How to Become a Cop in Vermont
Vermont businesses and residents depend on police offers to protect their neighborhoods and businesses. Individuals who want to become cops in the Vermont area have to get certified through the state’s Criminal Justice Training Council. You must be at least 18 years old and be a high school graduate or possess a high school equivalency diploma. Vermont allows individuals to be full-time or part-time police officers, so there are two different certification processes aspiring police officers have to complete.
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Instructions
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Determine which county, municipal or state agency you want to work with. If you find one to work with, the agency may act as a sponsor and pay for your testing and arrange your testing dates with the Vermont Criminal Justice Training Council’s Police Academy. If you apply for the part-time program, you're required to have an agency sponsor you.
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Contact the Vermont Criminal Justice Training Council’s Police Academy to register for your written entrance test. The written portion of the examination includes 100 multiple choice questions on topics such as mathematics, judgment, reasoning, report writing, vocabulary and reading comprehension. Seventy percent is considered a passing score.
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Note that the written exam is administered every four weeks. If you fail, you can make arrangements to retake the test again in four weeks. If you fail the test more than four times, you may not retake it.
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Pay the $30 fee for your written examination. The academy accepts payment by cash or money order on the day you arrive to take the exam.
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Register for the second entrance test, which is a psychological assessment, also known as the MMPI-2. You can only take this examination if you pass the written exam. The fee for this assessment is $25.
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Take the physical training examination which tests your flexibility, ability to bench press, do sit-ups and push-ups and a 1.5-mile run. If you fail any aspect of the physical test, you may be denied acceptance into the full-time basic training. You must submit a form about your medical history before participating in the physical training.
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Pass your criminal background and character check. A felony or misdemeanor conviction may disqualify you, depending on the severity of the conviction.
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Enroll in and complete your basic training hours and post-basic instruction, which lasts 16 weeks. As of 2011, individuals are required to complete 903 hours in topics such as police patrol techniques, physical fitness, professional demeanor, investigative procedures, law and communication. You must maintain a 70 percent average to successfully complete the program.
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Work with the agency that sponsored you to secure a job. If you are not sponsored by an agency, work with the Vermont Criminal Justice Training Council to research job opportunities.
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Tips & Warnings
Individuals interested in the part-time officer certification have to complete a three-phase process which includes attending a minimum of 58 hours of academy coursework and a minimum of 50 hours of additional training in core and elective courses. Applicants must also complete 60 hours of observed training evaluated by a field training officer.
If you have a physical disability, you can make arrangements with the police academy for special testing accommodations. Make a written request at least two weeks before your testing date.You must provide documentation from your doctor stating your disability.
