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 Kansas
- Certification
- Kansas full-time law enforcement officer certification (a provisional certificate is issued pending basic training); separate part-time certification
- Minimum age
- At least 21 (K.S.A. 74-5605(b)(8)); KLETC admission also requires 21.
- Education
- High school diploma from an accredited school, a nonaccredited private secondary school, or the equivalent. The equivalent is a GED; or nonaccredited private-school completion plus ACT/SAT at the 50th percentile or higher; or admission to an accredited postsecondary institution (K.S.A. 74-5605(b)(4); K.A.R. 106-3-4).
- Citizenship
- U.S. citizen (K.S.A. 74-5605(b)(1))
- Disqualifiers
- Felony conviction; misdemeanor crime of domestic violence; or a misdemeanor the commission finds reflects on honesty, trustworthiness, integrity or competence. Expunged convictions count. Diversion or deferred judgment counts for felonies (since 7/1/1995) and for those misdemeanors. Also: lacking good moral character (K.A.R. 106-2-4), a disqualifying mental or personality disorder found by psychological testing (K.A.R. 106-3-3), or a disqualifying physical or mental condition. The commission may deny for any conduct that is grounds for discipline under K.S.A. 74-5616 (K.S.A. 74-5605(b)-(d)).
- Basic academy
- KLETC full-time Basic Training Program: 571 hours over 14 weeks (kletc.org). It was long described as a 560-hour program. Neither statute nor K.A.R. sets an hour minimum. The curriculum is adopted by the director of police training (K.S.A. 74-5603), and certified state or local agency academies may run equivalent courses (K.S.A. 74-5604a; K.A.R. 106-4-1). Part-time officers take a separate part-time basic course.
- State exam
- None required
- Time to certify
- A provisional certificate is valid 1 year from appointment, and the commission may extend it. The officer must attend the next available basic course unless the agency shows a public-safety reason (K.S.A. 74-5607a(c); K.A.R. 106-3-1).
- Officers from other states
- The commission may certify officers certified in another state whose requirements equal or exceed the Kansas basic course, and may waive duplicative hours (K.S.A. 74-5608a). KLETC Reciprocity Certification Program eligibility: employed by a Kansas agency; current certification with no discipline; out of law enforcement no more than 5 years. The program is about 35-40 hours of online material, a written exam (70% minimum) and a duty-handgun qualification (70%). From 2/1/2026, applicants must also show a psychological exam taken within the prior 12 months.
- Continuing training
- 40 hours a year for full-time officers, starting the second year after certification (training year July 1-June 30), including an annual bias-based policing course (K.S.A. 74-5607a(b); KS-CPOST FAQ).
Kansas has no separate state licensing exam. K.A.R. 106-4-1(b) requires a final written-test average of at least 70% and a firearms score of at least 70% at the training school, and KLETC offers a challenge exam for lapsed Kansas officers. Kansas sets no state-mandated entry fitness test: K.S.A. 74-5605(b)(7) only requires freedom from physical or mental conditions that impair performance, and agencies or academies may set PT tests. The statute sets no driver's license requirement. Sheriffs must hold full-time KS-CPOST certification (K.S.A. 19-801b). Highway Patrol troopers are covered as state officers.
Source: State POST commissions and legislatures, State peace officer standards: statutes, administrative rules and POST commission pages. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Pay in Kansas, all employers Sourced
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (SOC 33-3051) in Kansas, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | KS |
|---|---|
| Workers | 6,130 |
| 10th percentile | $42,040 |
| Median | $59,230 |
| 90th percentile | $90,530 |
| 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 Kansas
Local employees: Local police and firefighters
| Plan | Accrual | Normal retirement | Employee pays | Social Security |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas Police and Firemen's Retirement System (KP&F) - Tier II KP&F Tier II | 2.5% | age 50 with 25 years of service | 7.15% | 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 Kansas pension plans list.
Source: State retirement systems, Official state retirement system pages, member handbooks and statutes. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Employers in Kansas
247 police departments in Kansas.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime Data Explorer — law-enforcement agencies by state (API). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Free practice tests for Kansas
Kansas POST Peace Officer Certification ExamKansas 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
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Kansas government jobs · Kansas public pension plans · police officer standards in Kansas · exam practice in Kansas