Arkansas Police Academy Requirements and Qualifications

In the state of Arkansas, anyone wanting to become a police officer is evaluated by a state-wide standard that is overseen by the Commission on law Enforcement Standards and Training. But there’s no need to be concerned by that at all.

The CLEST main job is to help regulate the minimum standards that all police officers is required to fulfill. So don’t be discouraged by the CLEST, they just want to see you succeed and do well. And if you want to be sure you’re fully prepared for the exams, we recommend visiting www.PrepareForThePoliceAcademy.com. They have plenty of affordable guides that will help you pass your exam the very first time.

Minimum Requirements

Just like most states, in order to be eligible to take the exams at the police academy in the state of Arkansas, you must be a citizen of the United States and you have to be at least 20 years old or older. Now if you’re between the ages of 18-20, you can still do some forms of official training, but you won’t be able to become a full-fledged police officer until you become 21 years old.

You would also need a valid drivers license when you apply. And also like most states, there are no residency requirements when applying. As for additional requirements, any and all police departments no matter what state they’re in can add various standards to the application process (such as a college degree, or a certain number of college units for the minimum education requirement), but what they can’t do is disqualify you or many any type of exceptions.

For the majority of the police departments in the state of Arkansas, applicants who are 20 years old and have at least a high school diploma can apply to become a police office six months before their next birthday. This is only because it takes a minimum of 6 months to complete the entire application process.

We also suggest those applicants who are not yet old enough to take the exam to visit PrepareForThePoliceAcademy.com for more information on how to be completely ready to take the exams once they become 21 years old.

Physical Fitness Requirements

Just like most law enforcement agencies from across the state of Arkansas, all applicants are required to be in good enough shape to pass all fitness tests and intelligent enough to pass both oral and written exams. For the majority of recruits, passing the fitness test is the easiest aspect of the entire examination process.

The most difficult part os the written academy entrance exam, mainly because it’s not just based on physical strength but instead it’s based on mental capacity. There are a few different types of interviews that the applicant can go through. For example, they can be asked to take part in a one-on-one interview with a veteran police officer or they can end up taking a panel interview with the department. These interviews are held to figure out if the applicant has a good personality and are a good overall fit for the academy and department.

Disqualification Factors

Before filling out the application, be sure to keep in mind that there are a few things that can make you automatically disqualified. One major one is being convicted for felony crimes. Lesser offenses such as misdemeanors and traffic violations are taken into consideration as well, but typically they are not going to affect applicants too much. For example, multiple DUIs are a definite red flag, but minor traffic violations are usually overlooked.

Criminal Background Check

The next thing that will take place is the background check. This doesn’t just include your criminal background history, but they will also check your finances, your credit, and overall character.

They do this because chances are that if you have a good moral character, that increases the chances of you being a good police officer. They want to see your history of decision making as well. Your fingerprints will be run through the national database, and personal interviews with your family and friends may also take place.

And lastly, you will also have to take a medical and psychological evaluation exams. Once this is all done, you’ll be hired and sent to the police academy, which means you’ll be one step closer to becoming a police officer in Arkansas. SO now that you know the basics of the training academy, be sure to visit www.PrepareForThePoliceAcademy.com for affordable guides on becoming a police officer!

County Sheriff Agencies in Arkansas: