How to Become a Police Officer in Kansas

The other primary academy in Kansas, the Wichita-Sedgwick County Law Enforcement Training Center trains recruits for the Wichita Police Department and Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Department. The website for that training center can be found at www.wichita.gov/CityOffices/Police/Training/RecruitTrainingSection.htm.

Average Salary & Pay Scale

According to the Bureau Of Labor Statistics (2010), a police officer in the state of Kansas makes between $27,060 – $38,820 per year. However the data collected by BLS is not very accurate since it does not take into account overtime pay or off duty paid work. These two factors, if included in the data, would have dramatically increase the average salary of a police officer in Kansas.

Police Officer Jobs in Kansas

There are several law enforcement job openings in Kansas. Simply visit our Career Job Opening or go to the official website of the agency you are interested in to complete an application of employment. 

State Patrol Qualifications

• Must be a United States Citizen of at least 21 years of age.
• Possess a High School Diploma or G.E.D. Equivalence.
• Be Free of Conviction of Any Crime Punishable by Imprisonment in a Federal or State Peniteniary.
• Good Physical Condition Required.
• Possess a Valid Kansas Driver’s License.
• Must Pass a Vision / Hearing Standards.
• Be Willing to Live and Work Anywhere within the State of Kansas.

Salary / Benefits:
Trooper I Salary – Range

Hourly

Bi-weekly

Annually

Starting Pay

Note: After 4 years of service a Trooper I is normally advanced to Trooper II if eligibility requirements have been met.

Benefits Include:

Rewarding and Professional Career

Competitive Salary

State of the Art Training Academy

• On-the-Job Training
• Vehicle Provided
• In-Car video Cameras
• Uniforms and State of the Art Equipment Provided
• Uniform Cleaning Allowance
• Advanced Educational Opportunities
• Promotions and Retirement Benefits
• Paid Vacation and Sick Leave
• Health / Dental Insurance and Optional Insurance for Family Members
• Optional Life Insurance
• Honor Guard

Exam Format:

What is being measured in the test?

Handling Stress & Responsibility
This component measures the ability to deal effectively with on-the-job stress, such as dangerous situations, conflict, and emotional interactions. In addition, this component measures the degree to which an individual assumes personal responsibility for his/her own actions and decisions.

Emotional Skills, Work Attitude
These skills include Optimism, Personal Influence, Self-Control and Impulse Control, Respect for Authority, and Ethics. These are skills and values that are generated within a person and are demonstrated in the person’s integrity, dependability, initiative, and self-confidence.

Interpersonal Skills
Interpersonal skills have been ignored by traditional selection tests, yet the ability to deal with others is one of the most important skills a LEO can have. Interpersonal skills refer to the various abilities required to deal effectively and positively with others. These skills include Compassion and Empathy, Teamwork, Conflict Resolution, Oral Communication, Service Orientation, and Flexibility. This test component has a strong multicultural basis and measures an applicant’s ability to work cooperatively and effectively with diverse groups of people, within the department in which they work, and with members of public.

Practical Skills
Practical skills refer to the ability to handle everyday problems and situations, to understand how to work with people, how to accomplish goals, how to use good judgment and common sense in everyday work and life. LEO’s must be able to think clearly, quickly and logically in complicated situations. They must be able to identify, analyze, and solve problems. Part of solving complicated problems is the ability to recognize several different ways of solving a problem choosing the most effective solution in each particular situation. This test component includes Problem Solving and Judgment.

Cognitive Skills
This component of the test includes more traditional measures of ability related to the job, such as Reading, Writing and Mathematical abilities. Cognitive abilities measure a person’s acquired knowledge (such as ability to do basic mathematics), ability to succeed in job training, and ability to comprehend, learn and retain information necessary for doing the job.

The scores in the different components are combined into a Total Score to provide a final score and ranking for each applicant.

VISION REQUIREMENTS

20/25 CORRECTED

HEARING REQUIREMENTS

500 Hz at 20 Db

1000 Hz at 20 Db

2000 Hz at 20 Db

3000 Hz at 30 Db

Class

Physical Agility Testing:

Physical Agility Test Description
Station Instructions

MAGAZINE LOADING STATION

Cartridges are non-firing (dummy) rounds. After the assessor has demonstrated to you the act of loading a magazine, you will be allowed one minute (timed) to familiarize yourself with the magazine loading process. The magazine and eight cartridges will be placed on the table, at the command to start, begin loading the magazine. Time will start with the beginning command and shall end when all eight rounds have been inserted, and the loaded magazine is returned to the tabletop. Time allowed is 30 seconds.

TRIGGER-PULL STATION

Ensure the handgun is not loaded. After the assessor has demonstrated to you the act of pulling the trigger, you will be allowed one minute (timed), to familiarize yourself with the weapon’s functions. With your feet in a designated area, the handgun held in your dominant hand and pointing downwards by the side of your leg, you will be given the command to start. As quickly as possible, raise the weapon, place the barrel within the circumference of the metal ring and simulate the act of firing the handgun, double action, with each hand, seven times. Time will start with the beginning command and will end when all simulated firing has stopped and the weapon is returned to a position of rest by your leg. Time allowed is 20 seconds.

SHOTGUN CYCLING STATION

Ensure the shotgun is not loaded. After the assessor has demonstrated to you the action of cycling a pump shotgun, you will be allowed one minute (timed), to familiarize yourself with the weapon’s function. With your feet in a designated area, with the shotgun held in the port-arms position (weapon held diagonally across the body, with the muzzle near the left shoulder), you will be given the command to start. As quickly as possible, raise the weapon and place the barrel within the circumference of the metal ring. Then simulate the act of firing the shotgun. Four times while held at the right shoulder and four times from the left shoulder, changing hand positions as you change shoulders. Time will start with the beginning command, and will end when all simulated firing has stopped and the weapon is returned to port-arms position. Time allowed is 20 seconds.

General – The course must be completed in 2 minutes and 45 seconds, or less. Applicants will wear a weighted vest throughout the course. The vest weights approximately fifteen pounds. Touching any cone, bar or obstacle, will result in a time penalty.

1. Getting out of car seat: Begin in the car seat with the seatbelt fastened, with hands resting on the knees. The assessor escort will indicate when to begin, at which time the clock will start. Unfasten the belt and begin the course.

2. Run and obstacle jump: Go to a designated mat and touch one knee to the mat, on the floor. Advance to and around a marked set of cones, changing direction. Then proceed to and go over a two-foot bar. A time penalty will also be assessed for failure to kneel on the pad. Note: Use caution when jumping over the bar, as the weighted vest may make you off-balance. You can step over the bar.

3. Kneel and crawl: Touch one knee to a mat on the floor, then proceed to crawl on your knees, or duck walk under the obstacle. An additional time penalty will be assessed, for failure to kneel on the pad. Proceed around a marked set of cones, changing directions.

4. Serpentine Run: Go through a serpentine of seven cones spaced five feet apart. The first cone will be to the left and the applicant must run to the outside of the cones. A time penalty will be assessed for failure to pass through the cones in the proper sequence. Advance to and around a marked set of cones, changing directions. Proceed in a straight line to cones marked end of obstacle events (events 2, 3 and 4). A time penalty will be assessed for exiting the course in improper place.

5. Weight drag: Advance to a 70-pound weight bag and grasp the bag by the handles, or pick it up. Drag or carry the bag to and around a cone. Drag or carry the weight bag back to its original position. The station is completed once the applicant drags or carries the weight bag to its original position and places the bag within the boundaries of the square. Note: Use your legs to lift, keeping your back straight to avoid injury.

6. Stair climb: Go up the stairs. Hold the railing and touch every step during the climb. Time penalties will be assessed for failing to hold the railing and for taking more than one step at a time.

7. Drop and push-up: Touch your chest to the mat, on the floor, keeping hands within the red taped rectangular area, then push off the mat to standing position.

8. Dummy takedown: Approach and take down a 90-pound life sized dummy (with a resistance line attached), pinning the dummy to the mat. This task must be completed with the square marked by red tape. Station will be completed when the dummy’s chest is fully pinned to the mat. Time penalties will be assessed for using straps or ropes to assist in the takedown , or for pinning the dummy outside the confines of the red square. Note: Pin the dummy by putting your weight directly on the shoulders. Push the dummy straight down, keeping it directly under the pulley.

9. Stair descent: Proceed down the stairs. Hold the railing and touch every step during the descent. Time penalties will be assessed for failing to hold the railing and for taking more than one step at a time.

10. Getting in to car seat: Return to the car seat. Fasten the seatbelt around waist. The assessor escort will stop the clock when the seatbelt has been fastened.

11. Reaction test: Applicants will immediately be escorted to a separate station. Use the baton to touch a series of pads numbered 1 to 10, which are mounted on a wall. The numbers will be in a random pattern. Keep one foot on the “X”, on the floor and you may hold the baton in whichever hand is most comfortable. Find each number on the wall and hit it with the baton, while saying the number aloud. Go through the numbers in order. Go through the series of numbers once as a practice trial. Following the practice trial, the applicant will be timed going through the numbers two times without stopping. This event is timed separately. Time penalties will be assessed for removing your foot from the “X”, on the floor, failure to call out numbers when struck, or for not striking the numbers in sequence.

Physical Agility Test Penalties

Event

Penalty

Penalty
Amount
(seconds)

2. Run and obstacle jump

Failure to kneel on pad

3. Kneel and crawl

Failure to Kneel on pad

4. Serpentine run

Running through the cones in the
improper sequence

5. Weight drag

Bag not deposited within the confines of red square

6. Stair climb

Failing to hold the railing or taking more than one step at a time

8. Dummy take-down

Using straps/rope to assist take-down

9. Stair descent

Failing to hold the railing or taking more than one step at a time

11. Reaction course

Striking numbers out of sequence.
Failing to call our numbers when struck.
Remove foot from “X” on floor

Career Options:
Honor Guard

Breath Alcohol Unit

Criminal Interdiction

Executive Protection

Motor Carrier Inspection

Special Response Team

Administration

Flight Operations

Critical Highway Accident Response Team (CHART)