Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; State POST commissions and legislatures, State peace officer standards: statutes, administrative rules and POST commission pages. Data captured September 30, 2026.
How to become a police officer in Arizona
- Certifying body
- Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board (AZPOST)
- Certification
- AZPOST peace officer certification (full-authority peace officer; specialty peace officer category also exists)
- Minimum age
- 21; a candidate may attend the academy if they will turn 21 before graduating (A.A.C. R13-4-105(A)(2)).
- Education
- Diploma from a high school recognized by the issuing jurisdiction's department of education, a GED, a homeschool diploma or certificate recognized as high-school equivalent, an Arizona private-school diploma/certificate/transcript with the administrator's signed affirmation of high-school equivalence, or a degree from an institution accredited by a U.S. Department of Education-recognized accreditor (R13-4-105(A)(3)).
- Citizenship
- U.S. citizen (R13-4-105(A)(1)).
- Disqualifiers
- Any felony conviction (or an offense that would be a felony in Arizona). Dishonorable discharge. Peace-officer certification previously denied, revoked, currently suspended, or surrendered in lieu of discipline in any state, where the reason would violate R13-4-109(A). Ever illegally possessing, producing, cultivating or transporting marijuana for sale, or selling marijuana; ever illegally selling, producing, cultivating or transporting for sale a dangerous drug or narcotic. Illegal marijuana possession or use within the past 6 months (version effective 9/5/2025; previously 2 years). Illegal dangerous-drug or narcotic possession or use within 7 years, more than 5 times in total, or more than once since age 21. Steroids or non-prescribed Adderall within 3 years. Any illegal drug use as a peace officer. A pattern of prescription-medication abuse, or traffic violations within 3 years showing disregard for traffic laws or safety. Applicants must also pass a background investigation (R13-4-106), a polygraph (R13-4-105(A)(14), R13-4-106(C)(8)) and a medical exam within 1 year before appointment (R13-4-107), and sign the code of ethics. The agency head may petition the Board for drug-use exceptions (R13-4-105(C)) or a juvenile-indiscretion finding (R13-4-105(D)).
- Basic academy
- Board-approved full-authority peace officer basic training course at a Board-inspected academy (R13-4-110(A), R13-4-116). The rule sets topics, not hours; AZPOST's TRAC unit says the basic curriculum (200+ lesson plans) spans 672 hours. Academy graduation requires 70% or better on every academy exam (one retake), firearms qualification, the police proficiency skills (including physical conditioning and vehicle/pursuit operations), and making up any missed class (R13-4-116(D)). Certification also requires at least 70% on each section of the AZPOST Comprehensive Examination and passing a series of scored scenarios (R13-4-110(A)).
- State exam
- AZPOST Comprehensive Examination (CE), given at the end of each of the three training modules; at least 70% on each section, scored separately. A failed section may be retaken once within 7 days; failing the retake means repeating the academy (R13-4-110(A)(1); AZPOST Basic Training page). Certification also requires passing a series of pass/fail scenarios (R13-4-110(A)(2)).
- Fitness standard
- AZPOST Peace Officer Physical Aptitude Test (POPAT): physical conditioning is a required police proficiency skill with Board success criteria in basic training (R13-4-116(D)(7), (E)(1)(h)), and waiver candidates must demonstrate physical-conditioning proficiency (R13-4-110(D)(2)(f); AZPOST Open Enrollment and Waiver Process pages).
- Time to certify
- No one may act as a peace officer without certified status (R13-4-103); elected sheriffs are exempt. Open-enrollment graduates must be appointed within 12 months of graduation. Between 1 and 3 years after graduation they must retake the CE, firearms, driving and the POPAT; after 3 years they must repeat the academy (R13-4-103; AZPOST Open Enrollment page).
- Officers from other states
- AZPOST waiver of training (R13-4-110(D), version effective 9/5/2025), applied for by an Arizona agency after appointment. Eligible: lapsed Arizona officers; officers who worked in another state, graduated a state POST academy and served at least 1 year (this meets AZPOST's substantial-comparability standard); federal academy graduates with 1 year of law enforcement service who submit training records showing substantial comparability to the Arizona basic course. All must meet the R13-4-105 qualifications. Testing: a 3-part proficiency test (day and night firearms qualification with target identification, tactical driving, and the physical ability test), then a 3-block written comprehensive exam.
- Continuing training
- 12 hours of training every year, starting January 1 after certification, plus an annual Board-prescribed firearms qualification course and target identification and judgment course for officers authorized to carry a firearm (R13-4-111, version effective 9/5/2025).
The rule sets no academy hour total; the 672-hour academy, the Comprehensive Examination's three modules, the POPAT and the waiver process are as AZPOST publishes them. Elected sheriffs are exempt from certification (R13-4-103(B)). Arizona DPS officers are peace officers certified through AZPOST. R13-4-105 sets no driver-license requirement; agencies set their own.
Source: State POST commissions and legislatures, State peace officer standards: statutes, administrative rules and POST commission pages. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Pay in Arizona, all employers Sourced
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (SOC 33-3051) in Arizona, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | AZ |
|---|---|
| Workers | 12,010 |
| 10th percentile | $60,990 |
| Median | $78,880 |
| 90th percentile | $98,560 |
| National median, government employers | $76,300 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pension in Arizona
Local employees: Local police and firefighters
| Plan | Accrual | Normal retirement | Employee pays | Social Security |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSPRS Tier 3 (Defined Benefit or Defined Contribution) Tier 3 | — | age 55 with 15 years of credited service (need not be attained at the same time) | Set by the employer | Varies |
The statewide plan a new hire usually joins. Some cities and counties run their own plans; check with the employer. Each plan's formula, vesting, cost-of-living adjustment and retiree health are on the Arizona pension plans list.
Source: State retirement systems, Official state retirement system pages, member handbooks and statutes. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Employers in Arizona
77 police departments in Arizona.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime Data Explorer — law-enforcement agencies by state (API). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Free practice tests for Arizona
Arizona POST Peace Officer Certification ExamArizona exam · free on Open Exam Prep- IPMA-HR / PSHRA Entry-Level Police Officer Test (PO-EL)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- Law Enforcement Aptitude Battery (LEAB)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- National Criminal Justice Officer Selection Inventory (NCJOSI-3)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- National Police Officer Selection Test (POST)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NTN FrontLine National - Law Enforcement ExamPractice for a named exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- Police Aptitude and Character Test (PACT)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
Source: Open Exam Prep, Open Exam Prep free practice tests. Data captured October 1, 2026. Each link was opened and its exam title checked on the date shown.
More about this job
Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Police Officer page.
Police Officer in other states
More government jobs in Arizona
Arizona government jobs · Arizona public pension plans · police officer standards in Arizona · exam practice in Arizona