How to Become a Police Officer in Tennessee

Who can apply

• You must be at least 18 years old.
• You must be a U.S. citizen, or a lawful permanent resident who is an honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. armed forces.
• You must be a high school graduate or have the equivalent. POST grants no waivers of the education requirement.
• You must not have been convicted of, or pleaded guilty or no contest to, any felony, or any violation of federal or state law or city ordinance relating to force, violence, theft, dishonesty, gambling, alcohol or controlled substances.
• If you served in the military, you must not have been discharged under any conditions other than honorable.
• You must have fingerprints on file with the TBI and have good moral character as shown by a thorough background investigation.
• You must pass a physical exam and a psychological evaluation, each done no more than six months before you enter the basic academy.
• You must not have been decertified by POST or have voluntarily surrendered a law enforcement certification.

Step by step

1. Get hired as a full-time officer by a Tennessee law enforcement agency.
2. Complete the pre-employment requirements: fingerprints with the TBI, background investigation, physical exam and psychological evaluation.
3. Until you attend the academy, work paired with a field training officer or other certified officer.
4. Enroll in a POST-approved Basic Law Enforcement Course (at least 488 hours) within six months of being hired.
5. Pass every component of the course with a score of at least 75 percent.
6. Your agency and academy director send verification to POST, and POST issues your certification.

Training and exam

Training: POST requires a Basic Law Enforcement Course of at least 488 hours. Required blocks include 120 hours of patrol procedures, 50 hours of criminal and constitutional law, 48 hours each of firearms, physical defense tactics and emergency vehicle operations, 30 hours of human relations, 25 hours of interpersonal communications, 16 hours of community policing (including de-escalation and duty to intervene), and 10 hours of emergency medical training. You need at least 75 percent on each component. The state academy (TLETA) runs four 12-week Basic Police Schools each year; other POST-approved academies also exist.

Exam: Tennessee has no separate state licensing exam. You must score at least 75 percent on each component of the Basic Law Enforcement Course. If you fail a portion, you return to the same academy to make it up; if you fail the makeup, you must retake the entire course.

How long it takes

You must enroll in the basic course within six months of hire. TLETA's Basic Police School lasts 12 weeks.

Keeping your certification

Renewal: Every certified officer (except those who attended the basic course that calendar year) must complete a POST-approved 40-hour in-service training session each calendar year. Only full-time certified officers who complete it are eligible for state supplement pay.

Good to know in Tennessee

Officers from other states: POST can certify an officer trained in another state if the training is at least equivalent to Tennessee's basic course. You must enroll in the POST-approved three-week Transition School within six months of being hired.

Six-month deadline: You must enroll in the basic course within six months of starting as a law enforcement officer. Time served at any Tennessee agency counts toward the six months.

Break in service: Certified officers with a break of more than three but less than seven years must attend the three-week Transition School within six months of returning. A break of seven years or more means repeating the full basic course.

Certification is tied to employment: Your certification becomes inactive when you leave full-time employment with an agency. Each new employer must file a new application for certification.

Waivers: If you do not meet a POST certification requirement (other than the education requirement, which is never waived), your agency can seek a waiver from the POST Commission under Rule 1110-09.

Sources

• Tennessee POST Commission
• Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy (TLETA)
• Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1110-02-.03 - Certification requirements (Cornell LII)
• Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1110-07-.01 - Basic Law Enforcement Course (Cornell LII)
• Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1110-04-.01 - In-service training (Cornell LII)