NC Police Academy Requirements and Qualifications

If you want to become a peace officer in North Carolina, you probably want to know if you’ve got what it takes. There are strict requirements to enter this competitive profession in the state. The North Carolina Department of Justice oversees rules for the profession in the state through the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards. This body decides what training standards should be for new and current officers.

Training Requirements For NC Recruits

Training for new officers requires a total of 602 hours of classroom and practical instruction. Once you begin your first job in law enforcement, you’re on probation for your first year on the force. If you don’t complete your basic training within that year, you lose your ability to act as a law enforcement officer in the state.

Entry Requirements

To start, you have to be at least nineteen and one-half years old when you’re accepted into the academy. Unique to North Carolina, there is an upper age limit of thirty-nine years old. To start at a police academy in the state, you also have to meet residency restrictions that require you to live in the state before you start your basic training hours.

Also unique to North Carolina, there are pretty strict rules as to what you have to do in order to be classified as a resident. That usually means you have to call North Carolina home for a continuous period of at least twelve months.

Physical Requirements

You have to have good eyesight in order to be a competent peace officer in the state, because good vision is critical to your ability to observe while on the job. You can wear corrective lenses or contacts as long as they give you at least 20/100 vision. This vision requirement is not as strict as it is in some other states. They also check to make sure that you have good hearing because your ability to hear also affects your ability to observe and react while on the job.

Operator’s License

To work as a North Carolina police officer, you must have a good operator’s license. They check to make sure that you have a valid license and that your license doesn’t have too many black marks on it that indicate poor driving. Eight points on the license is usually the maximum that investigators are willing to overlook. You should have no suspensions or revocations on your license. Major traffic offenses are also problematic for meeting this requirement.

Basic Education

Police officers in North Carolina must be high school graduates and above. A GED usually suffices if you don’t have a diploma. Even though this is the minimum, when you go to apply for jobs, you’re likely competing against people with college degrees and military service. College credits or having served in the military make your employment applications much more competitive.

Criminal History Requirements for NC Police Officers

Expect the investigators to thoroughly look at your criminal record. A felony on your record is an automatic disqualification, even if it was deferred or expunged. You could even have a felony that the state pardoned and it would still be a problem for you.

They look at misdemeanors, and whether you can still pass depends on the nature of the offense. If it involved abuse, such as domestic violence or assault, you likely can’t become a North Carolina police officer. If the offense was alcohol or drug related, that is problematic too. They also check your credit to make sure that you keep your promises to pay your bills.

How to Succeed in Police Academy Training

When you set out to train for the police academy, there are several things that you need to do. You need to get in the best shape of your life. That means you have to be able to run long distances, sprint, and perform feats of strength, such as push ups. You have to learn how to persist, even when you are frustrated. You also have a lot to learn about the law.

One way that new recruits are preparing to enter police recruit training in North Carolina is by reading Prepare For The Police Academy. This book has insider information and tips about what happens in police academy and how you can do your best. If you’re worried about passing the physical testing, there are tips that can help you get in shape.

In the book, you learn how to lawfully conduct a traffic stop so that your arrest stands up in court. Learn what to do when someone flees or resists you. Learn how to properly give Miranda warnings and how to conduct investigations and process a crime scene. Find this book at PrepareForThePoliceAcademy.com, and get the upper hand, today.

County Sheriff and City Police Department in NC