The requirements for being eligible to submit an application do vary with each police department but the following is some generalized information that will be required by every police application.

Just like filling out any employment application you will need to provide your personal information on the application. Along with your personal identification you will need to provide good information for contacting you and a valid mailing address. Along with the mailing address be sure to include your main e-mail address and any phone numbers.

You will be asked your full name, social security
number, driver’s license number, your gender and your date of birth. Other names and addresses you will need to provide will be of any organizations that you have been a part of for at least ten years. Your previous work experience going back ten years should also be included or as far back as you have worked if it has not been ten years. For the last employers be sure to include their names and addresses.

Any military experience will need to be included with the dates that you served and the branch you served under. Also, remember to list all the police related experiences and training that you received with your military or other employment including security.

Begin describing your educational background with the most recent college or school you attended and list any diplomas, certificates or degrees and the dates you attended. The type of degree or certificate should be listed even if you didn’t finish the courses plus the major that you were using.

After you have filled out the entire application you will need to attach a copy of your social security card, your birth certificate, and an official copy of your driver’s license, a copy of your high school diploma, any certificates and college degrees plus any other kinds of documentation that may be requested. There is a small fee for submitting your police application that is commonly between twenty and forty dollars.

When you sign the application you are certifying that the information on the police application is completely correctly and to the best of your knowledge. Send the application to the address given which is usually at the bottom of the form and be sure to keep a copy of the application that you have mailed.

This part-time, 10-month course is conducted in the same manner as the full-time, 20-week, Basic Peace Officer course.

The information/question and answer/background session are required for any interested potential cadets.

The final two sessions will be at 7 p.m. today and Thursday in room 104 of the Criminal Justice building, No. 113, on the CTC campus.

Information and background packages will be disseminated at each session. Also, a reading comprehension examination will be administered during the sessions.

Prospective cadets must meet minimum education requirements, meet minimum standards on criminal and traffic records checks and undergo a psychological examination, a physical examination and a drug screen.

The Extended Basic Peace Officer course entails 740 hours and provides the cadet with 23 semester hours of college credit.

It is designed to prepare the graduating cadet to take the state licensing examination to acquire a license to be a peace officer in Texas.

Individual blocks of instruction are presented in a variety of topics including multiculturalism and human relations, interpersonal communications, problem solving, ethics and professionalism, victims’ rights, Texas Penal Code, Texas Traffic Code, Texas Family Code, use of force law and concepts, firearms, defensive tactics, police vehicle operation, criminal investigation and physical conditioning.

Basic information about the course and enrollment qualifications and standards can be obtained through the CTC Web site, www.ctcd.edu, by typing “Regional Police Academy” in the Web site search box.

The course cannot be taken online and entails moderate to strenuous physical activity.

More information about licensing can be obtained by going to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education Web site, www.tcleose.state.tx.us.

Keep your body straight for push-ups.

And you’ve got 15 minutes and 50 seconds to run a mile and a half.

Otherwise, you can’t pass the Allentown Police Department fitness test.

Bill Gibson, physical fitness consultant for the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association, explained the rules last month to a group of 11 men and three women interested in police jobs.

Gibson asked the 14 potential applicants to get down for push-ups. Right away, he spotted a problem.

”Camel!” he yelled. ”Get that butt down.” The young man straightened out and did a proper push-up.

This wasn’t the test. The test isn’t even scheduled yet. This was an introduction to the test.

At the Allentown Police Academy, Gibson also gave his informal cadets a chance to try out the sit-ups and the vertical jump. Later sessions will let them practice the 11/2-mile run and the 300-meter dash.

Gibson said the free orientation sessions, first offered July 21, will be open to the public every third Tuesday of the month for at least six months at the Police Academy, 2110 Park Drive, Allentown.

”This gives everyone a chance to see what the test is all about,” said Gibson, who arranged the orientation sessions in Allentown. ”I’m tired of seeing people fail the test and saying they weren’t familiar with it.”

The sessions are to acquaint participants with Allentown’s police fitness standards, which require a 151/2-inch vertical jump, 25 push-ups, 30 sit-ups, that 11/2-mile run in 15:50, and a 300-meter dash in 66 seconds.

”It was a good opportunity to find out what they were looking for,” said Noel Cascioli, 21, of Easton, who works as an aide at an assisted living facility. ”It really opened my eyes to what I have to improve on.

”The only thing that surprised me was the jumping exercise. I was about 5 inches away. I had a real hard time with that.”

She said she has been practicing the jump at home, as Gibson advised, but it’s going to take some work to make up that 5 inches. She also is trying to speed up her 11/2-mile run.

Cascioli said she’s wanted to be a police officer since she was a girl. She will apply as soon as a position opens, she said, and she hopes to be mentally and physically prepared.

Gibson said physical tests are more important than ever to police work. From experience and from lawsuits, police departments have learned that officers have to be in shape for every emergency.

In Allentown, Gibson’s focus now is on those who want to become police. He said his next project will be to make sure the ”incumbents” — the men and women already in uniform — meet the same standards that cadets have to meet.

Many Police Academies do not allow open enrollment, however some states require you to be certified before applying for a Police Officer position with a municipality.  Some police academies require that you are hired by a police agency and then they will send you to the academy.  Other jurisdictions will offer the police academy as a college course of study, and once completed you would then be able to apply to a police agency for consideration for hiring.  Check your local police academy standards in reference to this.

Education: Usually a Police Academy will require you to hold a High School Diploma or a GED equivalent.  Some police academies do require a 4 year college degree or 3 years of generalized work experience as well.

Physical Fitness: A Police Academy will usually require a physical fitness exam.  Where most police academies differ is what the physical fitness consists of.  Most police academies require a run, whether it is a 1 mile, 1 ½ mile run, or more, under a certain predetermined time, depending on sex and age.

Successful Completion of Course: The police academy will provide many tests or exams.  Successful completion of these exams is required.  There will usually be many written exams, based on law, criminal procedure law, etc.  There will also be the physical fitness test, usually an entrance and exit exam.  There will also be defensive tactics exams to show proficiency in self defense, defensive tactics and arrest techniques.  There may be other exams as well as required by each local academy.

Every Police Academy is different so that it is important to check the standards and requirements with each local police academy.