Police Academy Requirements in Texas

The hiring process for law enforcement positions can take up to six months. In most cases, some or all of the following steps will be involved:

Completion of a detailed employment application and personal history statement
A written examination (differs from agency to agency, depending on whether the department falls under state civil service regulations, and may measure basic reading comprehension and writing skills, general intelligence, and/or specific knowledge)
A physical agility test (usually administered as a timed course designed to measure occupation-related tasks such as changing a tire, dragging of a dummy body a certain distance, sprinting, broad jumping, scaling a wall, etc)
An initial interview with one or more police officials
An extensive background investigation for the purpose of ascertaining an applicant’s character, maturity level, integrity and suitability for police work
A physical examination by a physician to determine if an applicant is in sound health
A drug screening test to detect use of any illicit drugs
A psychological examination by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist, usually including standardized tests to detect serious psychological disorders and potential psychological problems
A polygraph examination (“lie detector”) validate applicant’s answers to interview questions
An oral review board (group interview) often consisting of scenario situations and problem-solving exercises, designed to measure the applicant’s decision-making ability, knowledge of the law and general law enforcement procedures, and ethical factors