POST Requirements

• The California Legislature established the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, or POST, in 1959 to provide minimum requirements for all law enforcement officers in the state. POST requires that all peace officer candidates meet specific standards which include, but are not limited to, having never been convicted of a felony, the completion of a fingerprint and criminal history check, citizenship, be at least 18 years old and pass a reading and writing ability exam.
  
  

Jurisdictional Differences

• While all California peace officers must meet the state minimum requirements, different jurisdictions in the state establish their own requirements. For example, while the state minimum age requirement is 18, the city of San Francisco requires all applicants be at least 20 years or older to take the police officer exam, and be at least 21 before they can become a police officer.
  
  

Education

• California police officers must also meet educational requirements as established by the individual law enforcement agency. For example, the Los Angeles Police Department requires that all applicants must have graduated from a high school in the United States or have a G.E.D. or possess a high school proficiency examination certificate. A person with a two- or four-year college degree, either from an accredited United States university or foreign institution, can substitute for the high school educational requirement.
  
  

Background Evaluation

• California police officers are also subject to background investigations to ensure that the applicant has the character traits and abilities required to become a police officer. The Los Angeles Police Department, for example, requires that a candidate's background show a history of lawful conduct, a high standard of honesty and integrity, and a history of making responsible choices about drugs and alcohol.