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The first step to becoming a police officer is to know which departments are hiring. You can often find out which departments are hiring by reading the classified section in your local newspapers. Other sources include the internet job sites or by visiting a specific department's web site.

Law enforcement, although a science, is not a true profession as there is no such thing as a lateral transfer between police agencies. A resume is useless in law enforcement. All applicants, regardless of education, prior experience all go through the same hiring process with any reputable police department.

That means that a 20-year veteran who retires from one department must start at the beginning at another department. All rank and seniority is lost. That includes taking a pay cut and accepting a starting salary and passing all of the pre-employment test just like every other applicant.

So, when a department is hiring, the second step is to simply get a job application.

Be sure to fill it out completely and honestly. Don't try to omit or lie about anything. Remember you are applying for a job with a police department. They will find out.

Next, all job applications must be turned in before the dead line. If you fail to turn your application in before the dead line, don't waste your time whining to the department. Rules are rules. Whining and complaining will earn you no points and may hurt you during future hiring sessions.

After the job application is timely turned in, you will receive notice as to what the next step is. Typically, the next step involves a written test. You will receive the date, time and location where the written test will be administered. The test is designed to weed out those who lack the intelligence to become a police officer.

Most pre-employment written exams will require at least a score of 80% or higher to pass. Those who fail to score 80% on the written exam cannot proceed any further in the hiring process and are eliminated as a candidate.

Once you pass the written exam, a physical test usually follows. Sometimes the physical test is held shortly after the written exam and sometimes it is days or weeks later. The timing depends on the preference of the department.

The physical test consists of push-ups, sit-ups, seat-and-reach and 1-2 mile run.

All of the test must be passed within pre-determined requirements. Age is factored into the pre-determined passing requirements. For example, a 21 year police applicant may be required to complete at least 33 push-ups within one minute. A 45 year old applicant may be required to complete 20 push-ups within one minute.

For those applicants who successfully pass both the written exam and physical test, an interview is usually the next step. Depending on the department, one or more interviews may be in order. Some departments require at least two interviews. One interview with a Civil Service Commission and an interview with the department's administrative staff responsible for hiring new officers. Often, the Civil Service Commission will interview all of the remaining applicants and comprise a smaller list of applicants based on the results of the interviews.

That smaller list is then provided to the hiring department and another round of interviews are conducted by the department itself to identify which applicants they would like to hire.

Once you successfully get through one or multiple interviews, you will likely receive a 'conditional offer of employment'. You will be very close now to becoming a police officer.

The conditional offer of employment is contingent on you passing a background check, thorough physical examination by a doctor and passing a physiological test.

A thorough background check is done by the department. An investigator will compile a great deal of information about you and your past, criminal history, verify things you said in interviews and on your application. The investigator will speak your family members, friends, teachers, old bosses and so on. An investigator will speak with you as well during the background check and create a profile.

Once the investigator conducting the extensive background check is satisfied you are who you say you are and won't become a liability for the department he forwards his findings through the proper channels.

A physical examination is also conducted. The physical is quite extensive and usually done over a series of days. The physical includes tests to measure your eye site, blood pressure and to measure the health of your heart and lungs.

After passing the background check, a psychological test and evaluation are conducted. An MMPI or (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory) is the administered test. It is a long test and is evaluated by persons in the mental health field after you complete it. You may also have to undergo an interview with a psychologist.

If you are mentally competent to become a police officer, a recommendation is made based on the results of the MMPI and the interview with the psychologist.

It's not over. Once you accept a police officer job, the next step is to attend a police academy and become a certified peace officer. During the first year of being hired by a police department, new recruits are considered probationary officers and must successfully complete the probation period to become a permanent employee.

To pass the probationary period, you must successfully graduate from a police academy which can last anywhere from 3-6 months. Once you do graduate you must then enter into field training where a field training officer; also known as an FTO, is assigned to you to provide you with on the job training.

The field training program can last anywhere from 3-6 months as well. Sometimes longer when new recruits struggle with aspects of the job. After you successfully complete all of the above steps you will become a permanent police officer.