How to Become a Police Officer in Nevada

Who can apply

• You must be a U.S. citizen.
• You must be at least 21 years old when you are appointed.
• You need a high school diploma, a GED, or another approved high school equivalency.
• A licensed physician must confirm in writing that you have no physical condition that would affect your duties.
• You must pass a full background investigation, including fingerprints, driving and financial history, a drug screen, a psychological evaluation, an implicit bias evaluation, and (for category I and II officers) a lie detector test.
• Under NRS 289.555 you cannot serve as a peace officer if you have a felony or domestic violence battery conviction (or an out-of-state misdemeanor crime of domestic violence), even if it was expunged or sealed or your civil rights were restored. You are also barred if you are listed in the National Decertification Index or were ever decertified or had a peace officer certificate revoked in Nevada or another state.
• You cannot be appointed if you have a felony conviction, a conviction involving moral turpitude or illegal drugs, a documented history of physical violence, or a firing or resignation in lieu of firing from civil service for proven dishonesty. Old marijuana offenses that are no longer crimes do not count.

Step by step

1. Get hired by a Nevada law enforcement agency, which completes the background investigation, medical exam and psychological evaluation.
2. Complete a POST-approved basic training course for your category. For category I (patrol) officers this is at least 480 hours.
3. Pass the state certification exam with a score of at least 70%.
4. Pass the state physical fitness exam for your officer category.
5. Receive your basic certificate from the POST Executive Director, within 1 year after you start work as a peace officer.

Training and exam

Training: Nevada has training categories. Category I officers (patrol, criminal investigations, traffic, crash investigations) must complete a basic course of at least 480 hours covering law, patrol and investigations, and performance skills. Category II covers specialized officers, category III covers corrections and detention officers, and reserve officers have their own course. You must finish all requirements in one course. If you are not hired by an agency within 24 months after finishing basic training, you must repeat all the basic certification requirements.

Exam: You must score at least 70% on the POST state certification exam. You must also pass the state physical fitness exam. For category I and reserve officers it is: vertical jump of at least 14 inches, 30 sit-ups in 1 minute, 23 push-ups, 300 meters in 1:08 or less, 1.5 miles in 16:57 or less, and an agility run in 19.5 seconds or less.

What it costs in Nevada

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

Keeping your certification

Renewal: To keep your basic certificate you must complete at least 12 hours of continuing education every year, covering racial profiling, mental health and crisis intervention, officer well-being, implicit bias, de-escalation, human trafficking and firearms. You must also show firearms proficiency at least twice a year and less-than-lethal weapon proficiency every year. Your agency reports completion to POST by December 31. POST suspends the certificate of an officer who does not finish within 60 days after a notice of noncompliance.

Good to know in Nevada

Certify within 1 year: You must be certified within 1 year after you start work as a peace officer. POST can extend this by up to six months for good cause. If you miss the deadline, you lose peace officer powers.

Officers certified in another state: POST may award a basic certificate by reciprocity if your out-of-state or FLETC training was at least equivalent, your certification was never revoked or suspended, no more than 60 months have passed since you worked in the other state, and you complete an 80-hour approved course on Nevada topics, pass the state certification exam with 70%, and pass any fitness test your agency requires.

Sources

• NAC Chapter 289 - Peace Officers' Standards and Training (Nevada Legislature)
• NRS Chapter 289 - including NRS 289.550 certification deadline
• Nevada POST Reciprocity Training Course
• NRS 289.555