Preparing To Be A Police Officer

Preparing for the Police Officer Hiring Process

Applying to be a police officer can seem like an overwhelming process, but not if you’ve done the prep work in advance.

Requirements

• Must be aged 21 to 35 (see FAQ’s below for exception)
• Must be a US citizen or a permanent resident of the US

AND

• a Bachelor’s Degree, OR
• 60 college credit hours and 3 years active United States military duty; OR
• 60 college credit hours and 3 years as a full-time Police Officer; OR
• 60 college credit hours and 3 years as a full-time employee with the City of Elgin; OR
• 60 college credit hours and have participated in the Elgin Police Explorer Program with at least 4 years of participation and with not less than 400 hours of volunteer time in the program. 
• An associate’s degree of applied science in criminal justice from Elgin Community College. 

Frequently Asked Questions - learn more about the hiring process 

What you’ll need to provide when you apply

• A copy of your driver’s license
• A copy of your birth certificate/naturalization papers
• Your college transcripts/diploma
• Your DD214 for military service
• POWER test card no more than 1 year from date of exam
• An online application submitted through our website - set up your application now