How to become a Police Officer - State

Personal requirements for a Police Officer - State

Enjoy helping people
Able to stay calm in difficult situations
Able to cope with the physical demands of the job
Tolerant of people from all backgrounds and cultures
Honest and reliable
Willing to accept responsibility
Socially mature with a degree of mental toughness
Able to analyse and solve problems
Have an acceptable traffic/criminal record
Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency
Able to satisfy medical requirements
Great communication skills

Education & Training for a Police Officer - State

To become a police officer at state or territory level, you usually have to gain your Senior Secondary Certificate of Education, although requirements vary. Entry to this occupation may be improved if you have tertiary qualifications. Institutions have different prerequisites and some have flexible entry requirements or offer external study. Contact the institutions you are interested in for more information.Applicants must successfully pass entry requirements, which may include literacy and reasoning examinations, character and fitness requirements, a medical test, psychological screening, computer skills testing and a selection panel interview. Successful applicants then undertake a further training program. To learn more about education and training in your state or territory, contact your local police recruiting branch.

Additional information

Depending on your state or territory, you may need to have: a manual drivers licence, a Provide First Aid Certificate, a Bronze Medallion, Aquatic Rescue certificate or Police Rescue Award, the ability to swim a required distance unaided and computer competency and typing skills. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age.

Duties & Tasks of a Police Officer - State

Police officers:

Promote crime prevention and undertake community policing activities to improve the quality of community life
Patrol assigned areas on foot or in vehicles to check security of property and watch for unusual activity
Apprehend law breakers
Investigate criminal offences and question suspicious people about their activities
Gather information about crimes and accidents by talking to victims and witnesses and taking notes and statements in writing
Direct and re-route traffic at congested areas
Respond to citizens' complaints and attend scenes of disturbances and reported illegal activities
Guard prisoners
Detain and search suspects for weapons, stolen goods or drugs
Work with ambulance, firefighting and defence force personnel to control emergency situations such as floods, bomb threats and chemical spills
Assist injured and distressed people and search for missing or lost people
Carry out routine clerical work
Issue infringement notices for traffic offences
Attend special events (such as football matches) and control crowds where necessary
Give evidence in court from previously prepared briefs and notes
Perform random breath tests of drivers to detect those driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
Secure crime and accident scenes, and locate or obtain evidence for analysis
Give sympathetic, constructive and reassuring assistance and feedback to victims of crime.

Tasks

Investigating accidents, crimes, minor offences and citizens' complaints, gathering evidence, and pursuing, arresting and interviewing suspected offenders
Protecting witnesses and investigating official corruption
Maintaining public order and safety
Securing and examining scenes of crimes and accidents to locate and obtain evidence for analysis
Providing advice and assistance to victims of crime and their families
Patrolling assigned areas to minimise potential for public disturbance and crime
Attending community meetings and answering inquiries from the public where necessary
Directing and re-routing traffic at congested areas
Maintaining records and preparing reports
Investigating and prosecuting offences committed in areas such as organised, corporate and computer crime, environmental offences, drug trafficking, fraud, counterfeiting and terrorism
Testing persons suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs and issuing infringement notices for traffic offences

Working conditions for a Police Officer - State

All newly appointed police officers are initially required to perform station and patrol duties. Police officers are required to work shifts, including weekends and public holidays, and serve in any part of the relevant state or territory.

Employment Opportunities for a Police Officer - State

State and territory police departments encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women and people from non-English-speaking backgrounds.Contact the police recruiting branch in your state or territory for further information.

Specializations

Police Officer - State

Police officers protect the community from crime and disorder by providing services to uphold the law, protect life and property, preserve the peace, prevent crime, detect and apprehend offenders, and help those in need of assistance. After gaining experience, police officers may seek entry to specialist areas such as criminal investigation (detective work), radio communications, prosecutions, juvenile aid, accident investigation, water police, dog handling, traffic control, the mounted unit, education and training, and human resource management.

Average age
40 years
Future Growth
Strong
Gender Share
27% female
Average full-time
43 hours
Weekly Pay
$2,036
Skill level rating
High skill
Unemployment
Lower unemployment
Full-Time Share
93% Full-Time
Employment Size
61,500 workers
Employment by state
ACT: 2.2%
NSW: 28.9%
NT: 2.3%
QLD: 21.2%
SA: 8.2%
TAS: 2.1%
VIC: 24.0%
WA: 11.0%
Age brackets
15-19: 0.2%
20-24: 4%
25-34: 27.8%
35-44: 33.9%
45-54: 26.8%
55-59: 5.9%
60-64: 1.2%
65 and Over: 0.3%
Education level
Advanced Diploma/Diploma: 44.1%
Bachelor degree: 22.1%
Below Year 10: 0%
Certificate III/IV: 8.6%
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate: 6.4%
Year 10 and below: 1.8%
Year 11: 2.2%
Year 12: 14.9%
Years 11 & 10: 1.2%