How to Become a Police Officer in Virginia

Who can apply

• You must be a U.S. citizen.
• You must be at least 18 years old.
• You must have a high school education or have passed a high school equivalency exam approved by the Board of Education.
• You must have a valid driver's license if your duties require driving.
• You must pass a fingerprint-based background investigation (Virginia Central Criminal Records Exchange and FBI) and a physical exam after a conditional job offer.
• You must not have been convicted of, or pled guilty or no contest to, a felony.
• Since July 1, 2013, you also must not have a conviction or guilty/no contest plea for a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude (such as petit larceny), any misdemeanor sex offense, or domestic assault.
• If your agency requires a pre-employment drug screen, you must not test positive without an explanation the agency accepts.

Step by step

1. Get hired by a Virginia law enforcement agency and pass its background investigation and physical exam.
2. Complete law enforcement basic training at a DCJS-certified criminal justice training academy (at least 480 hours).
3. Take the DCJS law enforcement certification exam after the academy documents that you met the basic training standards.
4. Complete at least 100 hours of field training, meeting the DCJS field training performance outcomes.
5. Your agency submits the field training completion form (Form B-13). You are certified once all requirements are met, within 12 months of your hire date.

Training and exam

Training: Virginia requires basic training at a DCJS-certified criminal justice training academy with at least 480 hours of approved training in professionalism, legal, communication, patrol, investigations, defensive tactics and use of force, weapons, and driver training. You must also complete at least 100 hours of field training. Each officer must meet every training objective and pass the testing criteria for every performance outcome.

Exam: After the academy documents that you met the basic training standards, you take the DCJS law enforcement certification exam. DCJS will not grant a time extension for failing the certification exam.

How long it takes

Basic training, the certification exam and field training must be completed within 12 months of your hire date.

Keeping your certification

Renewal: Every law enforcement officer must complete 40 hours of compulsory in-service training every two calendar years, due by December 31 of the second calendar year: 2 hours of cultural diversity, 4 hours of legal training and 34 hours of career development/elective training (no more than 4 hours of which may be firearms qualification). Firearms training requirements also apply.

Good to know in Virginia

12-month deadline: You must finish basic training, the certification exam and field training within 12 months of your hire or appointment date. DCJS can extend this for medical reasons, injury, military service or certain administrative leave, but not for failing training or the certification exam. For other reasons, such as a natural disaster or family medical leave, the director may grant an extension of up to 90 days.

Officers with prior training: The DCJS director may grant a full or partial exemption from the basic training standards to an officer with previous law enforcement experience and training (Code of Virginia 9.1-116). DCJS reviews out-of-state waivers case by case after your agency files Form W-2. Its Option 5 Out-of-State Lateral Program is for out-of-state, federal and military officers with at least 36 months of continuous experience who have been out of law enforcement for less than 24 months.

Break in service: If you are out of law enforcement for more than 24 months, you must complete the compulsory minimum training standards again when reappointed, unless the director grants an exemption.

Prior employer records: If you worked for another law enforcement agency or jail, your new agency must request your arrest, internal investigation, civil suit and job performance records from all prior agencies, and cannot employ you until it receives information from every prior Virginia agency.

Waivers and psychological exams: At the request of a sheriff or police chief, DCJS may waive the minimum qualifications for good cause. Hiring agencies may also require a psychological exam after a conditional job offer.

Sources

• Virginia DCJS - Law Enforcement
• Code of Virginia 15.2-1705 - Minimum qualifications; waiver
• 6VAC20-20-21 - Compulsory minimum training standards and requirements
• 6VAC20-20-30 - Applicability
• 6VAC20-20-40 - Time requirement for completion of training
• 6VAC20-20-70 - Attendance, testing, and grading
• 6VAC20-30-30 - Compulsory in-service training standards
• 6VAC20-30-40 - Time requirement for completion of in-service training
• Virginia DCJS - Lateral Recruits