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 Wisconsin
- Certifying body
- Wisconsin Law Enforcement Standards Board (LESB), staffed by the Wisconsin DOJ Training and Standards Bureau
- Certification
- Wisconsin Law Enforcement Officer Certification (LESB)
- Minimum age
- At least 18 (Wis. Admin. Code LES 2.01(1)(b)).
- Education
- High school diploma or GED (LES 2.01(1)(d)), plus an associate degree or 60 accredited college credits. Agency-hired recruits may finish the credits within 5 years of employment, self-sponsored academy students need them before enrolling, and the board may waive up to 30 credits (LES 2.01(1)(e)).
- Citizenship
- U.S. citizen: no person may be appointed deputy sheriff or city, village, or town police officer unless a U.S. citizen (Wis. Stat. 66.0501(2), cited in the DOJ hiring factsheet). Academy enrollment uses DOJ form DJ-LE-322 (Verification of Age and Citizenship).
- Driver's license
- Valid Wisconsin driver's license or other DOT-recognized operator's permit before completing preparatory training (LES 2.01(1)(a)).
- Disqualifiers
- Any unpardoned federal felony or offense punishable as a felony in Wisconsin (LES 2.01(1)(c)). Any domestic-violence conviction bars academy participation (Wis. Stat. 165.85(4)(b)5). Other requirements: good character via fingerprint and background investigation, a physician's exam, an oral interview, and a pre-employment drug test (LES 2.01-2.02).
- Basic academy
- 720-hour LESB preparatory law enforcement academy (statutory minimum 600 hours, Wis. Stat. 165.85(4)(a)1). It runs at Wisconsin technical colleges and agency academies (Milwaukee PD, Madison PD, Dane and Milwaukee County Sheriff, DNR, Wisconsin State Patrol), all on the same LESB curriculum.
- State exam
- No separate entry-level state licensing exam; the academy uses written exams (70% pass) and competency checklists (LES 3.01(1)(b)). Out-of-state officers take the LESB Law Enforcement Reciprocity Examination, about 200 multiple-choice questions.
- Fitness standard
- Physical Readiness Test (PRT): the entry PRT must be passed within 180 days before academy coursework, given by an LESB-credentialed Physical Fitness Assessor. Academies also administer an exit PRT (LESB Policy and Procedures Manual; WILENET PRT page).
- Time to certify
- Recruits may exercise powers on temporary or probationary employment for at most 12 months from the first day, extendable by the board for good cause, and must finish the academy within that period (Wis. Stat. 165.85(4)(b)2-3h, 6).
- Officers from other states
- Reciprocity waiver of the academy: applicants must meet LES 2 and have similar out-of-state, federal, or military-police basic training. They need at least 1 year of full-time, fully empowered paid service after training, and must still be employed or have left voluntarily within the past 3 years. They then pass the LESB Law Enforcement Reciprocity Examination plus handgun qualification and required biennial pursuit training (form DJ-LE-300).
- Continuing training
- At least 24 hours of recertification training each state fiscal year, including annual handgun qualification and 4 hours of vehicle-pursuit training biennially (Wis. Stat. 165.85(4)(b)7).
One LESB certification covers municipal police, deputies, and Wisconsin State Patrol troopers, who attend the WSP's own LESB-certified academy. Elected sheriffs are exempt from the training and recertification mandates (Wis. Stat. 165.85(4)(b)8). LES 3.01 still says 400 hours, which is outdated; the statute sets a 600-hour minimum and LESB policy sets 720.
Source: State POST commissions and legislatures, State peace officer standards: statutes, administrative rules and POST commission pages. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Pay in Wisconsin, all employers Sourced
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (SOC 33-3051) in Wisconsin, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | WI |
|---|---|
| Workers | 12,320 |
| 10th percentile | $58,530 |
| Median | $78,090 |
| 90th percentile | $94,450 |
| 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 Wisconsin
Local employees: Local police and firefighters
| Plan | Accrual | Normal retirement | Employee pays | Social Security |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin Retirement System - Protective Occupation with Social Security Protective with Social Security, post-2011 vesting rules | 2% | Age 54 (once vested) | 7.2% | Covered |
| Wisconsin Retirement System - Protective Occupation without Social Security Protective without Social Security, post-2011 vesting rules | 2.5% | Age 54 (once vested) | 7.2% | Not covered |
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 Wisconsin pension plans list.
Source: State retirement systems, Official state retirement system pages, member handbooks and statutes. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Employers in Wisconsin
366 police departments in Wisconsin.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime Data Explorer — law-enforcement agencies by state (API). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Free practice tests for Wisconsin
Wisconsin Law Enforcement Standards Board Certification ExamWisconsin 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 Wisconsin
Wisconsin government jobs · Wisconsin public pension plans · police officer standards in Wisconsin · exam practice in Wisconsin