How to Become a Police Officer in Indiana

• Bloomington, Indiana
• Evansville, Indiana
• Fort Wayne, Indiana
• Indianapolis, Indiana
• South Bend, Indiana

Becoming a Police Officer in Bloomington, Indiana

The 97 sworn officers of the Bloomington Police Department work to protect and serve the 72,000 residents that call this Indiana city home.

If joining this team of officers to serve this community sounds good to you, follow the steps below to learn how to become a police officer in Bloomington.

1. Meet the Basic Qualifications
2. Submit Your Application
3. Physical Agility Test
4. Written Examination
5. Interviews
6. Background Check and Polygraph Examination
7. Psychological and Medical Examination
8. PERF Interview
9. Attend Law Enforcement Academy for Training

Step 1. Meet the Basic Qualifications for Bloomington Police Officer Candidacy

You must meet these conditions if you wish to be considered as a police officer in Bloomington:

• You must be 21 years old at the time you are appointed.
• You must be under 36 years old at the time you are appointed.
• You must live in Monroe County or an adjacent county at the time you are appointed.
• You must have a valid driver’s license from Indiana at the time you are appointed.
• You must have graduated from high school (GED is OK).
• You must have an active e-mail account.
• You must not have a dishonorable discharge (if applicable).

Step 2. Submit Your Application

You can obtain your application online.  You must provide the following supplemental information along with your application:

• Birth certificate
• DD-214 and military records (if applicable)
• Driver’s license
• Diplomas:
  • High school/GED
  • College
  • Law enforcement certificate (if applicable)

Step 3. Physical Agility Test

Once you have been found to be qualified to be a police officer in Bloomington, you will be notified of the time of your physical agility and written tests, which will take place on the same day.  To pass the physical agility test, you will need to:

• Jump 16” vertically
• Run 300 meters in no more than 71 seconds
• Perform 25 push-ups with no time limit
• Run 1.5 miles in 16:28
• Perform at least 29 sit-ups in 1 min

Step 4. Written Examination

You will have an instruction period, following by a two hour study period before you take the written exam.  You will be allowed to take notes while you study, but you must use paper provided by the monitor and turn your notes in before the exam.

You will not be allowed to take the exam if you did not attend the study session.  All of the items on the test will be drawn from the material provided during the study session.  The test will take 1.5 hours.

Step 5. Interviews

After you have passed your exams, you will have two oral interviews.  One will be with the Screening Committee of the police’s Personnel Department.  The other will be with the Board of Public Safety.

Both interviews are designed to examine your ability to handle stress on the job and communicate, as well probing your background and experience.

Step 6. Background Check and Polygraph Examination

Once you have passed your interviews, you will undergo a thorough background check, involving a polygraph examination.  You will also be screened for drugs.

Step 7. Psychological and Medical Examination

After having passed your background check, the department will offer you a job conditional on your passing psychological and medical exams.  You will be examined by a physician or surgeon who has been chosen by the Police Pension Board.

Step 8. PERF Interview

Once you have passed your psychological and medical screen, you will meet with individuals from the Public Employees’ Retirement Fund.

Step 9. Attend Law Enforcement Academy for Training

Once you have met with approval from the PERF representatives, you will train for over 600 hours at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy.  This training will be a mix of classroom and practical training.  Areas you will study include

• Drugs and narcotics
• Water rescue training
• Crime prevention
• Operating emergency vehicles
  • Emergency response
  • Pursuit driving
• Firearms training
• Investigating
  • Crimes
  • Vehicle crashes
• Domestic violence and sexual assaults
• Physical tactics
  • Locking joints
  • Handcuffing
  • Applying pressure to pressure points
  • Using a straight baton
  • Retaining your weapon
  • Fighting on the ground

Becoming a Police Officer in Evansville, Indiana

The 289 sworn officers of the Evansville Police Department responded to 6105 crimes in 2010.  The department has 18 specialized units and works in joint organized crime efforts with the County and federal authorities.

If you want to help reduce crime in Evansville, use this guide learn what it takes to become a cop in Evansville, Indiana.

9 Steps to Become a Police Officer in Evansville:

1. Meet the Basic Qualifications
2. Submit Your Application
3. Physical Fitness Assessment Test
4. Written Examination
5. Interviews and Written Exercise
6. Background Check and Polygraph Examination
7. Psychological Examination
8. Medical Examination
9. Attend Law Enforcement Academy for Training

Step 1. Meet the Basic Qualifications for Evansville Police Officer Candidacy

Here are the requirements you must meet to be considered for a position as a police officer in Evansville:

• You must not have used any hallucinogenic drugs.
• You must be 21 to 35 years old at the time you apply.
• You must be a U.S. citizen.
• You must have a driver’s license valid in the state in which you currently reside.
• You must have one of the following:
  • High school education with a diploma
  • A GED and one of the following:
    • 30 college-level semester credit hours with a GPA of at least 2.0
    • At least 2 years of service in the military
• You must have been honorably discharged from the military (if applicable).
• Your vision must:
  • Be uncorrected:  at least 20/100 in both eyes
  • If you have used soft contacts for a long time, be correctable to 20/30
  • Be able to detect color

Step 2. Submit Your Application

Applications are accepted year round.  The closing date for applying for the next round of testing is October 21, 2013.  You can obtain an application online or at the Civic Center from the Police Personnel Unit.  You can submit your completed application to:

Personnel Unit—Attention:  Roberta
Evansville Police Department
15 NW M.L. King Boulevard, Room 129
Evansville, IN   47708-1891

You can either mail it or hand deliver it.

Step 3. Physical Fitness Assessment Test

Once your application has been pre-screened to make sure that you meet the basic qualifications, you will have to take a test of your physical fitness.  This test is based on the standards of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy and is pass/fail.  You will have to perform the following exercises:

• Jump vertically:  at least 16”
• Sit-ups:  29 times in a minute or less
• Run 300 meters:  in 71 sec or less
• Push-ups:  25 with no time limit
• Run 1.5 miles:  in no more than 16:28

Step 4. Written Examination

After you have met all of the standards of the physical fitness test, you will be given a study guide for the written examination.  You will also be informed about study sessions that you have the option of attending to prepare you for the written test and oral interviews.

You will have to score at least 80% on the written test to continue in the hiring process.  The following four sections of the test will use criteria related to police work:

• Arithmetic
• Grammar
• Incident report writing
• Reading comprehension

Step 5. Interviews and Written Exercise

Next you will have an interview with several sworn officers.  You will be asked the same questions as the other applicants, and your responses will be graded.  Right after this interview, you will be asked to write a response to a topic or question.  You will be graded on your:

• Content
• Grammar
• Spelling

You will then have another interview, this time with the Evansville Police Merit Commission.  Once again, you will be asked the same questions as the other applicants, and these responses will also be graded.

Your scores will be combined.  Thirty % will come from the written examination; 40% from the first interview; 20% from the written exercise, and 10% from your final interview.  These scores will be used to place you on an eligibility list with the top of the list being those that scored the highest.  This list will be good for a year.

Step 6. Background Check and Polygraph Examination

Once you have been determined to be one of the higher ranking candidates and the department estimates that there will be future vacancies, you will be given a conditional job offer.  At this point, your background will be thoroughly examined.  You will also be given a polygraph examination to verify the information found in the background check.

Step 7. Psychological Examination

After you have passed your background check, you will be examined by a psychologist to determine if you are in good enough mental health to become a police officer in Evansville.  This will involve both a test and an interview with the psychologist.

Step 8. Medical Examination

After you have passed your psychological examination, you will be subject to a thorough physical examination.  In addition to ensuring that you lack any medical conditions that could disqualify you from becoming a police officer in Evansville, this examination will also involve checking your vision and hearing.  You will also be subject to a drug screen at this point.

Step 9. Attend Law Enforcement Academy for Training

Once you have passed your medical examination, you will be sworn in as a probationary officer if the department has vacancies at this time.  Then you will have 15 weeks (571 hours) of paid training by Evansville police department members at the Southwest Indiana Law Enforcement Academy.

The areas you will study include:

• Administration – 15 hours
• Criminal investigation and forensic science – 43 hours
• Criminal Justice and related matters – 17 hours
• Defensive tactics – 48 hours
• Emergency vehicle operations – 35 hours
• EMS awareness – 12 hours
• Firearms – 97 hours
• Human behavior – 46 hours
• Patrol procedures – 60 hours
• Physical conditioning – 14 hours
• Police skills – 21 hours
• Problem solving/other LE issues – 23 hours
• Traffic procedures – 23 hours

You will also spend 13 hours taking exams and 37 hours devoted to days in the field.

After you have graduated from the academy, you will be assigned to a highly trained Field Training Officer who will evaluate your performance each day.

Becoming a Police Officer in Fort Wayne, Indiana

The 460 sworn officers of the Fort Wayne Police Department in Indiana helped to reduce the city’s crime rate in 2012 by more than 6% over the previous year.

If you’re interested in joining this dedicated force to help make Fort Wayne a secure place for is residents and visitors, use this step-by-step guide to learn how to become a police officer in Fort Wayne.

1. Meet the Basic Qualifications
2. Submit Your Application
3. Physical Ability Test
4. Written Examination
5. Interview
6. Background Check and Voice Stress Test
7. Psychological Testing and Voice Stress Test
8. Physical Examination
9. Interview
10. Attend Police Academy for Training

Step 1. Meet the Basic Qualifications for Fort Wayne Police Officer Candidacy

To be considered for a job as a police officer in Fort Wayne, you must meet several requirements:

• You must be 21 to 35 years old at the time you are appointed.
• You must be a U.S. citizen.
• You must have vision that can be corrected to 20/30 in each eye.
• You must have a high school diploma or GED.
• You must not have had any convictions for:
  • Felonies
  • Domestic battery
• You must be a resident of Indiana.
• You must have an Indiana driver’s license.

Step 2. Submit Your Application

To become a police officer in Fort Wayne, you will have to submit an application to the Human Resources Department of the city when a position is open.

Step 3. Physical Ability Test

You will have to meet the following standards for physical fitness:

• Sit-ups (25 in no more than 1 min)
• Push-ups (21 without stopping—done “male style”)
• Vertical jump (14”—you will be allowed to try 3 times)
• 300 meter run (82 sec at the most)
• 1.5 mile run (17:30 or less)

Step 4. Written Examination

Once you have passed the physical ability test, you will take a written examination.

Step 5. Interview

After you have passed the written examination, you will be interviewed by a panel consisting of citizens of Fort Wayne along with two members of the police department.

Step 6. Background Check and Voice Stress Test

Once the panel has decided that you are a good candidate, your background will be thoroughly examined.  In order to show that you are being truthful, you will be given a voice stress to assess your following areas:

• Morality
• Drug use
• Criminal history
• Honesty

Step 7. Psychological Testing and Voice Stress Test

After you have passed the background check, you will be tested by a psychologist to ensure that you have the mental fortitude to become a police officer in Fort Wayne.  You will also have to take an additional voice stress test.

Step 8. Physical Examination

Once you have passed your psychological test and both voice stress tests, the department will offer you conditional employment.  You will now have to be examined by a physician to make sure that you are in good enough health to become a police officer in Fort Wayne.  You will have to pay half the cost of this exam.

Step 9. Interview

Following a review of your file by the local Police Pension Board, you will be interviewed by members of the Board of Public Safety.

Step 10. Attend Police Academy for Training

After your successful interview, you will be reviewed by the state Police Pension Board.  When that has gone successfully, you will start your 20 weeks of basic training in the Fort Wayne Police Department Academy.  The hours are typically from 6 AM to 6 PM weekdays.

Once you have graduated from the academy, you will spend 6 months in a field training program.  After that, you will be on probationary status for an additional six months.

Becoming a Police Officer in Indianapolis, Indiana

With more than 1600 sworn employees, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to nearly 56,200 crimes in 2011 in effort to uphold the law and protect the citizens of Indiana’s biggest metropolis.

If you think you’ve got what it takes to contribute to this effort as a member of this proud police department, follow these steps to learn how to become a police officer in Indianapolis:

1. Meet the Basic Qualifications
2. Submit Your Application
3. Written Examination
4. Interview
5. Physical Agility Test
6. Polygraph Examination and Background Check
7. Medical and Psychological Examinations
8. Attend Police Academy for Training

Step 1. Meet the Basic Qualifications for Indianapolis Police Officer Candidacy

To be considered for a job as a police officer in Indianapolis, you must meet several requirements:

• You must be a resident U.S. citizen.
• You must have a high school education:
  • Diploma
  • GED
• You must have a driver’s license that is valid.
• Your age by the date of your appointment must be:
  • At least 21
  • Younger than 36
• You cannot have any of the following convictions:
  • Felony
  • Misdemeanor involving domestic violence
• You must live in Marion County or one of the 7 adjoining counties at the time of your appointment.
• You must have an honorable discharge (if applicable)

Step 2. Submit Your Application

You start your process of applying to become a police officer in Indianapolis by completing an interest card.  To be notified when positions become available, you can request to be e-mailed.

Step 3. Written Examination

You will be notified when to take a written examination to start determining whether you are suitable to become a police officer in Indianapolis.

Step 4. Interview

After you have passed your written examination, you will have an oral interview that will examine your qualifications and demeanor.

Step 5. Physical Agility Test

Once you have passed your interview, you will have to take a test of your physical abilities to determine if you meet the standards to become a police officer in Indianapolis.

Step 6. Polygraph Examination and Background Check

After you have passed your physical agility test, you will undergo a lie detector test about your background.  At this point, the department will examine your background to ensure that you are suitable to become a law enforcement officer in this city in Indiana.

Step 7. Medical and Psychological Examination

Once you have passed your background check, you will be thoroughly examined both physically and psychologically to make sure that you are in excellent physical and mental health to meet the rigors of being a police officer in Indianapolis.

Step 8. Attend Police Academy for Training

After you have been approved by a Board, you will be sent to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Law Enforcement Training Academy for 24 weeks of paid training (932 hours).  You will not be staying overnight at the Academy and will have to find accommodations.  You are not permitted to work at outside employment during your training.

You will trained in the following subjects and must complete all of them:

• Administration – 47 hours
• American Red Cross emergency response – 37 hours
• Criminal investigations and forensics – 36 hours
• Criminal justice (and related matters) – 36 hours
• Emergency vehicle operations – 50 hours
• Human behavior – 76 hours
• Law – 98 hours
• Patrol procedures/traffic services – 81 hours
• Physical conditioning – 41 hours
• Police skills – 45 hours
• Use of force – 157 hours

Exams will take up 48 hours of your training, which will be mostly weekdays from 8 AM to 5 PM.  You can expect to be trained some evenings and weekends.  During your first week of training, you will have to meet physical standards to be able to continue your studies.

After you graduate from the Academy, you will be on probation while you take part in the Field Training program. You must be able to perform successfully in the field to be permanently hired as a police officer in Indianapolis.

Becoming a Police Officer in South Bend, Indiana

The South Bend Police Department has 261 sworn officers performing jobs that help to keep the citizens of South Bend safe in this Indiana community.  To actively help reduce crime in this city, you can follow these steps and become a cop in South Bend, Indiana.

1. Meet the Basic Qualifications
2. Submit Your Application
3. Physical Agility Test
4. Written Examination
5. Interviews
6. Background Check and Polygraph Examination
7. Medical and Psychological Examination
8. PERF Interview
9. Attend Law Enforcement Academy for Training

Step 1. Meet the Basic Qualifications for South Bend Police Officer Candidacy

You must meet these conditions if you wish to be considered as a police officer in South Bend:

• You must be 21 years old at the time you take the written exam.
• You must be younger than 36 when appointed.
• You must be a U.S. citizen.
• You must not have the following convictions:
  • Felony in Indiana or a violation in another state that would be considered a felony in Indiana.
  • Domestic violence (or any documented evidence of this ever)
  • OVWI, OWI, or DUI
• You must not have a dishonorable discharge (if applicable).
• You must have graduated from high school and have a transcript as proof.
• You must have a driver’s license that is valid and unrestricted.
• You must not have done the following with drugs:
  • Marijuana:
    • Illegally cultivated, produced, transported for sale, or sold
    • Used at all, except for experimentation
  • Any dangerous drug or narcotic (including steroids)
    • Illegally cultivated, produced, transported for sale, or sold
    • Used
• You must not be currently abusing prescription medication.
• You must not have any documentation of a serious criminal offense.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Having a college degree or education beyond high school
• Having been in the military or another type of occupation related to the police
• Having college internships
• Having done volunteer work or community service

Step 2. Submit Your Application

You can download the application online and then either drop it off at the Training Bureau or mail it in.  You will also have to submit the following documents:

• Diploma from high school or GED certificate
• Birth certificate
• Transcripts:
  • High School
  • College (if applicable)
• Driver’s license that is valid
• DD-214 if applicable

To undergo your initial testing, you will have to complete your application before the start of a testing session.  Generally, there are three test sessions offered each year.  To help you become a police officer in South Bend, the department offers exam tutoring and mock trials of the physical fitness test components.

Step 3. Physical Agility Test

Once your application has been approved, you will be invited to take the physical agility test.  You will have to:

• Jump vertically
• Perform 1 min worth of sit-ups
• Run 300 meters
• Perform your maximum amount of push-ups
• Run 1.5 miles
• Pull a trigger

Step 4. Written Examination

You will have to receive at least a 70% on a written examination that will measure:

• Common sense
• Grammar
• Report writing
• Spelling

The entire testing process will take about 3 months.  After you have passed the physical and written tests, you will be placed in a pool of eligible candidates and tested further as open jobs become available.

Step 5. Interviews

Once a job as a police officer in South Bend has become available, you will be summoned to an oral interview where you will be interviewed by a panel of people familiar with law enforcement standards.  Following this interview, you will have a personal interview.

Step 6. Background Check and Polygraph Examination

After you have passed your interview, your background will be thoroughly examined by the department.  They will check your history, employers, and references.  Part of this process involves being examined with a lie detector to ensure that you are being truthful about your background.

Step 7. Medical and Psychological Examination

Once you have passed your background check, you will be given a conditional employment offer.  Then the status of your health will be determined by an examination by a physician.  The state of your mental health will be assessed by a psychologist.

Step 8. PERF Interview

After you have found to be both physically and mentally fit to become a police officer in South Bend, you will have a final interview with members of the Public Employees’ Retirement Fund of Indiana.

Step 9. Attend Law Enforcement Academy for Training

Once you have passed your PERF interview, you will be trained for 15 weeks at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in Plainfield.  This training combines classroom exercises with psychical training in the following areas:

• Emergency vehicle operations
  • Pursuit driving
  • High speed emergency response
• Physical Training
  • Vertical jump – Entry (13.5”), Exit (16”)
  • Sit-ups (1 min) – Entry (24), Exit (29)
  • Push-ups – Entry (21), Exit (25)
  • Running
    • 1.5 miles – Entry (18:56), Exit (16:28)
    • 300 meters – Entry (82 sec), Exit (71 sec)
• Firearms training
  • Handgun
  • Shotgun
• Investigation
  • Vehicle crashes
  • Criminal
• Physical tactics
  • Pressure points
  • Handcuffing
  • Baton
  • Ground fighting
  • Retaining your weapon
  • Strikes/blocks/combinations
• Domestic violence and sexual assault

You will complete the first two weeks of training on-line, and then you will live at the Academy for the remaining 13 weeks.  You will report Mondays through Thursdays.

After you have graduated from the academy, you will be paired with a Field Training Officer.  This will continue for 15 weeks.  You will rotate through all of the shifts, and you will also take part in specialty assignments.  You will be evaluated daily and tested periodically.  After you have successfully completed this program, you will be assigned to a permanent shift and placed on probation.

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