Important stuff you NEED TO KNOW to get into the Academy:

* You must be physically fit (able to run a shuttle test, do an agility test, swim 50m freestyle unaided, do sit ups, do push ups).

* You must be mentally fit (you will be assessed by a psychologist. If you are taking anti-depressants, you may not be eligble to apply).

* You must have adequate eye sight without glasses

* You must be arm to fire a gun in both right and left hands (you don’t need a license – this is more of a grip/ strength test)

* You must be reasonably bright (you have to do a spelling test and “report a crime” written test. You also need to have passed your high school certificate. University scores are not really important. These DO count, however, if you are applying for the Federal Police/ CIA, etc)

* You must not have any recent speeding fines, or ANY criminal convictions against you

Also:

* You must be able to be compassionate (There has been a real push for community policing styles nowadays, so you need to be able to show compassion, understanding and relate to minorities)

* You must be dedicated to the job (the shifts whilst “on the beat” are quite demanding, so you need to remain committed to the job

At the Academy – if the State is using the degree model, you will be there for 3 years, and have a combination of theoretical and practical assessments/ study. If the State is still on the old system, you will spend 6 months at the Academy.

After the Academy, you spend at least 2 years “on the beat”, which means you are a junior officer paired up with a senior officer to “learn the ropes” on the street. You will have alot of boring paper work to do, but YES you will see some action!

After the beat, you can apply for Detective School, which allows you to specialize as a detective, arson squad, drugs squad, or dog squad. Detective School is very competitive, so haul out your best! Otherwise, you can remain on the beat and become a senior member of the force just having street practical experience.

Good Luck!