Alabama Police Academy Requirements

Alabama Police Academy Training

Alabama’s police academy requirements include a curriculum of approximately 920 hours of registered instructions.  All training aids and materials are furnished.  Academy training is based on a five day week, eight hour per day schedule and lasts approximately 20 weeks.  Subjects taught include search and seizure, criminal law, patrol procedures, police community relations and first aid, firearms, defensive tactics and physical fitness.  A recruit must successfully complete all training requirements of the State of Alabama and the local police department.

Alabama Police Academy Age Requirement

Applicants are required to be 21 years of age prior to employement as a Police Officer, however, students who are at least 18 years old may be admitted to the training program.

Residency and Citizenship Requirement

Applicants must be a resident of Alabama and possess a valid Alabama driver’s license upon appointment as a State Police Cadet.  Applicants must be a United States citizen at the time of initial application.

Alabama Police Academy Educational Requirement

Applicants must possess a high school diploma or General Equivalency Degree (GED) time of application.  Correspondence or mail-order high school diplomas are not accepted. If you question the validity of your diploma, you may contact the Alabama Department of Education at (334) 242-8059.

Applicant will be required to take a written/oral examination, psychological test, as well as a polygraph examination. Additionally, Alabama does not allow non-sworn trainees, meaning that applicants must have a job prior to applying to a police academy. Once in the job, the department will help arrange for academy training.

Automatic Disqualification Factors

Applicants are advised that the Alabama State Police will automatically disqualify any applicant who does not meet the general requirements as detailed above.  In addition, the following information is provided regarding our criteria for automatic disqualification:

• Falsification, omission, or misrepresentation of any information during the completion of the Polygraph Screening Booklet, the Polygraph Examination, the Formal Application for Employment, and any other documents/processes associated with the Cadet Selection Procedures.
• Substance abuse/use within a prescribed time frame and/or that is beyond what is considered experimental by the Alabama State Police.
• Criminal arrests/behavior which would not reflect well on the Alabama State Police.

The core purpose of the Alabama State Police is to seek justice, preserve peace, and improve the quality of life for all.  As such, the Department has established the core values of Honor, Service, Integrity, Respect, Trust, Courage, and Duty, and is seeking applicants who possess these traits and conduct themselves accordingly.  Certain issues within a person’s background have been identified which will result in automatic disqualification, including but not limited to:  criminal conduct (actual arrest and/or admission of behavior whether or not arrested) and substance abuse.

A preliminary determination will be made by the Alabama State Police based upon information supplied; therefore, applicants must be forthright and honest in documenting their conduct.  Be advised that this preliminary determination is not binding as it is made based upon information provided by the applicant only.  Should an applicant continue in the selection process, the conduct will then be discussed and documented with a Alabama State Police Officer.

Applicants are advised that all information provided to the Alabama State Police is to contain no misrepresentation, falsification, omissions, or concealment of material fact and that, upon submission of any official document (on-line or otherwise), applicants swear or affirm that all information provided is true, complete, and correct to the best of their knowledge and belief.  Applicants are further advised that all information provided is subject to later investigation.

Alabama Police Academy Physical Readiness Test

The tests and standards have been validated to ensure that an applicant, if selected to an Academy class, will have a reasonable chance of success in attaining a higher standard of Physical Readiness during cadet training. Failure of any one test excludes the applicant from further processing.

Academy physical training requires a great deal of physical strength and stamina.  Both the written test and the physical abilities test are designed to measure an applicant’s ability to perform satisfactorily at the Training Academy and on the State’s Minimum Standards test.  The physical abilities test may include such tasks as:

Applicant will be required to pass a physical agility/ability examination.

Agility course involves:

• A timed run of 150 yards while completing the below listed requirements.
• Pushing a vehicle on a level surface for 15 feet. (Running for 50 yards)
• Climbing a 6 foot fence. (Running for 50 yards)
• Climbing through a 2 foot square window frame. (Running for 25 yards)
• Walking a balance beam for 15 feet. (Running for 25 yards)
• Dragging a weighted object (165 lbs) a distance of 15 feet.

The above 7 requirements must all be completed within a designated time frame.

Ability portion involves:

• Completing 25 sit-ups in 60 seconds.
• Completing 22 push-ups in 60 seconds.
• Completing a 1.5 mile run in 15 minutes and 28 seconds.

NOTE:  The eligibility requirements are subject to change at any time.

Questions regarding the Cadet Selection Procedures may be directed to the Alabama Department of Public Safety at:

Alabama Department of Public Safety
ATTN: Sergeant Steve Jarrett, Recruiting Officer
P.O. Box 1511, Montgomery, AL 36102-1511
334-242-4839