How to Become a Police Officer in Illinois – Requirements to Become a Cop
by admin on Friday, November 11th, 2011 | No Comments
How to Become a Police Officer in Illinois
Anyone who wants to become a certified police officer in Illinois must complete the Law Enforcement Basic Training Course and that can be done in one of two ways. Individuals can apply for and enroll in a certified police academy or first find a job and have the hiring agency enroll you in the training program and pay the tuition that can approach if not exceed $4,000. The 12-week program must be completed within six months of being hired.
Hiring And Application Process
In order to be hired by a police agency in Illinois, or enroll in an approved academy, minimum standards must be met. They include passing a polygraph test, a written exam and an interview by a board, a psychological evaluation and a drug screening test. Illinois police candidates also have to pass a physical fitness test known as POWER for Police Officer Wellness Evaluation Report. Workout guide that help you prepare you for the POWER test can be found here.
Physical Fitness Exam / Power Test
This test will involve a sit and reach test, one minute of sit ups, one repetition of a maximum bench press, and a 1.5 mile run, in that order. Candidates must achieve a passing grade in each area to be admitted to an academy. A retake is permitted within 72 hours for any part of the test that is failed. Standards for the POWER test can be found at http://dps.illinois.edu/universitypolice/power.pdf.
The physical aspect is just one part of the minimum standards that must be met to become a police office in Illinois.
Requirements and Qualifications
The minimum age is 21, with a maximum age of 35. At a minimum, the candidate must have a high school diploma or GED; some jurisdictions may require college credits before being hired. Candidates must have a valid Illinois driver’s license, must pass a physical examination and a background check. The background check will include fingerprinting. A drug screening test also will be administered.
Illinois Police Academy Standards & Training
If applying for a police academy as an individual, not one who has first been hired by an agency, applicants must have an Illinois Firearm Owners Identification card (See http://www.isp.state.il.us/docs/6-181.pdf), and an Illinois driver’s license. Candidates who have had a license revoked are disqualified; a suspension will be evaluated and may not be grounds for disqualification.
Disqualification Factors
No felony convictions are permitted, nor are convictions for any crime involving “moral turpitude.” Any conviction for an offense involving domestic violence is a disqualifying factor since, under Federal Law, that conviction prohibits possession of a firearm.
Only after the basic requirements for enrollment in the academy are met and the candidate is accepted will the POWER test be administered. At that point, before
taking the test, candidates will have to show they have health insurance with Emergency Room coverage. The POWER test will last about 3 ½ hours.
In order to pass the Basic Police Training a candidate must have an overall average of at least 70 percent for the entire course. Once the course is completed the candidate will be eligible to take the State Certification Exam on the final day of class.
Police Officer Average Salary/Pay Scale in IL
according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the annual salary of a police officer in the state of Illinois is between $60,660-$79,300. The data collected by BLS is not in my opinion correct as it doesn’t factor in overtime pay, off duty pay and special assignment details. All of which in most instance will boost your yearly earnings by about 5,000 to 10,000.
With overtime and off duty assignment it’s not uncommon to see an entry level police officer make near six figures in the state of Illinois.
Police Officer Jobs in Illinois
If you are interested in a police officer/deputy sheriff position in your area, visit our Job Opening Webpage or go to the official website of the agency you are interested in to download an application for employment.
Below is a list of all the law enforcement agencies in the state of Illinois.
Sheriff’s Departments/Offices
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