Philadelphia has a huge population of more than 1.5 million people, which is why it has the fourth largest police force in the nation consisting of more than 6,600 employees. The crime rate is often high on the streets of Philadelphia, so employing excellent police officers is mandatory. The city itself is always looking to add new recruits to strengthen the force, so if you see yourself in uniform in the future, have a look at some of the below steps you’ll need to take beforehand.

Earn the Right Qualifications

The Philadelphia Police Department thrives on officers that have knowledge and experience of criminology. You’ll need to earn the right qualifications and gain the right work experience before they even look at your application. You’ll need at least sixty college credits, which must be accredited by an official learning institution, but you’ll also need two years’ military experience.

Get the Relevant Work Experience

Landing a job on the force isn’t easy and it’s not just military experience and the right qualifications that are needed. If you wanted to start out as an officer and later dip into the forensics industry, you’ll need to earn an online masters in criminal justice using a criminal justice degree online program. Once you have such qualifications, it’s time to get experience in law enforcement for at least two years to be considered for a police officer role.

Ensure You’re Fighting Fit

While people of different builds and sizes work for the police force, they do look for officers who are fit and healthy. You’ll need to make sure you have a good eyesight and your hearing is excellent as standard, but also being able to run for prolonged periods of time is also beneficial.

Complete the Tough Examinations

The police force has many rigid examinations that need to be passed to be considered for a police officer role. These examinations are both written and physical examinations, so ensuring you’re fit as well as knowledgeable is mandatory. Reading ability tests, 1.5 mile runs, sit ups, and bench presses are all common exams that need to be passed with flying colors.

Training Academy

If you’ve been one of the lucky select few candidates that have been considered, you’ll next face over 1,000 hours of physical, mental, and tactical training at the police training academy. This is one of the toughest steps of becoming a police officer and it’s often the step that most candidates fail. It’s also the training step that puts many people off wanting to become a police officer.

Becoming a police officer in Philadelphia is far from easy and you’ll have to be motivated and physically fit to have any chance of being considered. It’s not just physical work that’s needed to make a successful police officer either – it’s also having the ability to make quick decisions and having a full knowledge of criminology. If you ever get selected for the police training academy after working so hard to earn the right qualifications, just remember that the real fun starts then.