What Is a Police Cadet?

Police cadets hold paid positions, usually part-time, introducing them to a career in law enforcement while providing valuable support services to officers. The job description varies widely by department, but some similarities are common across the board.

Age Requirements

Police departments have age requirements for police cadets, typically from 18 to 21, although some allow high school juniors and seniors as well.

Administrative Tasks

Police cadets do clerical work, help at the front counter, answer non-emergency phone lines and perform copying and filing.

Law Enforcement Assistance

The cadets also do introductory law enforcement work, such as assisting with traffic control, taking inventory of evidence and prisoner property and assisting police officers at accident and crime scenes.

On-the-Job Training

The department typically trains cadets in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid, state and local laws, firearms safety, defensive maneuvers, crime scene control and police ethics.

Program Goal

Police departments offer these programs with a specific goal of the police cadets eventually attending a police academy and becoming officers.