What Training Is Required to Be a Police Officer? What to Do

By Dr. Matthew Loux and Bryce Loux  |  01/27/2026

Becoming a police officer in the United States is a rigorous, multi-step process with high standards. It is designed to ensure candidates are:

• Physically prepared for the field demands of modern law enforcement
• Mentally resilient
• Knowledgeable of the law
• Grounded in strong ethical standards

Police officers can apprehend, arrest, and use force on others when necessary. Because of the demands of this profession, police officers undergo extensive training that continues throughout their careers.

Police Training Standards

Unlike other countries that operate centralized national police forces, America has a highly decentralized law enforcement system. This system comprises more than 17,600 individual police departments.

Police training standards are established through state laws and Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) requirements. In addition, law enforcement agencies across the country supplement those standards with additional training policies.

Police Officer Basic Requirements

Police officer candidates complete their training in multiple phases. They progress through a clearly defined, step-by-step structure to prepare them to serve as sworn peace officers.

All applicants must meet a basic set of requirements and pass a stringent selection process. However, the standards might differ from one police department to another.

Minimum Eligibility Requirements 

Police departments in the United States maintain minimum requirements that vary by jurisdiction:

• Candidates’ minimum age is typically 21, although some agencies allow younger applicants with restrictions
• U.S. citizen or a legal resident 
• High school diploma or GED (college-level work is preferred)
• A valid driver’s license 
• No felony convictions and no disqualifying criminal history
• Good moral character

Some police agencies prefer applicants with a military service background, a higher level of education, or the ability to speak more than one language. Some agencies may prefer candidates who have a law enforcement degree, a military background, or the ability to speak a second language, which is useful in first responder situations.

Physical Fitness Test

While applying for police work, physical readiness is paramount. Some police agencies will want applicants to successfully pass a fitness test. Such tests entail:

• Timed runs (sometimes 1.5 miles)
• Push-ups and sit-ups
• Obstacle/agility test
• Grip strength and/or vertical jump tests

Background Investigation

Background checks are some of the most time-consuming and crucial aspects of the hiring process. The eligibility criteria involve the applicant’s:

• Criminal and driving history
• Employment history
• Academic records
• Credit history and financial records
• Social media posts

Family members, neighbors, and coworkers may also be interviewed as a way to assess a police officer candidate.

Psychological and Medical Screening

Psychological and medical screening includes:

• A psychological evaluation
• A medical exam, including a vision, hearing, and cardiovascular assessment
• A drug screening

These tests help determine whether candidates can handle the pressure, ethical obligations, and physical danger that come with policing.

Police Academy Training

Once candidates pass all the assessments and are hired conditionally, they attend a police academy for further training. Police training academies are typically run by police departments, state agencies, or regional training centers.

Academy Life and Daily Expectations 

Police training academies are intense, both physically and mentally. Most academies function within a paramilitary framework, especially in the first weeks. 

Recruits are put into strict schedules, and uniform inspections happen regularly. High expectations are set regarding discipline, promptness, and professionalism. Physical training, classroom lessons, and scenario drills are part of the schedule.

Educational Requirements for Officer Candidates

College degrees are not required from police officer candidates, but higher levels of education from an accredited institution are valued in policing. However, a college degree can provide useful knowledge and skills when a candidate seeks a more elevated role later, after being hired by the police department.

A degree in criminal justice, psychology, sociology, and other related studies offers a valuable knowledge of:

• Law and ethics
• Human behavior
• Community relations
• Research and writing skills

Education does not replace training at the academy but rather supplements it.

Core Components of Academy Training

Academy training is designed to provide aspiring peace officers with the knowledge and skills they’ll need in the field. It includes not only physical training, but also:

• Criminal law and legal procedures
• Use of force and defensive tactics training
• Departmental use of force policies
• Firearms training
• Emergency vehicle operations
• First aid and medical response training
• Communication and interpersonal skills
• Report writing and documentation
• Scenario-based training
• Ethics, integrity, and accountability training

Criminal Law and Legal Procedures

Legal instruction forms the foundation of police training. Recruits learn to apply federal law constitutional principles in real-world situations, including:

• Federal law, with emphasis on the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendments
• Criminal statutes and the classification of crimes
• Powers of arrest and the establishment of probable cause
• Rules governing search and seizure
• Civil liability and the principles of constitutional policing

Use of Force and Defensive Tactics Training

Training is provided to recruits to ensure they understand that the use of force must be reasonable and legally justified. This use of force and defensive tactics training includes:

• Use of force decision-making models
• Empty-hand control techniques
• Defensive tactics and takedowns
• Batons and other less lethal instruments like pepper spray or tasers

Before recruits are issued a firearm for active duty, they must meet certain standards and demonstrate safe use of a firearm while on the range. 

Firearms Training 

Most recruits are armed, because a firearms training program is an integral part of the police academy. Firearms training includes: 

• Firearm safety and maintenance 
• Fundamentals of marksmanship 
• Judgment in situational shooting 
• Shooting under stress and low-light situations 

Emergency Vehicle Operations 

Driving training prepares recruits on how to safely drive patrol vehicles during both normal and emergency situations, including: 

• Defensive driving 
• Emergency response driving 
• Vehicle control and pursuit policies 
• Collision avoidance

First Aid and Medical Response Training

Police officers can often be the first to arrive at medical emergencies. During training, the academy includes instruction on: 

• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) certification 
• Basic first aid 
• Trauma care and bleeding control 
• Naloxone administration and overdose response 

Communication and Interpersonal Skills 

Communication is one of the most critical tools an officer has at their disposal. Recruits are trained in: 

• Verbal de-escalation
• Conflict resolution 
• Witness and victim interviewing 
• Professionalism and cultural sensitivity, including cultural diversity
• Radio communications 

Strong communication skills improve officer safety and also enhance community policing.

Report Writing and Documentation

Police reports that document facts and evidence can make or break a case in court. Police recruits must learn to write clearly, accurately, and objectively when creating:

• Incident and arrest reports
• Use-of-force reports
• Probable cause statements

Scenario-Based Training 

Candidates are also trained in scenario-based exercises that replicate real-life situations and challenges, such as:

• Domestic violence calls
• Traffic stops
• Mental health crises
• Active threat situations

Ethics, Integrity, and Accountability Training 

Ethics and integrity training is one of the most important parts of any police academy. Recruits learn that the police can only use their power if they have the community’s trust. 

Ethics training centers around:

• Ethical conduct and decision making
• Abuse of authority
• Duty to intervene
• Anti-corruption
• Whistleblower laws

Recruits also learn how internal accountability systems, such as internal investigations by an agency, civilian complaints, and discipline.

Educational Requirements

College degrees are not required from police officer candidates, but higher levels of education are valued in policing. However, a college degree can provide useful knowledge and skills when a candidate seeks a more elevated role later, after being hired by the police department.

Field Training Officer Program

After graduating from a police academic, aspiring officers must enter a field training officer (FTO) program for their final training.

During field training, candidates in the program are each partnered with veteran officers who they will work with for an entire patrol shift. For the FTO, these veteran officers will:

• Observe and evaluate performance
• Offer coaching or feedback
• Increase responsibilities gradually
• Supervise and train recruits to incorporate their real-world exercises along with the knowledge gained from the academy

Each officer spends around 8 to 16 weeks in the FTO program, but this time can be extended if necessary. Each officer is closely monitored, and their performance is documented every day.

The Probationary Period 

Once officers complete field training, they begin a probationary period that usually lasts from six to 12 months. During this time, officers: 

• Are allowed to work alone but are still under close supervision
• See evaluations of their work, which are completed at regular intervals
• Are less likely to be terminated because they have already passed rigorous tests

After successful completion of the probationary period, officers then receive their full permanent status.

Continuing Education and Training Is Essential

Officer training is a continuous process that does not end once an officer completes the probationary period. Officers will always be required to complete mandatory training throughout their careers.

Most U.S. states require that police officers complete recurrent training in these areas: 

• The use of firearms
• Law updates
• Use of force policies
• Ethical policies and professional conduct
• Emergency driving techniques
• First aid and CPR

Specialized Training Opportunities 

Officers with more experience, training, additional education, and certifications may have the chance to pursue specialized positions in: 

• Criminal investigation or detective units
• K-9 units
• SWAT and other tactical units
• Traffic accident reconstruction
• Cybercrime and digital forensics
• School security

New Police Training Methods 

Police training methods across the United States have experienced several significant changes, involving areas such as:

• Mental health concerns and training
• De-escalation strategies
• The health and wellness of officers 

Being a Law Enforcement Officer Is the Chance to Make a Difference

Completing the full scope of training required to become a police officer is essential for anyone entering law enforcement. Being a police officer is more than a job. It requires professional dedication to public service, accountability, and ongoing training. But when done well, it can make a significant difference to communities.

The Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice

For adult learners interested in improving their knowledge of various areas of criminal justice, American Public University (APU) provides an online Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice. For this bachelor’s degree, students can take courses in U.S. law enforcement, criminal investigation, constitutional law, and criminal law. Other courses include criminology, corrections and incarceration, and the criminal legal process.

For more information, visit APU’s security and global studies degree program page.

Note: This degree program is not designed to meet the educational requirements for professional licensure or certification in any country, state, province or other jurisdiction. This program has not been approved by any state professional licensing body and does not lead to any state-issued professional licensure.