Become a Police Officer in Florida

Becoming a police officer in Florida can be a rewarding job with good pay and benefits. It’s a competitive profession, though, and there are many certification and training steps you will need to complete to qualify. You also need to meet the basic requirements of both the state and the jurisdiction where you are applying.

Steps

Entering a Police Academy

1. Meet basic qualifications to apply to a police training academy. Florida law has established a set of minimum qualifications to become a police officer. If you meet those requirements, you can register for a police training academy, which is the first step you need to take to become a police officer in Florida.
   • You must be at least 19 years of age and a citizen of the United States to meet the state requirements to enter an academy. Most agencies will require that you have a valid driver’s license too. Some cities and counties have tougher requirements than the state’s basics. For example, in Orlando, you must be at least 21, and live within a 35-mile radius of the city limits.
   • You must have earned a high school diploma or its GED equivalent (if you want to be a correctional probation officer, you also need a bachelor’s degree). About 84.7 percent of those who enter the basic training academy (there are many sites throughout Florida that serve as these academies) pass training.
2. Pass the background check. If you try to become a police officer in Florida, the state will scrutinize your background. To facilitate the background check, you need to provide your fingerprints.
   • The state will rule you out if you have been convicted of a felony or of a misdemeanor that involves perjury or a false statement received after July 1, 1981. To work for the Highway Patrol or as a Florida Trooper, you also must not have repeated traffic violations or a domestic violence conviction.
   • You cannot become a Florida police officer if you have received a dishonorable discharge from any branch of the United States Armed Forces.
   • You must have good moral character as determined by the background investigation. This investigation follows Standards and Training Commission procedures. You will be required to undergo an interview to satisfy this requirement.
3. Pass a Do a Health Assessment. You will need to pass a physical examination in order to qualify to be a police officer in Florida.
   • This physical examination can be performed by a licensed physician, physician assistant or registered nurse practitioner.
   • You may not pass the physical examination if you are 20 pounds over the recommended weight for your height. Different counties will have different physical requirements in addition to this basic state requirement. For example, Miami-Dade requires that candidates pass a physical agility test and a toxicology screen.
4. Review the different requirements for various counties and professions. The state has a set of requirements; however, as noted, different counties in Florida may also have extra requirements of their own. If you don’t care where in Florida you work, you will have more options. If you are limited to a certain geographical area, research that county or city’s rules.
   • For example, in some counties, you will need to have an associate’s degree or higher in order to qualify even though the state only requires a high school diploma.
   • Even in counties that don’t require a higher level degree, having one can sometimes qualify you to receive an incentive bonus payment every month. Some counties, such as Miami-Dade, have very specific vision requirements. For example, Miami-Dade requires that your eyesight be 20/50 in each eye without corrective lenses of any kind. With glasses, each eye should be 20/30.Miami-Dade also requires a polygraph examination.
   • Requirements to be a Florida sheriff's deputy are similar to those for becoming a police officer, but they vary slightly. To become a sheriff’s deputy, you must be at least 18, a U.S. citizen, have a high school diploma or GED, have a valid Florida driver’s license, and pass a background check, and a vision, medical, psychological and fitness evaluations and a polygraph test.

Completing the Required Training

1. Complete the training for new officers. You will need to complete a Basic Abilities Test to become a police officer in Florida after you’ve entered an academy.
   • This test is called the BAT, and you can get it at most police officer training schools. It is only available in the state of Florida. It’s a job task analysis that predicts the likelihood a person will succeed in basic recruit training and the State Officer Certification Examination.
   • The results of the BAT test remain valid for a four-year period. Some areas the BAT will assess include written comprehension; information ordering; spatial orientation; memorization; problem sensitivity; and inductive and deductive reasoning. It is a multiple-choice test that can be taken on the computer or with paper and pencil format.
   • If you are a new officer crossing over from another discipline, you can instead complete a Cross Over Training Program for your discipline. You must receive the training at a Commission-certified training school. Cross over training is for disciplines related to being a police officer. For example, you could qualify for cross-over training if you are already a correctional officer.
2. Complete the training for former police officers. If you’ve had less than a 4-year break in service, you won’t need to undergo new training because training is valid for 4 years.
   • If you were a police officer between 4 and 8 years ago in Florida, you will need to complete an equivalency of training and demonstrate proficiency in high liabilities. If you are an out-of-state, federal or military officer who is active or has less than an 8 year break in service, you will also need to complete these two steps. The equivalency of training means you will be exempt from full recruit training. Within 1 year, you will need to pass the state certification exam in your discipline.
   • If you were a Florida police officer more than 8 years ago, you will need to complete the BAT test or the cross over training program.
3. Sign up for the BAT test. The test is offered at Commission-certified training centers, selection centers and some agencies. The BAT test is a requirement of Florida state law.
   • There will likely be some fees, but you should contact the testing site to obtain them as they vary by site. The same is true of scheduling information.
   • Test providers offer study guides and practice tests. The state provides a list of providers, including ranking them by percentage with passing score.You cannot take the BAT test more than three times during any year.

Passing the State Officer Certification Exam

1. Take and pass the Certification Exam required by the state. You can register for this exam online. This exam is often called SOCE..
   • You will have three attempts to pass the exam after you complete required training. You can take the exam at authorized test sites throughout Florida. There are many test sites available, some in public and some in private sites. Many are at local colleges.
   • It will cost at least $100 to take the exam. You may have to pay some additional fees that vary by test site. The exam is administered by Pearson VUE. You cannot schedule your exam until the Florida Department of Law Enforcement authorizes it based on your completion of the required training.
   • You can make the appointment for the exam up to one calendar day before the day you wish to take the test.
2. Review the candidate handbooks provided by the state. To increase your chances of passing this exam, you could review the detailed handbooks
   • These registration guides, handbook, and FAQs are available online through the Florida Department of Law enforcement. They provide detailed instructions on how to create your exam web account and what to expect.
   • In order to schedule an exam, you will be asked to supply your legal name, date of birth, form of payment and name of the examination you were authorized to take. If you fail the test, you can submit an exam review, providing written explanation for your incorrect answers. These explanations will be reviewed by subject matter experts. They will inform you within 30 days whether you have still failed.

Obtain a Certificate of Compliance

1. Seek a job. Once you apply for a police officer job in Florida, you will undergo a series of other tests and investigations that are unique to the jurisdiction you’ve applied at.
   • For example, if you apply to be a police officer in Orlando, you will undergo a departmental background investigation and undergo a polygraph test.
   • In Orlando, you will also be asked to undergo a medical and psychological examination to assess whether you can handle the stressful aspects of being a police officer. You will also need to take a physical agility test that requires the completion of 15 push-ups in one minute, 25-sit ups in one minute, and a {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} run in less than 18 minutes. Many jurisdictions have similar requirements.
2. Obtain a certificate of compliance. Once you obtain a job, your employer must apply for a “Certificate of Compliance” from the state.
   • You will not get this certificate if you have not completed the required training, passed the Certification Exam, and have processed fingerprints on file with the employing agency.
   • The records section of the state will issue the certification.

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