The process of enrolling in a Police Academy is really no different from enrolling in a university or college. There are certain requirements that the candidate needs to fulfill before he is even considered. These pre-requisites are necessary because they are the only way the school authorities can tell if this is the right program for you.
On the other hand, there is also a difference between a Police Academy and a University or a College. In the Academy, aside from classroom learning, you will also be trained physically, whereas in a University or a College, your training is mainly focused on enhancing your brain and mental capacity relative to your field of study.
Therefore, in a sense, the Law Enforcement Academy is much more challenging physically. You can expect that instructors in the Academy will make sure that every student they accept would be able to handle the rigors of both mental and physical training, for this is what will be required of you when you are already a bona fide police officer.
The Basic Requirements of the Police Academy in Kentucky
Before they accept you in the Academy, you are required to show proof of your eligibility. You need to produce the following Police Academy requirements in Kentucky:
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Educational Level
Before they accept you in the Academy, you have to prove to them that you are at least a high school graduate. They will require you to possess at least the basic educational level that will enable you to take classes in the Academy, which is a high school diploma or GED equivalent certification. You can get more information about this here.
In addition, having earned some college units will boost your chances of being accepted in the Academy.
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Qualifying Exams
To gauge your present knowledge and to assess your ability for learning, you will be required to pass a written exam. Some of the questions are also designed to gauge your aptitude on police work. So you need to prepare for those types of questions. They will not be too technical though, and you can get more information about this here.
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Physical Fitness Exam
The curriculum in the Academy requires you to do daily rigorous physical exercises. This is to ensure that you will be physically fit, strong and healthy to perform the tasks required of a police officer. That is the reason why at the very start they need to see if you are physically fit and capable of dealing with the daily rigors of the training that they requires.
It is really important for you to physically prepare yourself before you even think of filling out the enrollment application form. You can learn more of this requirement on this page.
You will also be required to pass the police department’s physical fitness test standards. Therefore, you need to prepare yourself as early now, by doing daily push-ups, pull-ups, weight training and other kinds of physical exercises that will build your muscles and improve your strength.
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Other Important Requirements
Aside from the ones mentioned above, you will need a driver’s license because as a police officer, you will also be required to drive a motor vehicle. You also need to be at least 21 years old, at least at the time of your graduation. You will also be required to pass a polygraph test. Finally, clarity of vision is also essential so they will test to see if you have 20/20 vision.
How Crucial is Physical Fitness in the Academy?
A police officer usually will not spend most of their time at their desks. They would be out there in the streets patrolling their assigned areas. Therefore, the Police Academy will assess how well you can handle this physically demanding job.
Don’t be overly worried if you think you are not yet in your tip-top shape. There is someone who can help you become fit and strong within a short period of time. Officer Forestal has created a study guide that will show you how to prepare for the Police Academy. His study guide will make sure that you will pass all your entrance exams at the Academy. You can visit his website at www.PrepareForThePoliceAcademy.com.
With regards to being physically fit for the test, Officer Forestal has dedicated a section in his Study Guide focusing on physical fitness. This section is collectively known as the 20 week “No Nonsense” Pre and Post Academy Workout Programs. It will surely help you prepare your body for any fitness test that you have to go through before being accepted by the Academy.
And to ensure that you pass all the other parts of your entrance exams, such as the written, oral, and psychological tests, Officer Forestal has also included lessons and guides on how you can best answer all these questions. In fact, he strongly advises you not to enroll in the Police Academy if you have not gone over his study guide.
After graduating from the Academy, you will have a bright future ahead of you. The pay scales for police officers in Kentucky are some of the most attractive in the country. The following numbers are considered the annual average salaries in the different police departments in Kentucky:
- Louisville Police Department – the average annual salary is roughly $36,000.
- Lexington Police Department – the average annual salary is approximately $29,744.
- Bowling Green Police Department – the average annual salary is $39,000.
- Owensboro Police Department – the average annual salary is $35,000.
- Covington Police Department – the average annual salary is $39,000.
While it’s true that getting into the Law Enforcement Training Academy and being able to graduate isn’t easy, you can get the help you need online and with dedication and hard work, you can certainly succeed.