How to Become a Cop in Indiana

Law enforcement jobs in Indiana only require a high school diploma.

An Indiana cop might be a state trooper, a capitol policeman, a local police officer or a county deputy sheriff. Common requirements exist among all agencies. Some distinctions, however, might affect your decision to become a law enforcement officer in Indiana.

Instructions

1. Have proof of U.S. citizenship. Only cities and counties with large immigrant populations such as Los Angeles County, California, hire law enforcement officers with only the right to work in the U.S. as a permanent resident alien. That is, they have a green card. Indiana officers are required to hold U.S. citizenship.

2. Possess a high school degree or general equivalency diploma. This educational requirement is a universal rule almost everywhere in the U.S., and Indiana is not an exception. A deputy sheriff might have a college degree if he intends to one day become the county sheriff, which is an elected position.

3. Be between the proper ages. You must be at least 21 years old for any law enforcement job in Indiana. The oldest you can be varies with the agency. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department won’t hire you if you will reach your “36th birthday by date of appointment.” The Indiana State Police only want you to be under 40 years old by your hire date. The Indiana Capitol Police, a division of the state police, don’t state a maximum age. They are in charge of law enforcement on the grounds of the state capitol. The Marion County Sheriff’s Department only states a minimum age. Indianapolis is in Marion County.

4. Possess a valid Indiana driver’s license. For some agencies such as the IMPD, city or county residency is required, too.

5. Pass a physical. It’s part of the process, and you will need to be proactive.

6. Have a clean criminal background. If you are expected to enforce the law, you have to live by that standard. Any felony or battery conviction will eliminate you from the prospects, especially a domestic violence infraction. “Being clean” also includes passing a drug screening and not having a dishonorable discharge from the military.

7. Maintain physical fitness. Most agencies use the requirements outlined by the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy. Requirements include having a vertical jump over one foot high, the ability to do 24 sit-ups in a minute, being able to run a mile and a half in less than 19 minutes and the ability to do 21 pushups. These are the entry benchmarks.

8. Understand that you will have a psychological evaluation before you are hired. Potential recruits go through evaluation on this level to determine their mental state such as aggressive, passive or neutral. It is a matter of the being fit for the job. It is also a matter of liability for the particular agency that you are mentally capable of handling an often-dangerous job.

9. Prepare to take written and oral exams before being hired. In Indiana, a law enforcement agency hires you, and then sponsors and sends you to an academy. This is the reverse of how many states hire law enforcement officers. State troopers have their own academy in Indianapolis -- the Indiana State Police Training Academy. Most academies, however, are regional because Indiana is a rural state. For example, the Northwest Indiana Law Enforcement Academy is in Gary, Indiana. The ILEA is in Plainfield. Most local law enforcement agencies send their recruits to the ILEA. Fort Wayne and Indianapolis have their own academies because they are two of the most populous cities in the state. The University of Indiana also has its own academy in Bloomington. All potential law enforcement officials must complete 600 hours of classroom study and on-site training to become a certified state trooper, policeman or sheriff's deputy. It must all be done at a police academy. A degree in criminal justice is a positive in the hiring process but not a substitute for academy training.

Tips & Warnings

• Indiana has 92 counties. In some, the sheriff's department operates the jail facilities, but does not actively patrol.

References

• Indiana State Police: Trooper Requirements
• Indiana State Police: Capitol Police
• Indiana State Police: Capitol Police Requirements
• Indiana Law Enforcement Academy: Physical Fitness Requirements
• Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Dept.: Basic Requirements
• Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Dept.: Physical Agility Testing

Resources

• Marion County Sheriff’s Dept.: Deputy Sheriff Requirements
• Join LAPD: Qualifications