Becoming a Police Officer in Aurora, Illinois
Located about 32 miles north of the major metropolis of Chicago, the city of Aurora is a very attractive place for people looking to get into the law enforcement field. The population is more than 173,000, which means there are often plenty of Aurora police job openings with the Aurora Police Department. When working on how to become a cop by meeting police officer requirements in Aurora, there are a series of steps you must first complete. Becoming a police officer in Aurora requires that you do the following:
- Step 1. Meet Minimum Requirements
- Step 2. Complete an Application and Written Exam
- Step 3. The POWER Test
- Step 4. Interview
- Step 5. Background Check and Drug Screen
- Step 6. Medical and Psychological Investigation
- Step 7. Training Academy
Step 1. Meet Minimum Requirements
There is set of minimum requirements you must first meet before applying for a position with the Aurora Police Department. The following are the requirements that must be met:
- Must be between 20 and 35 years of age
- Must be a U.S. citizen
- Must be in good physical condition
- Must have a valid driver’s license
- Must have a high school diploma with at least a 2.5 GPA
Applicants are given special consideration is they are a resident of the city of Aurora, have a Bachelor’s Degree or Associate’s Degree and have military service.
Step 2. Complete an Application and Written Exam
If basic requirements are meant, then you can apply for a position in Aurora, Illinois. The second section of the application with the Aurora Police Department is a written examination. The written exam is a basic aptitude test meant to measure your familiarity with law enforcement procedures, following directions, problem solving and familiarity with the English language.
Step 3. The POWER Test
The Peace Officer Wellness Evaluation Report (POWER) Test is a series of tests meant to measure your physical fitness and knowledge of policing procedures. The test consists of a sit-and-reach exercise, which depends on your age; a one-minute sit-up test, one-minute of repetitive bench pressing and a 1.5 mile run.
Step 4. Interview
The next step in the process is an interview with a panel of representatives from the Aurora Police Department. The interview will focus on all of the information obtained so far in the hiring process, and will seek to elaborate more upon much of the information in order to measure your honesty and integrity.
Step 5. Background Check and Drug Screen
The background check will look into rental, work, education, family and personal relationship history amongst other aspects of your life. The drug screen will look for any illegal substances in your system. The information obtained in this step will be used during the medical and psychological investigations in the next step.
Step 6. Medical and Psychological Investigation
Both investigations are performed by medical professionals contracted by the police department. The medical investigation will seek to identify any medical problems or ailments that could interfere with your ability to meet the physical demands of the job. The psychological exam will ensure that your are mentally capable of meeting the stressful tasks with the police department.
Step 7. Training Academy
The training academy focuses on various aspects of policing and law enforcement. Upon completion of the academy you will be given field training with a professional from the department and then will become a full-time employee with the Aurora Police Department.
Becoming a Police Officer in Chicago, Illinois
The history of Chicago law enforcement makes it one of the most exciting and dynamic places to work as a police officer. From Al Capone to the Democratic Convention in 1968 to now, a time when the city has one of the highest crime rates in the country, there is always work to be done in the city of Chicago. With a total metropolitan population of more than 9 million, Chicago is one of the largest cities in the country.
When considering how to become a cop by meeting police officer requirements in Chicago, there are a series of steps you must first complete. The following are the phases you must complete when becoming a police officer in Chicago:
- Step 1. Meet Minimum Qualifications
- Step 2. Complete Written Examination
- Step 3. Interview
- Step 4. Physical Agility Test
- Step 5. Background Check, Drug Test and Polygraph
- Step 6. Psychological Test
- Step 7. POWER Test
- Step 8. Training Academy
Step 1. Meet Minimum Qualifications
The first thing you must do before applying for a job with the Chicago Police Department is to review the minimum requirements. You cannot be considered for employment if you do not meet all of the minimum qualifications. The qualifications are as follows:
- Must be at least 21 years of age, and at most 40 years of age
- Must have a valid driver’s license from Illinois
- Must have at least 90 semester credit hours from a university
- Must have a Firearm Owners Identification Card
- Must be a resident of Chicago
At this point, if you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be entered into a lottery. If you win the lottery, you will go onto completing an application and a written examination.
Step 2. Complete Written Examination
Next, you will be asked to complete an application and a written examination. Applicants who do not win the lottery will be contacted in the future as positions become available. Applicants with military experience are given a 20% better chance of winning the lottery. The written examination will measure your ability to follow directions and make sound judgements in regards to law enforcement practices and community policing.
Step 3. Interview
The next step is an interview with a panel of employees from the Chicago Police Department. The interview will focus on information contained in your application, as well as the performance you did with the written examination.
Step 4. Physical Agility Test
There are different physical requirements depending on the age of the applicant, but the following are the basic physical agility requirements for an applicant that is between 21 and 29 years of age:
- Must have a sit and reach of 16 inches
- Must be able to do 37 sit-ups consecutively
- Must bench press within 98% of average for height and weight
- Must run 1.5 miles in 13 minutes, 46 seconds
Step 5. Background Check, Drug Test and Polygraph
The background check will look into information in your personal history and will seek to find discrepancies between that information and the information contained in your application. The drug test will look for any illegal substances in your system and the polygraph will elaborate upon information found in you application and in your background check.
Step 6. Psychological Test
The psychological test is conducted by a professional psychologist under contract with the Chicago, Illinois Police Department. The test will take several hours to complete and includes a series of written and verbal tests, as well as a lengthy interview with the psychologist.
Step 7. POWER Test
The Peace Officer Wellness Evaluation Report (POWER) Test is a series of tests that must be completed before entering the training academy. The tests are a combination of academic and physical standards training and testing, and will determine if you have the skills needed to be a good recruit for the Chicago Police Department.
Step 8. Training Academy
The training academy provides more than 1,000 hours of police recruit training. The training covers all aspects of policing including firearms handling, traffic procedures, community policing, arrest procedures and testifying in court among many other skills and procedures.
Becoming a Police Officer in Joliet, Illinois
Joliet, Illinois is one of the fastest-growing cities in the state. With a growth rate of 39-percent over the last decade, there are often opportunities to secure work with theJoliet Police Department.
When determining how to become a cop by meeting police officer requirements in Joliet, there are a series of steps you must complete to be eligible for available jobs:
- Step 1. Meet Minimum Requirements
- Step 2. Complete Application
- Step 3. Physical Fitness Test
- Step 4. Background Check
- Step 5. Oral Interview
- Step 6. Polygraph and Drug Screen
- Step 7. Medical and Psychological Exam
- Step 8. Training Academy
Step 1. Meet Minimum Requirements
Before applying for jobs with the Joliet Police Department, you must meet minimum requirements as laid out by the department. The requirements are as follows:
- Must be at least 21 years of age
- Must be a U.S. citizen
- Must have a high school diploma or equivalent
- Must be in good physical condition
- Must be of high moral character
- Must reside in the city of Joliet
Step 2. Complete Application
If you meet the minimum requirements to work as a police officer, then you must complete an application for the job. Applications can only be picked-up at the Joliet City Hall. The application will cost $40 to obtain and is only accepted before May 5 of each year.
Step 3. Physical Fitness Test
The physical fitness test consists of a sit-and-reach test, a one-minute sit-ups test, a one-minute bench press test and a 1.5 mile run. The tests are meant to measure whether or not you are fit enough to deal with the demands of the job as a Joliet police officer.
Step 4. Background Check
The background check will look into your past history in terms of medical and psychological issues, education history, rental history and family and personal relationship history among many other aspects of your past. The information taken from the background check will be used to inform representatives during the oral interview, polygraph and psychological exam phases of the recruitment process.
Step 5. Oral Interview
The oral interview will use various types of information obtained so far in the process in order to determine whether or not you have the honest, integrity and work ethic to become a valuable asset to the Joliet Police Department. The oral interview will be scored and only the best performing recruits will be chosen to move along with the rest of the process.
Step 6. Polygraph and Drug Screen
The polygraph will ask you questions about criminal history, past issues with employers and personal relationships and past drug use. This information will be used to determine whether you have been telling the truth about yourself up to this point in the process. Any major falsified information will disqualify you. The drug screen will test for the presence of illegal and banned substances according to the Joliet city statutes and federal law.
Step 7. Medical and Psychological Exam
The medical and psychological exams are conducted by professionals under contract with the department. The purpose of these tests is to determine that you physically and mentally capable of handling the day-to-day stress associated with the job, which is often unpredictable in nature and constantly changing according to various circumstances. The most important thing is that they want to make sure you can perform under pressure and make good decisions.
Step 8. Training Academy
The police academy will teach you about various aspects of the day-to-day operations of a Joliet police officer. The basic portion lasts 12 weeks and then there is a field training portion of the academy, which is on-the-job training with a veteran police officer. After that you will placed on a beat and will be put on a probationary period of employment in which you will be constantly monitored for one year.
Becoming a Police Officer in Naperville, Illinois
With a population of 144,560, there are often openings for Naperville police jobs in the area. On top of that, Naperville was named one of the best places to live by Money Magazine. The Naperville Police Department requires that you first complete various phases of testing before being enrolled in the police academy and becoming a full-time officer with the department.
Here are the steps you must take when becoming a police officer in Naperville, Illinois:
- Step 1. Review Eligibility Requirements
- Step 2. Complete Application
- Step 3. Written Exam and Physical Agility Test
- Step 4. Interview
- Step 5. Background Check, Polygraph and Drug Screen
- Step 6. Medical and Psychological Exams
- Step 7. Training
Step 1. Review Eligibility Requirements
There are some requirements you must first meet before applying for a job with the department or being considered for a police officer position. When determining how to become a cop by meeting police officer requirements in Naperville, you must meet the following criteria:
- Must be a U.S. citizen
- Must have a Bachelor’s Degree
- Must have a valid driver’s license
- Must be 21 years of age
- Must be in good physical condition and of high moral character
- Must have uncorrected 20/100 vision, and corrected 20/20 vision
Step 2. Complete Application
If you meet the requirements, you can then complete an application by the deadline of July, 13. There is a one-time processing fee of $32 that must be paid when submitting the application. The applications will be reviewed for requirements and then successful applicants will be contacted within 7 to 10 days after submission.
Step 3. Written Exam and Physical Agility Test
The testing process of the recruiting phase consists of two parts: a written exam and a physical abilities test. The written test takes place on August 16 and is combined with an orientation process, which will go over the test and what to expect. The scores from the tests will be used to pick the best performing candidates. If you are chosen, you will be scheduled for a physical fitness test. The tests consists of sit-ups, bench press, push-ups, sit-and-reach and a 1.5 mile run. The requirements that must be met are dependent on your gender, age, height and weight.
Step 4. Interview
Top scorers will be scheduled for an interview with representatives from the Fire and Police Departments in Naperville, Illinois. The interview will review information from the process up to ths point. The interview will be scored and the best candidates will be chosen to continue on in the recruitment process.
Step 5. Background Check, Polygraph and Drug Screen
Next, there will be a background check that looks into various aspects of your personal history. The personal history information will be used for the next step in the process, which is a polygraph exam. The polygraph will focus on past problems in your life and how you dealt with the, with the purpose being to see how you can handle stress and how honest you are. Finally, you will given a drug screen to test for illegal and banned substances. If you pass these, you will go onto the medical and psychological examinations before training.
Step 6. Medical and Psychological Exams
The medical exam is done by a contracted doctor for the Naperville, Illinois Police Department. The medical exam is a basic physical and will look for any problems with your health that may be a problem in the future while on the line-of-duty with the department- such as high blood pressure, heart problems and other health issues. The psychological exam is done by a psychologist and works as a similar way as the medical exam, except measuring how your brain can handle the duties and demands of being a police officer in Naperville, Illinois.
Step 7. Training
The Naperville field training program is a 19-week intensive program in law enforcement and community policing. Once field training is completed, you will be put on probation as a full-time member of the Naperville Police Department for one-year. After that, you will be an official member of the department.
Becoming a Police Officer in Rockford, Illinois
Rockford, Illinois is the third-largest city in Illinois and has a population of 157,000, making it an interesting place to become a police officer. In Rockford, available police jobs are posted between during the six-week period between November 30 and January 12, and only a few applicants are selected each time.
When thinking about how to become a cop by meeting police officer requirements in Rockford, there are a series of steps you must first complete. Here are the phases you must finish before becoming a police officer in Rockford, Illinois:
- Step 1. Meet Minimum Requirements
- Step 2. Written Exam and Physical Agility Test
- Step 3. Pre-polygraph Survey
- Step 4. Complete an Application
- Step 5. Oral Interview
- Step 6. Polygraph Exam and Background Check
- Step 7. Psychological Test and Medical Examination
- Step 8. Final Physical Fitness Exam
- Step 9. Training Academy and Field Training
Step 1. Meet Minimum Requirements
In order to apply you must first meet a basic list of minimum requirements. The requirements are as follows:
- Must be at least 21 years of age and no more than 35 years of age
- Must have a high school diploma or equivalent
- Must have a valid driver’s license
- Must live within 15 miles of the city of Rockford
- Must be in good physical condition
- Must not have any felony convictions or certain misdemeanors
- Must have correctable vision of 20/20 in each eye
There are also a series of disqualifications that will keep you from being considered for a positon with the Rockford, Illinois Police Department.
Step 2. Written Exam and Physical Agility Test
Next, you will be given a written examination that will serve as a basic aptitude test. A passing score on the written exam is at least 70-percent. The physical agility test requires that you perform a sit-and-reach test, a bench press test, a 1.5 mile run and a sit-up test.
Step 3. Pre-polygraph Survey
The pre-polygraph test will focus on getting information from you regarding your personal history. The pre-polygraph survey answers will be cross-checked with the information from your application and background check. Any falsified information will be considered a reason to disqualify you from further consideration in the hiring process.
Step 4. Complete an Application
The application for Rockford police jobs is a comprehensive 21-page application and must be submitted in order to be scheduled for an oral interview. At this point you are also required to submit documents that will provide information of citizenship and various other information.
Step 5. Oral Interview
The oral interview will be with representatives from the Rockford Police Department. The interview will cover all information and test scores obtained up to this point in the hiring and recruitment process. The minimum passing of the oral interview score is at least 70-percent.
Step 6. Polygraph Exam and Background Check
The polygraph test will ask you about various aspects of your background. Any false information may disqualify you from further consideration. The background check will serve the same function.
Step 7. Psychological Test and Medical Examination
The psychological and mental exams are meant to determine whether you are mentally and physically capable of meeting the demands of the job with the Rockford Police Department.
Step 8. Final Physical Fitness Exam
Before attending the training academy, you will have to pass another physical fitness exam first. The final physical fitness exam is more demanding than the one you did prior and serves to weed out the candidates before entering the academy and eventually becoming full-time members of the department.
Step 9. Training Academy and Field Training
The police training academy is a basic training course that teaches you skills in community policing. You must first pass with a good grade and then pass a comprehensive exam before moving onto the next phase. The next step is department training, in which you will receive advanced training in a certain aspect of the police department. You will then be entered into field training.