Would you like to join the Oregon State police? Do you dream of becoming part of the Hillsboro police department or any of the cities in Oregon? Then you should know the police academy requirements in the state Oregon, as well as the application process.
Requirements
In order to qualify for the police academy in Oregon, you should meet several prerequisites like having a US citizenship and at least a high school diploma. You need to be at least 21 years of age, and possess a valid driver’s license. You should have no felony convictions, misdemeanor conviction within the past five years, and conviction for major traffic violation.
If you meet all the requirements, you can submit your application online by clicking here.
As in all police departments in the United States, the Oregon police department is very strict when it comes to the accuracy of information provided by applicants. You should be truthful in responding to all application queries, and you should never withhold pertinent information.
Application for cops in Oregon is now done online, and paper applications are no longer accepted. Since the application is done online, you should have an e-mail address as updates like application status and testing dates will be sent electronically.
The recruitment process is quite lengthy, as there are numerous tests that you have to pass in order to get accepted into the academy. The entry level test includes physical ability test, written examination, panel interview, and psychological assessment.
Physical Ability Test
Since cops are expected to maintain peace and order in the community, take part in emergency operations, and report to work regardless of weather conditions, physical fitness is a major consideration in screening applicants. If you want to become part of the Portland police department or Eugene police department, then you have to train hard for the physical ability test.
The physical ability exam comprises of three tests—a one-minute sit-up, a one-minute push-up, and a two-mile run. However, before you think that the physical is easy, be reminded that there are minimum scores you have to achieve in doing the tests depending on your age. For example, you are required to have at least 53 repetitions in the one-minute sit-up if you are man between the ages of 17 to 21 years old.
Keep in mind that if you fail in any of the three tests, you will be automatically disqualified. Thus you should train hard for the physical ability exam by training hard at least six weeks before your schedule. Work on your chest, shoulders, arms, and legs by engaging in various exercises.
The physical ability test will gauge if you have the cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, aerobic capacity and muscular strength, amongst others, to perform the duties of a police officer in Oregon.
As many unsuccessful applicants found out, the physical ability test for prospective cops in Oregon is no joke. Fail the test and your dreams of getting into the academy are immediately thrown out of the window. You should invest in the “Prepare Yourself for the Academy” guide here.
This guide will teach you everything you know about the police application process. Learn how to train for the physical ability test by reading this guide. You can also get more tips on how to pass the other parts of the recruitment like the written test and the panel interview.
Written Test
Once you have successfully passed the physical ability test, you will then take the written test. Whether you want to be part of the Salem police department or the Gresham police department, you should be mentally sharp.
The written test is composed of five parts. These are vocabulary with 20 total questions, as well as spelling which has the same number of queries. Your spelling skills will also be put to the test with 20 questions, as well as your ability to use the right punctuation marks. Finally, there are also questions to test your mathematical skills and reading comprehension.
You can get more information on the written exam by clicking on this link.
Panel Interview
If you successful pass the physical ability and written tests, then you qualify to the next phase of the recruitment process which is the panel interview or oral board interview. The interviewers will be asking questions designed to determine your competency as a potential cop. As in other parts of the screening process you need to pass this interview if you want to get admitted into the police academy.
Once you pass the oral board interview, you will be subjected to the pre-offer psychological exam. This part of the recruitment process assesses whether you are psychologically suited for a career in the law enforcement field. There are two written psychological tests employed in this phase—the California Psychological Inventory, and the other is the Personal History Questionnaire. The test results are evaluated by licensed psychologists.
Screening and Background Investigation
Integrity is important in the police ranks, and your integrity will be scrutinized in the screening and background investigation phases. In the screening phase, you will be asked for documents and personal history information such as your previous employment, credit card history, and educational background.
All the pieces of information that you provided will be verified by an investigator, who will interview your family members, neighbors, friends, and former coworkers. Should the investigator have an adverse finding, like you lying about your personal history, your application will be dropped.
You will then be scheduled for an interview, this time with the police commanders consisting of captains and majors. The interview lasts typically 30 minutes, with behavioral based questions usually being asked.
It is in this point of the hiring process that you’ll learn if you will be given a conditional job offer. If you are not lucky, the panel can give tips and advice on how to improve your performance in case you decide to re-apply in the future.
You may be presented with a conditional job offer pending other requirements like medical screening, psychological evaluation and availability of a pre-academy class