Police Officer Requirements – Delaware

Delaware Law Enforcement Agencies

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Minimum Requirements to be a Police Officer in Delaware

  1. The applicant shall complete an application, the format of which has been approved by the Council. (See Section IV. Forms)
  2. The applicant shall be a citizen of the United States.
  3. The applicant shall have reached his/her 18th birthday as a seasonal officer and his/her 21st birthday as a full time officer.
  4. A licensed physician shall examine the applicant, at the expense of the employing agency, to determine that he/she is physically fit for normal police duties. The following shall be met:
    1. The applicant shall be free from any major impediment of the senses.
    2. The applicant shall be examined by a licensed ophthalmologist or optometrist and shall possess acuity of vision of not more than 20/200 corrected to 20/20 in each eye. The applicant shall have the ability to distinguish between the colors of red, green, and amber; and shall have no pathology of the eyes. Applicant shall also possess acceptable depth perception.
    3. The applicant shall possess normal hearing in both ears per current standards.
    4. The applicant shall have no communicable diseases.
    5. The applicant shall have no physical deformities, which would be detrimental to proper performance of police duties.
    6. The applicant must pass a drug-screening test prior to appointment or attendance at an approved police basic training Academy. The cost of the drug screening test will be absorbed by the employing agency.
  5. The applicant shall take and successfully complete a validated psychiatric / psychological test to show his/her competency to perform law enforcement duties. The applicant shall also be required to be examined in person and receive endorsement by a licensed psychologist / psychiatrist to determine that his mental and emotional stability is suitable to perform law enforcement duties (i.e. race relations, use of force and authority, flexibility and maturity). Mental exam rejection: such as psychoneurotic reaction resulting in hospitalization, prolonged care by physician or loss of time for repeated periods.
  6. The applicant shall be a high school graduate as evidenced by a diploma issued by a state accredited high school. An equivalency diploma issued by an accredited high school is acceptable.
  7. The applicant shall possess a valid driver’s license.
  8. The applicant shall be of good reputation and character. The employing department shall conduct a character and background investigation on each applicant in the form and manner as prescribed by the Council…(see form IV-14). The chief, or his designee, of the hiring department, shall interview the applicant in person and all background investigation records shall be kept on file for a period of two years for those applicants not hired and permanently for those applicants hired for inspection by the Council on Police Training or its authorized representative.
  9. The applicant shall not have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, which precludes the individual from possessing a weapon. The applicant shall be fingerprinted and a search made of local, state and national fingerprint files to disclose any criminal record; and the fingerprint cards and any identification records shall be made available for inspection to the Council on Police Training or its authorized representative. A conviction of any state or federal crime may be grounds for rejection of the applicant by the Council.
  10. The applicant shall successfully complete a written job related examination, in the form and manner as prescribed by the Council on Police Training, and the results shall be retained for a period of two years for inspection by the Council or its authorized representative. Form and manner being a validated test related to specific requirements needed to perform duties of a police officer
  11. A bad conduct or dishonorable discharge from military service shall disqualify the applicant. Any discharge, other than above, which is not honorable, may be grounds for rejection, determination to be made by the hiring agency in conjunction with the Administrator of the Council on Police Training.
  12. The weight of the applicant shall be in proportion to his/her height and build or body fat percentage as established by the Cooper Institute.