Police Officer Requirements - Arkansas
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Minimum Requirements to be a Police Officer in Arkansas
Published: August 18, 2024
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To become a Police Officer in Arkansas, you must meet several minimum requirements set by the state's Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training (CLEST).
Here are the key qualifications:
Minimum Qualifications
Age
You must be at least 21 years old.
Citizenship
You need to be a U.S. citizen.
Education
A high school diploma or GED is required.
Driver's License
You must have a valid driver's license.
Criminal Record
You must not have any felony convictions and should be free of any criminal record that could disqualify you.
Physical and Mental Health
Candidates must pass a medical examination and meet physical requirements. A psychological examination is also required to ensure fitness for duty.
Character
A thorough background investigation is conducted to ascertain good moral character.
Arkansas State Police
The minimum qualifications for the Arkansas State Police are:
- Must be at least 20 years of age (must turn 21 by recruit school graduation)Must be a U.S. citizen
- Must possess a current driver license and in possession of the valid license
- Must be a certified high school graduate or possess a GED equivalency
- Must meet visual acuity requirements (An applicant’s vision must be sufficiently acceptable to ensure the applicant could fulfill the essential job functions of an Arkansas State Trooper. Applicants must possess binocular vision with normal color vision and depth perception and required peripheral vision of 140 degrees with a minimum visual acuity of 20/100 uncorrected, corrected to 20/20 in each eye.)
- Never convicted of a felony criminal charge
- Never convicted of a misdemeanor domestic violence charge
- No tattoos shall be visible on an applicant’s neck, hands, head or face. Arm tattoos must be able to be concealed with a flesh-colored covering that closely matches
the employees skin tone. (Arkansas State Troopers are mandated to wear short sleeve uniforms from April 15 to October 15, and long sleeve uniforms from October 16 to April 14. There are no exceptions to this policy.) **updated January 2023!
- **Note that college, military, and prior law enforcement experience are not required.
Additional steps in the hiring process typically include fingerprinting, a state and national criminal record search, and firearms qualification.
Once these requirements are met, candidates are generally required to complete training at an approved police academy.
For more detailed information on the requirements and the recruitment process, you can refer to the official resources provided by the Arkansas Department of Public Safety and other related local websites like the City of Little Rock's official page.
Do Your Research
While state-level qualifications set the baseline for becoming a police officer, individual police agencies often implement stricter hiring standards to align with their specific needs and values.
These enhanced criteria can include regulations on tattoos, facial hair, background checks, and more.
Additionally, agencies might conduct more rigorous background checks than the state requires, diving deeper into an applicant’s history, including financial records, social media activity, and past behavior, to ensure candidates meet the department's ethical and professional standards.
Be sure to conduct more research into the requirements, qualifications, and disqualifications for specific agencies so that you are well prepared before entering their hiring process.
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Disclaimer
The requirements and qualifications for becoming a police officer may be subject to change due to updates in state legislation and public safety laws.
We strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information; however, we recommend verifying with the relevant state or local law enforcement authorities to ensure compliance with the current standards and requirements.
