols, and even some light medical knowledge. All of the academic training that takes place helps officers to become more knowledgeable about keeping themselves and their community safe.
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Do You Get Paid To Go To The Police Academy
Training is demanding. It requires long hours in the classroom and field, plus outside studying. Thankfully, officers typically receive their full starting salary during training. Its also common to receive a raise after successfully completing academy training. If you can make it through, youll deserve it.
The West Virginia State Police Academy
It is a law enforcement training establishment that is handled by the West Virginia State Police in the Institute of West Virginia. The academy trains West Virginia troopers for the State Police force and all freshly employed civic university police officers, sheriff substitutes or deputies, motor carrier enforcement, and conservation officers throughout the state.
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The Need For Police Academy Training
Police academy training is a necessary step in preparing police officers to deal with the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of the job. Police officers dont just arrest criminals, they are also entrusted with upholding the law which is why they must be able to understand, interpret, and enforce state and local laws in their area. For these reasons, and many more, the police academy is an important step in the process of becoming a police officer.
The perception of police officers has been controversial recently, but more importantly, a new challenge is arising. Recruiting and retaining police officers has grown to be a big challenge among law enforcement. Why? Read the answer here.
Education Requirements To Become A Police Officer
Students can begin preparing for the police academy while in high school. Electives such as criminology, legal studies, physical education, sociology and psychology are helpful for aspiring police officers. In addition, police academy admissions officers may look for applicants who have completed college coursework in criminal justice or law enforcement. Some academies prefer candidates who hold an associateâs or bachelorâs degree in one of those fields.
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A Career Built On Passion
Being a police officer is a tough job. You take on tremendous responsibility. It’s imperative that you fully understand all the ramifications. Our job is to prepare you for any scenario you could possibly encounter. For instance, in addition to rigorous mental and physical training, you will be pepper-sprayed. It’s not fun, but it’s part of the job. If you have to use this weapon on a fellow citizen in your community, you have to understand how it works.
Police officers love what they do. Helping communities stay safe is their passion. And we take pride in turning those passions into careers. Our training program places you on the path to becoming a police officer, deputy sheriff or other law enforcement professional. Along the way you will create friendships that will last a lifetime. The brother- and sister-hood in law enforcement transcends fields, borders and time. You and your classmates will build the foundation to become successful leaders in the profession for the rest of your careers.
Police Training Program Requirements
After gaining acceptance into the police academy, recruits participate in classroom and practical instruction. They learn state laws, criminal investigations, patrol procedures, firearms training, traffic control, defensive driving, self-defense, first aid and computer skills. Police academy recruits also undertake physical training and fieldwork that demonstrates their comprehension of classroom instruction. Field exercises include investigating mock criminal scenes, directing traffic, operating police vehicles, arrest techniques, using firearms, fingerprinting and interrogation methods. Police academy training usually takes 22-27 weeks to complete.
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Who Can Undergo Police Academy Training
Its hard to imagine that there would be stipulations on who could protect our communities, but there are a few important ones that were implemented with good intentions.
While each police departments recruiting requirements vary, most require that the person be at least 18 to 21 years of age. It may be surprising to learn that no formal education other than a high school diploma or GED is typically required in order for a person to get hired as a police recruit. There are tests that are hiring tests including background checks, fitness tests, psych evaluations that may also need to be passed in order to be hired and offered a spot.
State Licensed Training Centers
By using this map, you are bound to the:
- Training Centers
11 Meadows Circle Drive 422 Lake St. Louis, MO 63367 Contact: Dr. Thomas D. Leasor, Director Phone: 614-4072
6885 NE Pleasant Valley Road Kansas City, MO 64119
Director Ruess Direct: 518-2199 Phone: 518-2148
2800 Maguire Blvd. Suite E1 Columbia, MO 65201
Drury University Law Enforcement Academy 900 N. Benton, Ave.
Contact: Major Brian Ham, Director Phone: 573-522-4115 ext. 3819
4525 Downs Drive-Wilson Hall 203A St. Joseph, MO 64507
Contact: Dr. Todd Martin, Interim Director Phone: 263-4110, ext. 11264 Fax: 269-4441
Contact: Capt. Joseph Armistead, Lieutenant Mark A. Bielawski and Lieutenant Charles Day Phone: 526-6174
Contact: Craig A. McMein, Director Phone: 604-6700
Contact: Mr. Kevin Merritt Ms. Donna Arney Phone: 635-5925
Contact: Lt. Angela Dickerson Mr. Sean McCarthy Phone: 444-5630
Contact: Mr. Bobby Bollinger, Director Phone: 651-2020
Contact: Chief Gary Hill, Director Phone: 681-5496
101 W McCarty Street, Suite 200Jefferson City, MO 65101
Contact: Chief Robert Shockey, Executive Director Phone: 636-5444
Contact: Kathy Petersen or Special Agent William Edge Phone: Kathy 589-2729 or William 589-2728 Agency Phone: 231-4324
Contact: Chief Robert Shockey, Executive Director Phone: 636-5444
U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of MO 111 S. 10th St., 20th Floor St. Louis, MO 63101
U.S. Attorney’s Office Western District of MO 400 E 9th St, Suite 5510 Kansas City, MO 64106
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Where Do New Police Officers Train
From 2011 to 2013, nearly half of the academies that provided basic training for new recruits were based at an educational institution such as a 2-year college , 4-year college or university , or technical school . Municipal police departments operated 20% of academies, sheriffsâ offices operated 10%, and state police or highway patrol agencies operated 6%. State Peace Officer Standards and Training agencies, which typically certify peace officers, operated 5% of academies.
Nearly all state and local law enforcement training academies used a class structure for basic training . From 2011 to 2013, academies held a median of six training classes, or two classes per year. The median smallest class size was 14 recruits and the median largest class size was 28 recruits. Overall, there was a large range of class sizes. Some academies had classes with 1 graduate and others had classes with more than 1,000 graduates.
Faq: What Do You Do In The Police Academy
Law enforcement careers cover many disciplines, including that of a police officer. Understanding the training and education expected of police recruits can help determine whether this career path is the correct one for you. In this article, we discuss what police academies are, what happens there and answer other frequently asked questions about them to educate you on becoming a police officer.
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Are Police Academies Like Military Boot Camp
Though a police academy training program and a military boot camp both require physical training and include self-defense and firearms training, the programs are quite different in most other respects. For starters, police academies are more about academics than physical training. Boot camp means living full-time on site in barracks for as long as three months, while police academy cadets report to the academy in the morning and go home in the afternoon.
Top States For Police Officers
There are a number of factors that might make a state a good place to work as a police officer. You might consider salary to be at the top of the list. Job growth is another factor you should consider. And for some of you, the prevalence of violent crime might be a major issue.
Take a look at the statistics for each of these factors. Focus on the ones that matter to you to decide which states might be the best places for you to work.
Note: All of the following data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics unless otherwise specified.
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