How to Become a Police Officer in Kentucky

• Bowling Green, Kentucky
• Covington, Kentucky
• Lexington, Kentucky
• Louisville, Kentucky
• Owensboro, Kentucky

Becoming a Police Officer in Bowling Green, Kentucky

Bowling Green’s first law enforcement officers made their appearance in the early 1820s and ever since then have dutifully served the residents and guests of their city. Working in Bowling Green you will stand with around 90 officer colleagues, all of which work each day to protect life and property and enforce all city ordinances, statutes, and state laws.

If you are interested in learning about how to become a cop in Bowling Green then take a look at the application process:

1. Minimum requirements
2. Application
3. Tests
4. Oral interview
5. Background investigation
6. Health checkups
7. Final review
8. Training academy

Step 1. Meeting Police Officer Requirements in Bowling Green

The minimum requirements you must meet for becoming a police officer in Bowling Green are:

• Be in good shape
• Have no felony or domestic violence offenses
• Be of good moral character
• Driver’s license and no major driving offenses
• U.S. citizen
• At least 21 years old
• High school diploma
• Preference for candidates with:

• • 60 college credits
  • Four years of active or reserve military service
  • Certified law enforcement officers

Step 2. Application

You can either print an application from the city website or request the human resources office to send you one in the mail. Applications are only available when there are openings with Bowling Green police jobs, so you must monitor the city’s website, local newspaper, and the Bowling Green PD’s facebook page. You can also fill out an online notification form to receive an email when jobs become open. Make sure you fill out the application completely and return in by the deadline.

Step 3. Tests

You will need to pass two tests before you have your first job interview. Once your application has been judged to be complete and competitive you will receive a schedule of the testing dates for your written exam and physical ability test. The first event will be a practice Peace Officer Professional Standards (POPS) physical agility test so you have an idea of what to expect during the state-mandated physical agility test. Both tests conform to the same standards.

Written Test: Your written test will evaluate you in the areas of:

• Information interpretation
• Reading ability
• Mechanical aptitude
• Reasoning ability
• Map reading

Physical Agility Test: You will need to have passed your written examination before you take this test, which is to follow directly after. This will evaluate your performance in five areas:

• Bench press
• 300-meter run
• Sit-ups
• Push-ups
• 1.5-mile run

Step 4. Oral Interview

This will be your first interview in the process of becoming a police officer in Bowling Green. Department officials will give you scenarios of different events to which you will need to reply. You will be given a short orientation of the police headquarters and also have an opportunity to ask any questions.

Step 5. Background Investigation

You will have completed and returned a background questionnaire either with your initial application packet or after the completion of your testing that will now be the introductory subject of your background interview. Your background investigator will research your past records in everything from criminal activity to previous employment, conducting interviews will all relevant actors in these areas. The goal of the background investigation is to determine the quality of your character and evaluate your work ethic.

You will also complete a polygraph examination, one of the requirements all candidates for Bowling Green cop jobs must pass.

Step 6. Health Checkups

Before you are cleared to begin the training academy you will need to complete two health examinations:

• A medical exam that includes a detailed physical, hearing and vision check, and drug test.
• A psychological evaluation of your basic mental health and stress tolerance.

Step 7. Final Review

At this point police department officials will review your application packet and results a final time to make sure everything is in good order and you are the candidate they have been looking for. This will be the time for any last questions before you sign your life over to Bowling Green’s finest.

Step 8. Training Academy

Your training academy will be an 18-week intensive session that teaches you all you need for a successful start to a career as a Bowling Green police officer. Once you graduate you will also complete an additional field officer training program with the Bowling Green PD. Your training subjects will include:

• Juvenile justice system
• Interacting with people with mental illnesses
• Criminal justice system
• Domestic violence and family matters
• Firearms and non-lethal weapons
• Legal procedures
• Crime scene investigation
• Interrogation techniques
• Defensive driving
• Self-defense

Becoming a Police Officer in Covington, Kentucky

While many police departments consider bicycle patrols to be a modern and progressive tool in community policing, the Covington police department has been using bicycle patrols since 1898. Since 1817 there has been a law enforcement presence in Covington. While the Covington police jobs of today involve considerably bigger challenges, many laws of the 19^th century are still just as relevant.

Learn how to become a cop in Covington if you would like to become one of the honorable members of this city’s police department:

1. Minimum requirements
2. Apply
3. Physical agility test
4. Panel interview
5. Background investigation
6. Health examinations
7. Training academy

Step 1. Meeting Police Officer Requirements in Covington

The first step you must take in becoming a police officer in Covington is to confirm you meet the minimum job requirements:

• No felony convictions
• Must be lawfully able to possess a firearm
• Completion of at least one of the following:

• • 30 college credits with a 2.0 C average or better
  • 24 months of active military service with an honorable discharge
  • 2 years of employment as a sworn law enforcement officer

• Be able to read, write, and speak the English language
• Driver’s license
• Be in good physical shape

Step 2. Apply

You can apply online when the Covington police department is hiring. It is a good idea to monitor the police department’s facebook page, the city’s jobs listings and the local newspaper to know when there is a job opening at the Covington PD. When you do apply make sure you fill out the entire application.

Step 3. Physical Agility Test

Once you have turned in your application you will receive information from the human resources department about when and where your physical agility test will be held. This test will evaluate your performance in five areas:

• 300-meter spring
• Bench press
• Push-ups
• Sit-ups
• 1.5-mile run

Step 4. Panel Interview

Next comes your panel interview. You will meet with several Covington PD officials who will sit down with you and inquire about your previous employment, motivations for wanting to become a Covington police officer, and review any of your perceived strengths and weaknesses.

Step 5. Background Investigation

The Covington police department will conduct a thorough background investigation on all candidates who make it to this step. The investigation will begin when you hand in your personal history statement and fingerprints during your initial background interview. This will contain information about all your previous employers, places of residence, criminal history, traffic violations, credit report, and education record.

Your background investigator will confirm you meet the minimum requirements for Covington police jobs which may include conducting interviews with anyone who has known or observed you over an extended period of time in the past.

The background investigation also includes a polygraph examination that will be administered by a polygraph professional.

Step 6. Health Examinations

As part of the application process to become a police officer in Covington you will need to pass two screenings:

• A psychological evaluation that will assess your personality type, your stress tolerance, and your overall mental health.
• A medical examination that will include a thorough physical exam, drug testing, vision screening, and hearing test.

Step 7. Training Academy

The Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training Academy will be an intensive 18-week full-time course you must complete in order to become a Covington police officer. You will receive additional field training with the Covington PD upon graduation, when you will have all the basic skills you need to be a successful Covington cop. Your training will include:

• Patrol techniques
• Firearms training
• Interrogation strategies
• Legal issues
• Criminal justice system
• Domestic violence
• Field sobriety testing
• Self-defense

Becoming a Police Officer in Lexington, Kentucky

In Lexington, police jobs are available to those with an ideological motivation to serve and protect the hundreds of thousands of residents of the city. But be honest, it’s also not bad living in a city known throughout the world by titles such as the thoroughbred city, the horse capital of the world, and bluegrass central. As a police officer in Lexington you will get to know the city like the back of your hand and there will never be a dull moment. If you are interested in joining the ranks of this historical city’s police department then you will be interested to know the application process for how to become a cop in Lexington:

1. Minimum requirements
2. Apply
3. Testing
4. Background investigation
5. Psychological screening
6. Medical examination
7. Recommendation
8. Police academy

Step 1. Meeting Police Officer Requirements in Lexington

The first step in becoming a police officer in Lexington is to make sure you can meet the basic minimum requirements:

• Be able to lawfully use and possess a firearm
• Not have any visible tattoos or other visible bodily disfigurations
• U.S. citizen
• Driver’s license
• High school diploma or GED
• Between the ages of 21-37
• No felony convictions
• If previous military service you must have had an honorable discharge

Step 2. Apply

To be notified of the next testing period you should fill out an online police recruit interest form. Next you will need to fill out an online application for the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG). Make sure to fill out the application completely, along with the background authorization form which is a 10-year history of your previous jobs, residences, and education. This will be used later in the application process.

Step 3. Testing and Interviews

Written Exam –Once you have submitted the police recruit interest form you will be scheduled for the next available written exam. This is a basic test of your knowledge in the format of:

• Reading comprehension: 25 questions to be completed in 25 minutes
• Mathematics: 20 questions to be completed in 20 minutes
• Grammar: 20 questions to be completed in 15 minutes

You do not need prior law enforcement knowledge for this test, whose passing score will be 65% and account for 35% of your total testing score.

Physical Ability Test – Once you have passed the written exam you will be scheduled for the physical ability test, which is conducted in five segments:

• Bench press
• Sit-ups: 11 in one minute
• 300-meter run: Completed in 65 seconds or less
• Push-ups: 11 in two minutes
• 1.5-mile run: Total distance must be completed either by running, walking, or both

Oral Board Interview – If you pass the physical ability test you will be scheduled to take the oral board interview. This will consist of questions concerning your training, knowledge, and previous experience and how these will translate into Lexington cop skills. Your responses will be scored and worth an overall 65% of your testing evaluation.

At the end of your testing process you will be given a final score that will rank your position on a candidate eligibility list.

Step 4. Background Investigation

Before you begin your background investigation you will start by having a pre-background investigation interview to discuss your background authorization form. You will also need to provide the following documents:

• If prior military service, form DD 214
• College transcripts, if any
• Birth certificate
• Driver’s license
• High school diploma or GED, even if you provide college transcripts

Your full background investigation may take several weeks to complete and will include a verification of all the minimum requirements for Lexington police officer jobs. As part of this process you will also be required to complete a polygraph examination.

Step 5. Psychological Screening

For this screening you will need to complete a psychological assessment test approved by the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council.

Once you have passed this step if you are among the top candidates in the running you will be made a conditional offer of employment by the Lexington PD, contingent upon your completion of the remaining steps in the hiring process.

Step 6. Medical Examination

Your medical screening will include a drug and alcohol test that you must pass in order to continue in the hiring process. Your immunization record will be checked and updated if necessary. You will also have a physical examination, hearing check, and vision test.

Step 7. Recommendation

The politics of becoming a police officer in Lexington stipulate that the police chief will draw up a list of recommended candidates to be considered for police officers who have passed the application steps up to this point. The chief will then forward this list of names to the mayor of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government who has the authority to accept or reject any names from the list. If your name is selected you will finally need to have this selection ratified by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Council.

Step 8. Police Academy

Your police academy will be at least 28 weeks long and include all the training you will need to become a successful police officer in Lexington. Topics covered in the academy include:

• Patrol techniques
• Crime prevention
• First aid and CPR
• Defensive driving maneuvers
• Law
• Firearms training
• Non-lethal weapons
• Interrogation techniques
• Crime scene investigation

Becoming a Police Officer in Louisville, Kentucky

Only the most qualified officers are hired for Louisville police jobs. To become a cop you must make it through a lengthy application process that includes a city, police, and civilian screening process. Besides the ideological reasons for becoming a police officer in Louisville, the practical reasons can stand on their own: paid holidays, high salaries, good health benefits, retirement package, and life insurance.

This guide will provide you with an explanation of how to become a cop in Louisville and help you to be better prepared to join the ranks of the city’s finest:

1. Minimum qualifications
2. Application
3. Physical agility test
4. Oral and written examination
5. Panel interview
6. Background investigation
7. Medical and psychological examinations
8. Police academy
9. Field Training

Step 1. Meeting Police Officer Requirements in Louisville

The application process begins with you confirming that you meet the minimum requirements for Louisville police jobs:

• High school diploma or GED and one of the following:

• • 60 semester hours of college
  • Completed active military service
  • Four years in the national reserve or guard
  • At least one year of previous sworn law enforcement experience not more than one year ago

• U.S. citizen
• No felony convictions
• At least 21 years old
• Driver’s license
• Good physical shape and moral character

Step 2. Apply Online

Once you have verified you meet the minimum standards your next step will be to fill out an online application and create an online resume. The city human resources department will check your application to make sure it is complete and that you meet the minimum requirements. If everything looks good then you will be scheduled to complete the physical agility test.

Step 3. Physical Agility Test

When you are scheduled for your physical agility test you will receive a list of documents to bring with you when you come for testing. Included in the list of documents is the pre-polygraph/background investigation booklet that you will need to fill out and return at the beginning of your physical agility test. This will be used later in the application process.

The physical agility test is comprised of five events that are graded on a scale between 9 and 11 points. You must get 50 points total to pass the test, and you will receive a higher ranking for the more points you have. The events are listed below with the minimum and maximum point qualifications:

• Bench press % body weight: 55.3%-73%
• Sit-ups: 13-19
• 300-meter run: 68-64 seconds
• Push-ups: 14-25
• 1.5-mile run (minutes:seconds): 17:56-16:15

Step 4. Oral and Written Examination

If you pass the physical agility test you will next have to complete an oral and written examination. For the oral exam you will be presented with three police officer scenarios and you will explain what you would hypothetically do in each situation to a panel of police officers and civilian representatives who will grade you on your responses. Your written exam will evaluate your reasoning abilities, reading comprehension, and written communication skills.

You will have to pass both portions of the examination, though your ranking on the police recruit eligibility list, of which you will be notified by mail, is only based on your oral examination score.

Step 5. Panel Interview

For this portion of the application process a panel of officers selected by the chief will interview you. Make sure to demonstrate a state of confidence and maturity, projecting good communication skills and interpersonal abilities.

Step 6. Background Investigation

The first step in your background investigation will be an examination of your credit report. This will be compared with your evaluations up to this point and if it does not meet a certain standard you will be disqualified.

A detective will review the answers you provided on your pre-polygraph/background investigation booklet and ask you follow up questions relating your previous:

• Employment
• Military history
• Education history
• Arrests
• Traffic violations
• Financial history
• Convictions

The detective will also check all relevant records related to these subjects and conduct interviews with anyone who has known or observed you over an extended period of time in the past. You will also need to complete a polygraph examination that will investigate any details deemed important by your background investigator.

Step 7. Medical and Psychological Examinations

Once your background investigation has confirmed your moral character is solid and dependable you will be extended a conditional offer of employment, dependent upon your successful completion of a medical and psychological examination. The medical exam will begin by looking at your medical history and include a vision and hearing check, drug test, and a medical physical.

The psychological evaluation will be conducted in two parts by a licensed psychiatrist:

• Self-administered written tests
• Interviews based on the results of your written tests

Step 8. Police Academy

Your training will be conducted at the Louisville Metro Police Training Academy over the course of 24 weeks. You will not live at this academy but rather commute five days a week. Your training will be in the areas of:

• Traffic stops
• Law offenses and procedures
• Firearms
• First aid and CPR
• Self-defense
• Vehicle operations
• Investigations

Step 9. Field Training

You will begin your field training program on probation. The goal of this program is to provide you with feedback and constructive criticism in your new career as a Louisville police officer. You will have three field training officers (FTOs) for a period of eight weeks each. Your FTOs will give you a score at the end of your session and these scores combined with your solo performance for an additional 28 weeks will determine your future with the Louisville police department.

Becoming a Police Officer in Owensboro, Kentucky

As a police officer with the Owensboro police department, there will not be any scarcity of positive ways you can interact with the community. To start with, the department hosts an annual, “run from the cops,” five kilometer event to raise police awareness. It also puts on a citizen’s police academy to teach members of the community what Owensboro police jobs are like and provide helpful community policing tips.

The following is a step-by-step guide on how to become a cop in Owensboro so you can add your strengths to this police force:

1. Minimum requirements
2. Application
3. Tests
4. Oral interview
5. Background investigation
6. Health examinations
7. Training academy

Step 1. Meeting Police Officer Requirements in Owensboro

The minimum requirements for becoming a police officer in Owensboro are:

• One of the following:

• • Associate’s degree in law enforcement, social sciences, communications, or other related field
  • Two years of active military duty with an honorable discharge
  • Three years of certified, full-time law enforcement experience

• Driver’s license
• Basic computer skills
• Be in good physical shape
• Have no felony convictions
• Mostly clean driving record
• Be at least 21 years old
• U.S. citizen

Step 2. Application

The Owensboro PD accepts applications year-round though they are only reviewed when there is an opening for a police officer. You can print an application form online or send it by mail to the Owensboro PD. Make sure to complete your application in full and include all requested documents.

Step 3. Tests

Once an active hiring session has begun and your application has been judged to be competitive and complete, you will be notified of your scheduled appointments over three days to complete three tests:

• Video Exam: In this test you will watch a video and respond on a questionnaire about how you would personally react to each situation.

• National Police Officer Selection Test (POST): The Owensboro PD offers a study guide for this written exam, which is divided into four parts. The first three categories are multiple-choice and you will be required to write in a booklet in the fourth category:

• • Mathematics- 20 questions in 20 minutes
  • Grammar- 20 questions in 15 minutes
  • Reading comprehension- 25 questions in 25 minutes
  • Report writing- 10 questions in 15 minutes

• Physical Ability Exam: This test is comprised of five events for which the Owensboro PD provides an informative brochure:

• • Bench press
  • Sit-ups
  • 300-meter run
  • Push-ups
  • 1.5-mile run

Step 4. Oral Interview

The Owensboro PD offers a preparation guide for your oral interview that will consist of a panel of police officials questioning you on your past employment record and how you would perform in certain hypothetical scenarios. Try to be relaxed and exhibit good communication and interpersonal relationship skills.

Step 5. Background Investigation

If you make it past the oral interview your next step in becoming a police officer in Owensboro will be to have a successful background investigation that confirms you have an upstanding moral character with no disqualifying findings. This will be conducted by an Owensboro PD detective who will comb through your criminal, employment, financial, education, and driving records to determine that you meet the minimum requirements for Owensboro police jobs. The detective will also conduct personal interviews with people relevant to your background. Finally you will need to successfully complete a polygraph examination.

Step 6. Health Examinations

You will need to pass two health examinations:

• Physical exam conducted by a doctor who will also test your hearing and vision as well as administer a drug test.
• Psychological examination carried out by a psychologist who will determine your mental suitability for Owensboro cop jobs.

Step 7. Training Academy

After a final departmental review you will be ready to begin your Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training Academy. This will last 18 weeks and provide you with a solid foundation to begin your new career as an Owensboro police officer. You will receive training in:

• Legal issues and procedures
• Criminal justice system
• Juvenile justice system
• Patrol techniques
• Crime scene and accident investigation
• Firearms
• Domestic violence
• Self-defense
• Interrogation techniques

Back to Top