How to Become a Police Cadet

One way to become a police officer is to start out as a police cadet. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth for patrol police officers is expected to increase by 11 percent from 2006 to 2016. The median salary for a patrol officer is $47,460. Earnings as a cadet are significantly lower. For example, in Redding, California, police cadets are being hired part time at an hourly wage of $8.50 to $10.44. Here are the steps to take to become a cadet:

Instructions

1. If you are between 14 and 20 years old, you can join the Police Explorer Program through the Boy Scouts of America. In this program, you will have opportunities to go on job shadow trips with on-duty police officers. This will give you some hands-on experience and an edge over other candidates applying to a police cadet program.

2. Call police departments in your area (see resource below for contact information by state) and find out which ones offer police cadet programs.

3. Be flexible about location. If you live in a rural area, chances are your local police department will not have a cadet program. If this is the career path you want to pursue, you may have to move or commute to a major city to obtain a police cadet position. Some police cadet programs are paid, but some are not.

4. Put in your application. You will have to fill out an online application authorizing a criminal background check and verification of your high school diploma or GED; you should also provide any volunteer work you have been involved with in the past. You will have to take a physical test and also take an oral and written exam. Age requirements for most states are between 14 and 20 years of age.

5. Ready yourself for police cadet job responsibilities. Most likely, you will not be going out on traffic patrol right away. You'll start off filing paperwork, answering phones, assisting the public at the front desk, transporting vehicles, and maintaining log worksheets.

6. Be prepared to take some college-level courses if you have your high school diploma or GED. Some police departments (programs vary by department and state) will have their cadets take specific college classes, such as Criminal Justice, and maintain a grade average of C or better.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep yourself motivated. Becoming a police cadet is not necessarily required in order to become a police recruit in a police academy, but this early work experience will give you an edge in your career choice.

• Police cadet work may be tedious at first, but stay motivated by keeping your career goal in mind.

Resources

• Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Wikipedia list of Local Police Departments by State
• Official Website of Boyscouts of America for Police Explorer Program