Wisconsin is fortunate because crime statistics in this state shows a downward trend in crime based data from 11 years when violent crime and property crime were increasing. From the data gathered from the report, Wisconsin’s crime rate in 2014 is expected to be lower than in 2010.
At that time, the crime rate in Wisconsin’s lower than the average national violent crime rate by 41.34% and the state property crime rate was higher than the national average by 1.03%. But we cannot dispense of the vital services of police officers because without them, it is easy for the crime rate to rise again.
Wisconsin Law Enforcement Certification Standards
The police academy requirements in Wisconsin are designed so that only police officers of high standards will be produced. Aside from these requirements the five police departments we’ve included here also have their own respective criteria for those who want to join their ranks.
In any case, here are the most basic requirements:
- Must possess a valid driver’s license or be eligible for a WI Driver’s license.
- Must be at least 18 years of age. A birth or naturalization certificate should be ready for it may be required for authentication.
- Must have no federal felony convictions or any offense, unless the applicant has been granted an absolute or unconditional pardon.
- Must have a Wisconsin high school diploma by an accredited educational institution, or have passed the GED (general education development) test or any other test recommended by the Wisconsin department of public instruction.
- Must possess a 2 year associate degree from a Wisconsin technical college or its accredited equivalent or a minimum of 60 fully accredited college credit units – if applicant wants employment as a tribal law enforcement officer.
- Must be of good moral character.
- Must be free from any physical, emotional or mental condition which might affect the performance of his duties as a police officer.
- Must have a background investigation conducted by or on behalf of an employer.
- Must complete a personal medical history to be submitted to an examining physician.
Physical Fitness Standards
As part of the pre-qualification process, you will be asked to undergo a series of physical fitness tests. The results will give them an idea if you can take the physical demands of a police officer’s job.
Their physical fitness test standards consist of seven events.
- One rep maximum (1 RM) bench press
- Vertical jump
- One minute sit up
- One minute push up
- Maximum pull up
- 1.5 mile run
- 300 meter run
Milwaukee Police Department
Becoming a police officer in Milwaukee has its perks. For one, the pay is really good. The starting salary of a police officer in the Milwaukee Police Department is $42,561 and higher.
In addition to the state qualifications, you also need to meet the following requirements:
- Must be a resident of Milwaukee within six months of appointment and throughout employment.
- Must be honorably discharged if coming from the military.
- Must have no misdemeanor crime of domestic violence conviction.
- Must pass a thorough background check within the last two years from the date of application.
For more details regarding their recruitment process, you can visit http://city.milwaukee.gov/.
Madison Police department
If you will join the ranks of police officers in the Madison Police Department, you can expect a $$45,671 starting salary with a raise in 6 months around $50,000. But aside from state qualifications, you also have to satisfy their minimum requirements.
- Must meet their occupation health standard.
- Must have no felony convictions (unless pardoned by the Governor of the State).
- Must have no domestic violence conviction.
- Must have no conviction record or pending charge which substantially relates to the work of a police officer.
- Must have a two-year associate degree or sixty credits from an accredited college at the time of hiring, or meet this requirement within five years.
You can get additional details about this at http://www.cityofmadison.com/Police/joinTeam/applicant.cfm.
Green Bay Police department
The average salary of a police officer in the Green Bay Police Department is $48,417. This is an attractive remuneration but you need to meet their minimum qualifications first, alongside the requirements of the state.
- Must be willing to submit to a background check administered by the Green Bay Police Department.
- Must have no felony arrests or convictions.
- Must have an associate degree in Police Science or a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university.
- There is no residency required.
- Must pass a written exam, a polygraph test, physical agility test, psychological exam, drug test and oral interviews.
For further information, visit http://www.gbpolice.org/?page_id=372.
Kenosha Police department
You can join the ranks of police officers in this department where you can expect to get a starting salary of $51,084. However, aside from the state qualifications, you need to satisfy their requirements.
- Must be able to speak and understand the English language.
- Must have completed a two year associate degree or a minimum of 60 fully accredited college level credits within 5 years of the date of hire
- Must have no physical, mental or emotional conditions which could adversely affect ability to perform the essential duties of a police officer.
- Must meet the vision standard set by the City.
- Must be able to meet residency requirement.
- Must have no loss of hearing within normal voice range.
If you want more information, just visit http://www.theblueline.com/feature/WIkenosha5.html.
Racine Police department
Your salary, if accepted as a police officer in the Racine Police Department is $49,175. But first, you need to meet their minimum requirements, on top of those required by the state.
- Must pass their physical fitness tests, as well as mental evaluation exercises.
- It is recommended that you request to go for a ride-a-long in order to evaluate if this is the right job for you.
- There are departments that require/offer sponsorships, and will pay your salary during your free training. If not, you will pay for your academy training.
- Must undergo a background check.
- Must have no excessive traffic citations, and past criminal offenses.
- A 4 year degree is highly recommended, and often required.
You can get further details about their recruitment process at http://www.police-depts.com/wi/racine/racine-police-department.
Conclusion
Your acceptance in the police academy will not only be based on your mental capacity, but also your physical fitness. Even if you pass all their written exams but you don’t know how to prepare for the police academy fitness tests, you might not be able to meet their physical standards.
The best way to physically prepare yourself is to visit the website www.PrepareForThePoliceAcademy.com. This website offers you a study guide which you can use to effectively ace all your physical and written exams.