Michigan Police Academy Requirements

Joining a police academy is a milestone on the path to becoming a police officer. Many requirements vary from state to state, however, certain standards, such as being a citizen of the United States, are required across the board. Michigan police academy requirements consist of, in part, the following:

Age Requirement

– Applicants must be a at least 18 years of age upon entering the academy. There is no upper age limit.

Residency and Citizenship Requirement

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

Educational Requirement

Michigan Police Academy requirements for education state that the 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.

Applicant will be required to take a written/oral examination, psychological test, as well as a polygraph examination.

Automatic Disqualification Factors

Applicants are advised that the Michigan 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 Michigan State Police.
• Criminal      arrests/behavior which would not reflect well on the Michigan State      Police.

The core purpose of the Michigan 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 Michigan 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 Michigan State Police Officer.

Applicants are advised that all information provided to the Michigan 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.

Physical Readiness Test

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Candidates are required to pass all four components of the test. This is a pass/fail test.  The minimum performance standards for the MCOLES physical fitness test are displayed below. The numbers in the tables represent the “cut score”, or pass/fail point for each event. In order to pass the test, candidates must score at least the minimums listed in the tables on each of the four events.

NOTE:

The eligibility requirements are subject to change at any time.