How to Become a Police Officer

Video Transcript

"In becoming a police officer I started off, went down to the UVSC, took the pre-entrance exam, passed that and then applied for the academy. Got into the police academy. Then the police academy was about 14 1/2 weeks long. Went through their whole training process. Passed that and then once I passed that a person in Utah would go to the local department and apply for a position and then I was able to be put on the reserve program. I worked for the reserve program and then I got hired on. Some places as you get on in the police academy, once you're in the police academy, some police departments will go there. They're looking for people to hire. And they will hire out of the police academy and so they'll hire you and once you graduate from the police academy then you're hired on with that department. So you don't have to go through a re-cert program or whatever it might be. And so it just depends on how you do it. With some agencies if you go to that agency whether it's with the highway patrol or police department they'll say you know what we want you to work for our police department. We will get you in the police academy. You pass the test we'll get you in the police academy. You'll be hired on while you're going through the academy and then once you're done with the academy you get to come work at our department. So there's different varieties, different ways to get on a police department. You just have to check with your local state or your local department that you have an in interest. Go to that local police department and say how can I become a police officer at this department or any other department and go from there. And as you apply for the police academy there's some, in Utah you can either be self sponsored or sponsored by another agency. If the agency sponsors you then they take care of all the fees and the money needed to get in there. But if you're self sponsored, I was self sponsored, I had to come up with everything. I had to come up with my gun. With all the equipment that needed to get through the academy. And so that makes a big difference on if you can sponsor yourself or not sponsor yourself. So check with your local agencies on what they can do for you."