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 Indiana
- Certifying body
- Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board (LETB) / Indiana Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA)
- Certification
- LETB Tier I Basic Training certification (law enforcement officer basic training); Tier II for the agencies listed in 250 IAC 2-4-1(3): town marshals (towns with no more than 1 marshal and 6 deputies) and conservancy district marshals, hospital police, Indiana Gaming Commission agents, Department of Correction police officers and Indiana State Police capitol police
- Minimum age
- Must be 21 by the date basic training ends (250 IAC 2-3-1)
- Education
- High school diploma from a state-accredited high school, an equivalency diploma, or an accredited college degree (250 IAC 2-3-3)
- Citizenship
- U.S. citizen (250 IAC 2-3-1)
- Driver's license
- Valid driver's license from state of residence (250 IAC 2-3-4)
- Disqualifiers
- Any felony conviction, or any crime or series of crimes indicating the applicant is dangerous, violent or likely to break the law (250 IAC 2-3-6). Dishonorable military discharge; other-than-honorable discharge may be grounds for rejection (2-3-8). Must be of good reputation and character per the agency background investigation (2-3-5). Must pass a fingerprint check, a reading/writing exam (2-3-7), and a physician's physical, emotional and mental fitness exam within 6 months before training (2-3-9).
- Basic academy
- Tier I basic course: at least 600 hours of classroom and practical training (250 IAC 2-4-1(1)); LSA Document #23-731, filed Feb 6, 2024, raised it from 480 hours. ILEA delivers it as a 16-week residential course of 'over 600 hours'. Tier I is also taught at six academies that each serve their own area: IMPD, Fort Wayne PD, Northwest Indiana LEA, Southwest Indiana LEA, Indiana University Police Academy and Indiana State Police. Tier II (town and conservancy district marshals, hospital police, gaming agents, DOC police, ISP capitol police): at least 320 hours in residence at ILEA, plus optional home study (rule). ILEA describes Tier II as 10 weeks residential with a one-week home-study portion; its Tier I page describes it as 400 hours at ILEA plus 40 hours of home study. Students need 75% on all written exams and a pass on all practical exams; up to 2 retakes are allowed (250 IAC 2-2-4). A 40-hour pre-basic course is required before police powers are granted (250 IAC 2-6-1).
- State exam
- None required
- Fitness standard
- ILEA Physical Agility Test (PAT), authorized by the LETB as the fitness test standard for all Indiana law enforcement starting August 1, 2026, including Tier II applicants. Entrance standard 4:08; exit standard 3:58. Applicants must also have the strength, agility, vision and hearing to complete basic training (250 IAC 2-3-2).
- Time to certify
- An officer appointed after June 30, 1993 may not arrest, search or carry a firearm until completing the 40-hour pre-basic course, which grants police powers for 1 year from appointment (IC 5-2-1-9(d)-(f); 250 IAC 2-6-1, 2-6-2). Basic training must be finished within 1 year of first appointment, full- or part-time (250 IAC 2-2-1). Otherwise the officer loses arrest powers until basic training is completed (250 IAC 2-2-3; ILEA).
- Officers from other states
- Waiver under IC 5-2-1-9(d) and 250 IAC 2-2-1, requested by the hiring agency head and approved by the LETB. There are two routes. (1) A state-approved out-of-state basic academy that met or exceeded Indiana's minimum hours when completed, plus at least 1 year of paid full-time out-of-state experience. (2) From July 1, 2026 (P.L.94-2026): at least 10 years of paid full-time service with a state, county, city or similar agency after a state-approved academy, with no more than 6 years out of law enforcement. Applicants must be in good standing with all previous employers and pass the hiring agency's background investigation, including a National Decertification Index check. Waiver officers may take pre-basic on hire, which gives up to 1 year of authority. They must then finish the waiver course within 1 year of hire: Indiana criminal and traffic law curriculum and tests, a comprehensive written exam, psychomotor skills training and practical exams, and a Board-approved EMS Awareness course. $50 application fee. Tier II-only graduates are not eligible (250 IAC 2-2-1).
- Continuing training
- 24 hours each calendar year (250 IAC 2-7-1, adopted under IC 5-2-1-9(g)), including at least 2 hours of firearms, 2 hours of police vehicle operations and 4 hours of hands-on defensive tactics/use of force. The remaining hours must cover IC 5-2-1-9(g) subjects: de-escalation, interacting with people with mental illness, addiction, autism or dementia, officer mental health and wellness, human trafficking, and high-risk missing persons. The annual training report is due January 31 (250 IAC 2-8-3). An officer who has not completed the hours by December 31 loses law enforcement authority on January 1 until the shortfall is made up (ILEA FAQ; 250 IAC 2-7-4). Reserve officers have the same requirement.
Under 250 IAC 2-2-1, every law enforcement officer appointed by the state or a political subdivision since July 6, 1972 must complete LETB basic training within 1 year, so city police, county deputies and state officers are covered. Town marshal and other Tier II agency officers may use Tier II, but must take Tier I within 1 year if they move to a non-Tier II agency (250 IAC 2-4-1(4)). Indiana State Police troopers attend the ISP academy, which ILEA lists as one of the Tier I basic training sites; ISP hiring standards are in IC 10-11-2. There is no separate state licensing exam: basic training requires 75% on all written exams (250 IAC 2-2-4), and waiver candidates take a comprehensive written exam. Tier I was 480 hours until LSA Document #23-731 (filed Feb 6, 2024) raised it to 600. The 2026 Indiana Code prints two versions of IC 5-2-1-9, one amended by P.L.94-2026 and one by P.L.145-2026. Only the P.L.94-2026 version contains the 1-year completion and out-of-state waiver language; the 1-year rule also stands in 250 IAC 2-2-1.
Source: State POST commissions and legislatures, State peace officer standards: statutes, administrative rules and POST commission pages. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Pay in Indiana, all employers Sourced
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (SOC 33-3051) in Indiana, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | IN |
|---|---|
| Workers | 12,980 |
| 10th percentile | $52,170 |
| Median | $73,370 |
| 90th percentile | $100,010 |
| 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 Indiana
Local employees: Local police and firefighters
| Plan | Accrual | Normal retirement | Employee pays | Social Security |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 Police Officers' and Firefighters' Pension and Disability Fund 1977 Fund (retirements on or after 2019-07-01) | — | age 52 with 20 years of service | 6% | 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 Indiana pension plans list.
Source: State retirement systems, Official state retirement system pages, member handbooks and statutes. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Employers in Indiana
233 police departments in Indiana.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime Data Explorer — law-enforcement agencies by state (API). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Free practice tests for Indiana
Indiana POST Peace Officer Certification ExamIndiana 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.
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Indiana government jobs · Indiana public pension plans · police officer standards in Indiana · exam practice in Indiana