The police academy is intended for individuals who are committed and ready to invest in preparing for a career in law enforcement. It is both mentally and physically challenging, which is why it is so important to be prepared. Well prepared individuals will experience less stress and will be more successful during their training period.  Here are a few tips on how you can prepare for the police academy.

Get Ready. Schedule a physical with your doctor and get your overall health in check. Smokers need to stop smoking ASAP!

Start Working Out NOW. The police academy has a very physically intense workout program. You should start working out 3-6 months before you enroll. Workouts should include cardiovascular, stretching, and weight training exercises. To be sure that you can pass the fitness tests, you will want to be able to run 1.5 miles in less than 11 minutes and 30 seconds. You should be able to do 60 sit-ups in less than 2 minutes, and 60 pushups in the same amount of time.

Clean Up Your Look. Get you appearance in check. At the academy you will be representing yourself and your school. Because of this, it is very important to look your best and abide by all appearance guidelines. According to the Cadet Handbook, these guidelines are as follows:

• Females: Hair shall be worn so that it does not extend beyond the bottom of the collar.  It may be combed over the ears, but in no case will it be permitted to extend more than two inches below the bottom of the ear nor more than two inches in front of the ears. Hair that it styled or combed forward shall be no lower on the forehead than of an inch above the highest point of the eyebrows.  Long hair shall be pinned up and arranged so that it is above the bottom of the collar and lays flat on the back of the head.  No decorations shall be worn in the hair.  Hair clips or pins that match the color of the hair may be worn.  No hairpieces shall be worn.
• Males:  Hair shall not extend over the ear and shall not touch the collar.  Sideburns shall be neatly trimmed and shall not extend past the center of the ear.  No beards are allowed.  Mustaches shall be neatly trimmed and shall not extend beyond the corner of the mouth.
• Fingernails shall be clean and trimmed so that they will not interfere with classroom activities or pose a safety hazard to other Cadets during training.  Nails shall not extend beyond the end of fingertips.  Any fingernail polish used shall be a clear color.
• Wedding bands, medical identification bracelets, and watches are the only items of jewelry that may be worn with the either the Class A or B uniform.  For safety reasons no jewelry shall be worn while in Class C uniforms.  No earrings or body piercing jewelry, visible or not, is permitted.
• Tattoos of all kinds are generally not authorized to be visible while in uniform.  Many agencies require employees to cover tattoos while in uniform which means that employees with tattoos visible on the lower part of the arm must wear a long sleeve shirt at all times while on duty.

Get Organized. You will be expected to come to class every day prepared to work hard. You will also have a lot of paperwork and deadlines to keep track of. Get a daily planner and start organizing your life as soon as possible. This way it will be easier for you once you start training.

Eliminate the Extra Stress in Your Life. Be sure to have your personal life in order before you attend the police academy. The police academy will take a lot of you mentally so you shouldn’t have a lot of other things to worry about. There will not be time for outside distractions once you are in the academy.

Keep it Real! Individuals with a positive and enthusiastic attitude will be most successful in the police academy. Give it your all and make the most of your time in training.

In Boston, for example,  police officers must go through a period of training at the police academy before going on their first assignments.

Police Academy Qualifications:

• Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ written police examination, which is administrated every two years
• Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Physical Agility Test
• Medical and psychological examinations
• Extensive background checks

There are other requirements to become a Boston Police Officer, such as:

• Be a resident of the city of Boston (for at least one year prior to taking the exam)
• Be a U.S. citizen
• Have a valid Massachusetts driver’s license
• Have a high school diploma, GED certificate, or have previously served in the United States Armed Forces for at least 3 years
• Be at least 21 years old

Other states will have similar tests and requirements for joining their state’s police academy.

Once accepted into the Boston Police Academy, individuals undergo an intense six-month training program which covers:

1. Physical Training
2. Self Defense
3. Defensive Driving
4. Constitutional Law and Criminal Law
5. Crisis Intervention/Conflict Resolution
6. Patrol Procedures and Traffic Control
7. Firearm Training
8. Emergency Response and First Aid
9. Domestic Violence, Racism, Civil Rights

Graduating from the Boston Police Academy and becoming a police officer has many benefits, including promotional opportunities, a full retirement plan, educational incentives, paid holidays, and a starting base salary of $46,000.

If you think you have what it takes to succeed in the field of law enforcement, check out a career as a police officer!

Source: City of Boston Police Department, www.cityofboston.gov/police/exam.asp, 2010