How to Become a Police Officer in Iowa
Police officers perform a wide variety of duties that include maintaining order and ensuring that citizens adhere to the law. The job sometimes involves dangerous or stressful situations, but proves rewarding for many people. Ample job opportunities in local law enforcement make police work a good career choice, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Requirements for police officers vary, so careful attention should be given to the hiring practices of the location in which potential applicants wish to work.
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Instructions
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How to Become a Police Officer in Iowa
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Ensure that you meet the minimum requirements for all Iowa law enforcement personnel. This includes being a valid U.S. citizen, 18 years of age or older and having a valid driver's license. Applicants must be willing to use force as necessary to fulfill their job responsibilities.
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Understand that you must possess a a high school diploma or general equivalency degree. This is the minimum education requirement for police officers in Iowa. Those with an associate's degree or some college coursework may have a competitive advantage over less educated applicants.
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Meet rigorous physical fitness standards in the sit and reach, sit-ups, push-ups and running. Specific requirements vary based on gender and age. Other requirements include 20/20 corrected vision, normal hearing and passing a physical examination.
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Possess good moral character as shown thorough a background check and nationwide fingerprint search. Felony convictions or crimes involving poor moral judgment disqualifies applicants for a position with Iowa law enforcement. Drug testing and credit record checks also help identify honest, trustworthy applicants who are upstanding citizens.
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Pass psychological and cognitive testing designed to identify possible mental deficits or weaknesses. Police officers must possess a high enough level of intelligence to solve problems and make decisions quickly and without hesitation. Psychological stability is vital to the safety of the officer, his co-workers and other citizens.
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Complete certification at the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy. Enroll in the Basic Level I Academy training to obtain state certification as a law enforcement officer in Iowa. This training takes 13 weeks to complete and is offered at various times throughout the year.
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Qualify according to any additional requirements as put forth by the city or jurisdiction to which you are applying in Iowa. The state of Iowa allows individual jurisdictions to set their own requirements for police officers so long as the basic requirements set forth by the state are met or exceeded. For example, the city of Newton requires all police officers to live within eight miles of the city.
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Tips & Warnings
You have one year after your date of hire to complete training and certification through the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit street cop image by Aaron Kohr from Fotolia.com
