“How Long Does It Take To Become A Police Officer” has been one of the major questions that many aspirants try as much as possible to inquire about while researching on which security force to join.
Working as a police officer is both exciting and profitable in the world of today.
So if you are pursuing a career in this rewarding field, then I guess the first thing you should consider is to conduct a proper research on everything about a police officer.
In this article, we are going break down every necessary details about police officers such as:
- Police Officers Job Responsibilities
- How To Become A Police Officer
- How Long Does It Take To Become A Police Officer
- How Much Does A Police Officer Make?
How Long Does It Take To Become A Police Officer
A police officer is someone who maintains and upholds the law.
They are responsible for the safety of the citizens and strive to achieve peace by putting their lives on the line.
It is not easy to be a police officer as it entails a lot of hardships.
But all of it is worthwhile since you are doing everything for the greater good.
Now then, let us look at the various job descriptions or duties of a police officer.
Police Officer Job Responsibility
People are quick to criticize police officers. But they have no idea how much hard graft a police officer has to do. To get to where they are today, police officers must go through extensive training.
A police officer’s responsibilities are largely determined by their location.
It also depends on their area of specialization.
However, due to lower crime rates in rural areas, there is rarely any opportunity for a person to specialize in any given field.
The following are some of the most important responsibilities of a police officer:
- Patrolling
The primary responsibility of any police officer is to uphold law and order. They patrol the assigned area, looking for people who are breaking the law.
Then it’s their responsibility to make these people understand that they are breaking the law or to take them into custody.
They can also call for backup and arrest the suspect who is causing the disturbance if necessary.
As a result, even if the police officer in question is not in his designated area, the police officer is required to respond to calls from other officers while on patrol.
- Provide Security
Many public and private events are threatened on a daily basis by terrorists or other criminals.
In such situations, police officers are supposed to provide security and look for criminals. They are sometimes called upon to protect a VIP or a group of people.
Other times, they provide security for courthouses or other public places. They are occasionally called upon to accompany a criminal from or to a jail.
- Conducts Investigations
Many police officers are required to conduct investigations into crimes they witness.
For example, if they come across a murder, they must determine who committed it and how it occurred, and if they come across drugs, they must investigate the source.
They are required to bag any evidence they deem appropriate and report it to their superiors or the forensics department for further investigation.
To obtain proof, they may lie or deceive a suspect in order to elicit a confession. A confession is the most reliable evidence any officer can have.
- Protect Citizens
Taking care of citizens is one of the most important responsibilities of a police officer. They are supposed to keep them safe from harm.
In order to do so, they may injure or shoot a potential assailant who may cause harm to the police or citizens.
As a result, they have the first right to bear arms. If the situation deteriorates, they can request assistance.
They may also be required to deal with explosives and, if possible, disarm them themselves.
- Traffic Control
In the event that the traffic lights fail, some police officers must control the flow of traffic.
They are responsible for ensuring that the cars travel in a smooth flow and do not collide or cause any other accidents.
They are also required to record any traffic violations and report the driver to the appropriate authorities. They are sometimes also in charge of parking violations.
- Specializations
Within a single police station, there are frequently different units. These act on their own initiative.
This could be a special operations unit, SWAT, forensics, a serial murder investigation, narcotics, or something else.
As a result, the duties of a police officer are heavily influenced by the unit with which he works.
- Reading Rights
One of the most basic responsibilities of a police officer is to read the rights of any suspect they are arresting or detaining.
They must contact a lawyer for the detainee even if he or she cannot afford one.
They must also work within the confines of the law and ensure that they do not violate any.
Any detainee is entitled to know why they are being held. If the person is not being detained, he or she has the right to leave at any time, and it is the police officer’s responsibility to allow that person to do so.
- Paperwork
The job of a police officer is not always as dangerous or exciting as you might think. The records department handles all case files and keeps them along with the evidence.
Each police officer is required to complete certain paperwork after each arrest or transfer in order to assist the records department.
They must complete a detailed report on each case, logging all evidence gathered.
They must also complete warrants and have them signed by a judge before taking any active action.
- Working Hours
A police officer’s working hours vary depending on the circumstances. If there is no current case that he or she is working on, they may leave at the appointed time.
In other cases, they are expected to follow leads until their curiosity is satisfied for the day.
Sometimes they are stuck in a stakeout all night doing paperwork or waiting for a suspect to make a move.
As a police officer, they must ensure that their decisions are not influenced by their race or gender.
They are expected to remain completely objective. They are also expected to respect any suspect’s religious beliefs, even during an arrest.
A police officer’s responsibilities and duties are numerous.
This is only the tip of the iceberg.
Now that you know all of this, I’m sure you have a newfound respect for police officers.
So, if you aspire to be one, you know what you need to do.
How To Become A Police Officer
Below are the necessary requirements to become a police officer;
- Education
To become a police officer, you do not need any special education.
You only need a high school diploma.
However, if you want to specialize in a particular field, you may need to pursue additional education.
This could include scientific studies to pursue specializations such as forensics or cybercrime.
If you want to work for the FBI or the CIA, you must have a bachelor’s degree.
- Basic Requirements
To become a police officer, you must first meet a few basic requirements.
Depending on the department, you must be between the ages of 18 and 21.
Excluding this, you cannot have any prior criminal records.
Exceptions to this rule are made on occasion, but only when the offenses are minor in nature. Convicted felons are ineligible.
- Application
Following completion of the preceding steps, you must apply to become a law enforcement officer.
Following your application, you must go through several steps.
Below are the several steps you need to look at during your application:
- Entrance Examination
The first step is to pass the Law Enforcement Examination (LEE) and get selected for the following steps.
Obviously, if you don’t meet any of the previous requirements. Then you aren’t eligible to even sit for the exam.
- Physical Fitness
When considering a career as a police officer, physical health is crucial.
This is usually tested during a physical ability test, or PAT.
This type of test depends on the organization you are attempting to apply to.
Mostly, they use a number of tests to gauge your strength, speed, endurance, and stamina.
- Oral Board
This test is intended to determine a candidate’s response under pressure.
They’ll try to shatter your psychological defenses by getting you to spill your beans or own up to your errors.
If you can’t withstand the pressure of this interview, it’s safe to say that you lack the mental toughness necessary to face the demands of the department..
- Background check
This is not just any kind of background check.
They will delve far deeper into your life than any other organization will ever bother to look.
This is critical because they require someone they can entrust with the security of the country.
They will look into not only your past, but also that of your relatives.
This will demonstrate your dependability.
- Polygraph Test
The polygraph test is designed to measure the applicant’s integrity and honesty.
They will grill you on your application and your background check results.
It may last several hours depending on how much they want to truly test you or on which department you have applied for.
- Psychological and Physical Tests
This physical test is different from that of the previous ones mentioned above.
This medical test consists of mostly medical tests which includes urine and blood samples to test for controlled substances or any diseases that might affect your performance in the future.
The psychological test is a written test conducted by a psychologist.
The test is often held on the same day or within short intervals of time.
- Executive Interview
This is an interview conducted by one of the high-ranking officials in the department.
Very few people make it this far since they always want to hire the best of the best recruits.
After this step, you are practically hired, but you aren’t a police officer just yet.
- The Academy
People who pass the earlier round move on to the academy to train their bodies and minds further to handle the stresses of the job.
You can still be dropped at this stage if your results aren’t satisfactory enough.
Once out of the police academy, you are now a full-fledged police officer.
The only thing remaining to do after you graduate from the academy is to receive some hands-on training in the field.
But this is what you will receive that depicts that you are now a registered officer.
You can later work up the ranks by putting in hard work and getting the right tools for the job.
With this, we are hopeful that this has helped you to understand the process of becoming a police officer.
How Long Does It Take To Become A Police Officer?
Becoming a Police Officer is not easy.
They are some of the best-vetted employees in the country.
Moreover, they need to be trained thoroughly to prepare them for the mental, emotional, and physical stresses that they may undergo while protecting the city’s citizens.
The whole process of becoming a police officer usually takes about 6 years.
Let’s examine this time period’s breakdown in more detail.
- Education
Applying for a position as a police officer, candidates must be at least 18 years old and up to 21 years old.
Additionally, they must have completed at least two years of college.
Thus, a diploma or an associate’s degree is mandatory.
Jobs at a federal level will need you to have a bachelor’s degree.
After graduating from high school, you have to spend another 2 years or so waiting before you can apply.
As you are aspiring to be a police officer, we will suggest you get a Bachelor’s degree, since this may come in handy if you ever want to change jobs or go to the federal level.
These education requirements are excluded for an ex-army officer who was honorably discharged.
- Application
After getting your degree, you will need to apply for the post of a police officer.
This marks the beginning of the hiring process. There are a lot of applications that the academy gets every year, thus it takes quite some time to process your application.
Different police departments take a different amount of time. But it usually takes about 3 to 4 months.
During this time, we recommend that you get started on your physical training.
While filling up the application, put in all your details correctly and completely.
They will perform thorough background checks and crosscheck this information.
If they find any anomalies, that might result in an immediate disqualification.
In the event that you do not, they will utilize it as a grilling tool afterwards.
- Hiring Process
The hiring process also depends on the police department. It usually takes not more than 4 months.
If they accept your application, you must undergo a series of steps to get selected for the police academy.
The hiring process consists of written, physical, psychological, and medical tests.
It also consists of an oral board where they might use the anomalies found in your background check and application to grill you to see how you react under pressure.
There is also a polygraph test that verifies other information.
After all of this, you have an interview with a high-ranking officer in the department. It is now up to them to know whether to pass you or not which is dependent on your performance.
The whole process is quite competitive and people might get rejected at any step.
But having an undergraduate degree gives you an edge over your competitors.
That’s why we recommend that you acquire an education.
- Police Academy
There are still a few procedures to take after the arduous hiring process.
Even if you are accepted into the Police academy, your application may still be denied if you perform poorly.
You’ll get a lot of physical training here.
They will teach you how to use guns, how to handle suspects, and much more.
They will also help you develop your physical fitness and endurance.
Additionally, you’ll need to cram in all the regulations and different protocols.
You will learn defensive driving techniques, evasion driving techniques, first aid, and many other skills necessary for a police officer.
The length of time spent in the police academy varies depending on the department.
The typical duration is 13 to 19 weeks while It takes up to six months in San Diego.
- Probation
After completing the Police Academy, you are practically an entirely qualified police officer.
However, probation must be served for a predetermined period of time.
This implies that you will be paired with a senior officer, you will get some “on-the-job” training.
He or she will teach you the ropes of the job and monitor your progress every month.
Based on your performance, your probation period will be decided.
If you are performing well, it might be around 3 to 4 months.
But if you are performing badly, it can easily take up to a year or two if necessary.
The average time spent on probation is about 6 months.
You must keep in mind to exercise caution when on probation. Your application will be denied if you decide incorrectly under pressure.
This is the main cause of everyone’s failure throughout this time.
But meanwhile, congratulations if you are able to make it through the probationary term.
You are now officially a police officer.
You will be assigned to a particular unit in the department and you have the privilege to choose to have a partner if you like as you go out to protect the city’s citizens since it is always safer with a partner, some officers prefer to keep it that way.
The duration depends mostly on which city you are applying to and then how well you perform during the academy and your probation period.
How Much Does A Police Officer Make?
Police officers are one of the hardest working people.
They literally lay down their lives as a part of their job.
However, their pay isn’t that great when compared to others like Physicians or Veterinarians.
Though they usually get a lot of benefits or tips as a police officer.
So how much a police officer earns depends on a lot of factors such as where he works, how much he or she works and what unit he or she is assigned to.
Let us have a close look on how much a police officer makes and how one can earn more.
- Location
One of the most important factors that determine the salary of a police officer is the city he or she is working in.
Some of the poorer cities or counties cannot afford to pay their police officers that much.
They are paid minimum wage and must buy their own equipment.
In larger cities, police officers are paid relatively well and get an allowance for equipment and uniform.
The highest paid salary was recorded in New Jersey at about $81,000 while South Mississippi, on the other hand, recorded the lowest salary ever with an average of $31,000.
This again changes with the region one is working in.
If one is situated in a metropolitan area, he or she is likely to earn a bit more unlike in a rural area.
- Experience
Just like other jobs, if you have more experience being a police officer, you get to be paid more.
As a police officer, your salary is likely to increase about 30-40% if you have about 20 years of experience over your fellow candidates.
The mean average in the USA inclusive of all ages is about $49,000.
- Position
As a police officer, you can get promoted to a variety of different jobs which are likely to pay more.
Some of these are Security Officer, Police detective, Police chief, and much more.
Each of these come with a considerable salary bump.
The usual ladder follows as;
- Patrol Office
- Detective
- Supervisor
- Chief
- Lieutenant
- Commissioner
The commissioner obviously stands to get a salary of around $71,000 or even $80,000 with experience as an average salary.
- Unit
As was already mentioned above, the unit you work in affects your pay in another way.
For example, if you are in narcotics, you might earn more than a normal patrol officer or if you are in homicide, you might earn a hefty amount too.
A forensic science technician may earn something around $55,000 while a Sheriff’s patrol may earn $57,000 in the same scenario.
Probation police officers earn just a little bit less compared to that of forensic technicians.
- Working Hours
Another factor deciding a police officer’s income is the number of hours they put in.
If they work late nights on a case or they have to do some court duty they are paid extra.
They are also paid extra if they work overtime or on weekends.
- Benefits
Many people do not mind the salary that a police officer gets probably because of the benefits that they receive.
One of the biggest benefits is that of pension.
Officially, some need to have worked at least 15 years in the force to receive a pension.
Thus, one can start early and then retire by the age of 40 to receive a pension and work in some other job.
You also get good healthcare insurance to help yourself in case you get injured or suffer from some illness, which in most cases among police officers it’s quite common.
Another common benefit is that you can get a lot of free food and drinks when you are in uniform.
However, this is stepping into moral grounds and then it is completely on your work ethic if you want to go through with it or not.
The same applies for any connections you have made with people during your service.
You also, of course, do get to meet some famous people while trying to protect them or providing them with security.
With these, you have been able to know how much a police officer makes on a daily basis and how to become a police officer if it is your dream career.
FAQs
1. What If I Am Not Ready To Start My Processing?
Your exam will be valid for four years from the date your list number is established.
You can notify Candidate Relations if this applies to you once you receive a list number.
2. How Much Notice Will I Be Given Before Entering The Next Academy Class?
The Candidate Assessment Division will make every attempt to provide at least 2 weeks’ notice, but this time frame can be less dependent upon the hiring needs of the department.
3. Will I Be Paid In The Academy?
A starting salary of $42,500 and medical/dental benefits will begin from the start of the Academy.
4. What Will My Salary/Benefits Be And What Will My Hours Be?
Your hours are dependent upon the Police Academy training schedule.
5. Are There Expenses During The Academy?
You will be required to purchase training uniforms and equipment totaling approximately $2,504.
Below entails the approximate breakdown of how much you would be expected to spend:
- $550.00 at the start of the Academy (basic uniform/class items)
- $1,104.00 within 3-4 weeks of starting, for equipment purchased in the NYPD Equipment Section
- $850.00 for items to be purchased after your 1st trimester exam
There are options for payment and loans, if necessary, which will be made available to you once you are in the Police Academy.
6. How Long Will Probation Last?
Your probation will last for 24 months, not including sick and vacation time.
7. Can I Be Fired During Probation?
You can be terminated during probation subject to the approval of the Police Commissioner.
8. How Much Notice Will I Be Given Before Entering The Academy Class?
The Candidate Assessment Division will make every attempt to provide at least two weeks’ notice.
But this time frame can be less dependent upon the hiring needs of the department.
Conclusion
Choosing a career is a very important decision.
One of the major things to factor out while doing so is to know how the future looks in the profession.
So as much as the job of a police officer is hard and the pay isn’t all that high and attractive, including the long time it takes for someone to become a full-fledged police officer.
It is still a very respected job and also a good career path if you have a strong sense of Justice and the urge to protect people regardless.
With this, I hope you now understand how long it takes to become a police officer.