How to Become a Police Officer in Indiana

Who can apply

• You must be a U.S. citizen.
• You must be 21 by the date your basic training ends.
• You need a high school diploma, an equivalency diploma, or a college degree.
• You need a valid driver's license from your state of residence.
• You must pass the hiring department's character and background investigation, including a fingerprint check.
• You cannot have a felony conviction, or any other crime or pattern of crimes showing you may be dangerous, violent, or likely to break the law.
• A dishonorable military discharge disqualifies you; any other non-honorable discharge may be grounds for rejection.
• You must pass a reading and writing exam before acceptance into training, and be physically able to complete the academy safely.

Step by step

1. Get hired by an Indiana police department or sheriff's office. ILEA says you cannot enroll yourself; your department sends you to the academy.
2. Complete the 40-hour pre-basic course (criminal law, traffic law, use of force, and a handgun qualification). This lets you work with police powers during your first year.
3. Pass the entrance standard on the ILEA Physical Agility Test (4:08 or faster, from August 1, 2026).
4. Attend and pass Tier I basic training (at least 600 hours, about 16 weeks residential at ILEA in Plainfield or a satellite academy), or Tier II (400 hours plus 40 hours home study) if your agency is a Tier II agency.
5. Meet the exit fitness standard (3:58 on the Physical Agility Test).
6. Finish basic training within one year of the date you became a sworn, paid officer, or you lose your arrest powers until you complete it.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: Tier I basic training is a minimum of 600 hours. At ILEA it is a 16-week residential course covering law, investigations, de-escalation, mental health response, driving, defensive tactics, firearms, use of force and fitness. Tier I is also taught at the Indianapolis Metropolitan, Fort Wayne, Northwest Indiana, Southwest Indiana, Indiana University and Indiana State Police academies. Tier II is 400 hours at ILEA plus 40 hours of home study, and only qualifies you for the smaller agencies listed in 250 IAC 2-4-1; moving to a Tier I agency means taking Tier I. Before any of this, new hires take the 40-hour pre-basic course.

Exam: The state requires a reading and writing exam before acceptance into training (the department running the training sets the passing score). Basic training includes written and practical tests; you need at least 75% on every written exam and a passing score on every practical exam. You may ask to retake a failed exam (employed officers need their chief's endorsement); failing a second time disqualifies you unless the Board allows a third and final attempt. Out-of-state waiver applicants must pass Indiana's criminal and traffic law tests, a comprehensive written exam and practical skills exams.

What it costs in Indiana

Fixed amounts are set by the state. Items marked “your quote” are priced by private sellers, so enter what you’re quoted.

How long it takes

Basic training must be finished within one year of your hire date. The Tier I course at ILEA runs about 16 weeks.

Keeping your certification

Renewal: Officers must complete at least 24 hours of in-service training every calendar year, including 2 hours of firearms, 2 hours of police vehicle operation and 4 hours of hands-on defensive tactics, plus state-mandated topics such as mental illness, addiction and disabilities, de-escalation, human trafficking and officer wellness. An officer who has not finished by December 31 loses law enforcement authority on January 1.

Good to know in Indiana

Physical Agility Test: Starting August 1, 2026, the ILEA Physical Agility Test is the fitness standard for all Indiana law enforcement. The entrance standard is 4:08 and the exit standard is 3:58.

One-year deadline: You must complete basic training within one year of being hired as a sworn, paid officer. If you do not, you lose your arrest powers and can only regain them by completing basic training.

Officers from other states: From July 1, 2026, an officer who finished a state-approved academy elsewhere and worked at least 10 years full time (in good standing, and as an officer within the last 6 years) may get a partial waiver of basic training. Officers with less than 10 years may qualify if their academy met Indiana's hours and they have at least one year of paid full-time experience. Waiver officers must complete Indiana's law curriculum and tests, a comprehensive written exam, skills exams and an EMS Awareness course within one year of hire.

Reserve academy graduates: A graduate of an LETB-certified Reserve Officer Academy may get a waiver of Tier II basic training if hired by a Tier II-eligible agency. The Board may require passing some or all Tier II exams.

Sources

• ILEA - Basic Training Tier I
• ILEA - Frequently Asked Questions
• ILEA - Physical Fitness Standards
• ILEA - All-New Prebasic Course
• ILEA - Mandated In-Service Training
• ILEA - Basic Course Schedules Tier I and Tier II
• 250 IAC 2-3-1 - Citizenship and age (Cornell LII)
• 250 IAC 2-3-3 - Education (Cornell LII)
• 250 IAC 2-3-6 - Criminal convictions (Cornell LII)
• 250 IAC 2-3-7 - Reading and writing exam (Cornell LII)
• 250 IAC 2-3-8 Military discharge; effect on qualification
• 250 IAC 2-2-4 Passing score; reexaminations