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 Wyoming
- Certifying body
- Wyoming Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST), with the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy (WLEA)
- Certification
- Basic Peace Officer Certification (WY POST); Advanced and Professional certifications follow
- Minimum age
- Statute and rule require only that the applicant 'be an adult' (W.S. 9-1-704(b)(ii); POST Rules ch. 2 §1(a)(ii)), which is 18 under Wyoming law. Agencies may set higher ages; Wyoming Highway Patrol requires 21.
- Education
- High school diploma or evidence of equivalent achievement (W.S. 9-1-704(b)(v)).
- Citizenship
- U.S. citizen (W.S. 9-1-704(b)(i)).
- Disqualifiers
- Any conviction for a crime punishable by imprisonment in a federal or state penitentiary (felony-grade) (W.S. 9-1-704(b)(iv)). Hiring also requires good moral character via a background investigation (drug/alcohol, driving, credit, prior certification checks), psychological and medical fitness, and an oral interview (POST Rules ch. 2 §1). A felony after appointment automatically revokes certification (9-1-704(h)).
- Basic academy
- Peace Officer Basic at the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy in Douglas, 635 POST hours (WLEA). A 2024 Legislative Service Office memo cited 605. Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers attend the POST-certified WHP Trooper Basic Academy (about 800-1,000 hours) instead.
- State exam
- POST Entry Level Test (written) at WLEA. Graduates must pass the course's written and physical-skills exams, and waiver applicants take a POST written exam (W.S. 9-1-704(g)).
- Fitness standard
- WLEA Physical Fitness Assessment to the prescribed Cooper Standards on day one of Peace Officer Basic; failing ends continued training (WLEA course requirements).
- Time to certify
- Must complete a commission-approved basic program and receive certification within 1 year of appointment (W.S. 9-1-704(d); POST Rules ch. 3 §3(b)). Part-time and reserve officers have 2 years (9-1-704(f)).
- Officers from other states
- Waiver of basic training (W.S. 9-1-704(g); POST Rules ch. 3 §7): on agency recommendation, an applicant who completed a comparable basic program must pass a POST written exam and an oral interview, then complete WLEA's hybrid Wyoming Peace Officer Criminal Law and Procedures course (66 hours, with the POST Challenge Exam at 70% or higher). Out-of-state certification rules are in POST Rules ch. 3 §11.
- Continuing training
- Basic certification lasts 2 years, and officers must complete 80 more hours within 2 years for Advanced certification. Professional-certified officers need 40 hours every 2 years, and arresting officers need 10 hours of perishable skills (POST Rules ch. 3 §§3(c), 4, 5(c)-(d)).
POST certifies municipal police, deputies, and Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers, who train at the WHP's own POST-certified academy. WLEA lists 635 basic-course hours; a 2024 Legislative Service Office memo cited 605. There is no statewide driver-license requirement; the background check covers the driving record.
Source: State POST commissions and legislatures, State peace officer standards: statutes, administrative rules and POST commission pages. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Pay in Wyoming, all employers Sourced
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (SOC 33-3051) in Wyoming, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | WY |
|---|---|
| Workers | 1,310 |
| 10th percentile | $57,130 |
| Median | $66,140 |
| 90th percentile | $76,840 |
| 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 Wyoming
Local employees: Local police and firefighters
| Plan | Accrual | Normal retirement | Employee pays | Social Security |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WRS Law Enforcement Pension Plan Law Enforcement Pension Plan (no tiers) | 2.5% | Age 60 and vested | 11.3% | 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 Wyoming pension plans list.
Source: State retirement systems, Official state retirement system pages, member handbooks and statutes. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Employers in Wyoming
41 police departments in Wyoming.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime Data Explorer — law-enforcement agencies by state (API). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Free practice tests for Wyoming
Wyoming POST Peace Officer Certification ExamWyoming 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 Wyoming
Wyoming government jobs · Wyoming public pension plans · police officer standards in Wyoming · exam practice in Wyoming