How To Become a Police Officer in Alaska

Training to learn how to become a police officer in Alaska is a phenomenal opportunity for community-driven individuals.

Apart from showing your proficiency in local and state laws, you can also give back to your local area through hard work.

There’s no doubt that training can be a strenuous process, but it’s well worth the time and effort.

What’s it Like to Be a Police Officer in Alaska?

Being a police officer in Alaska is a unique experience as you’re dealing with citizens and wildlife.

You could be called to settle a domestic dispute, while you could have to wrangle bears in other instances.

With that said, serving and protecting your community is of the utmost importance and comes in many forms.

Apart from meeting the foundational requirements of a police officer, the job also requires a unique interpersonal perspective.

Officers must work with their community and show exceptional communication skills to resolve and investigate incidents.

All efforts must be accurately documented and reported to uphold the department’s integrity you’re working for.

Every officer will need to prove their proficiency in defense tactics, physical fitness, moral character, and firearms skills.

Through the Department of Public Safety Training Academy, you will diversify your learned skills to be an exceptional officer.

Let’s take a look at what it takes to become an Alaskan police officer in more detail.

Basic Requirements for Police Training in Alaska

Every police department across the country has application process requirements before being a police officer.

Before you even get accepted into the training academy, you must first meet these standard expectations.

Citizenship, Education, and Age

Every person interested in becoming an officer in Alaska must be at least 21 years of age when starting the application process.

There isn’t a maximum age limit; as long as you can pass the medical and physical fitness test, you can possibly be hired.

Public safety officers will also need to be a citizen of the United States and be fluent in written and spoken English.

As with most police positions, you will also be required to show proof of a basic level of education.

Every applicant must have a high school diploma or equivalent, such as a GED (General Education Development) school diploma.

Licensing

As a police officer, you’ll likely have to operate a motor vehicle at one point in your career, if not daily.

With that said, applicants to police departments must have a valid driver’s license issued within the U.S.

Your driving history must also be free of licensing actions and violations, such as suspended licenses, canceled licenses, etc.

Drug Use and Criminal History

Alaska puts a significant emphasis on the use of drugs when it comes to formal law enforcement training.

Drug use is closely inspected, and any signs of recent use could remove you from the hiring process for law enforcement agencies.

The restrictions to drug use in criminal backgrounds include:

Prescription drug use without a prescription
Sale or manufacture of illegal narcotics as an adult
Use of marijuana within the last year
Any felony conviction stemming from drug use
Use of illicit narcotics within ten years of applying
Illegal use of drugs when previously employed as a law enforcement officer

If you’re wondering, “Can a felon be a cop?” there are strict regulations with misdemeanor crime activity with Alaskan officers.

It’s also important to note that every officer will be required to undergo criminal background checks before training.

During this background check, your history will be scrutinized, especially regarding criminal acts and your driving records.

Some of the criminal concerns that could eliminate you during the background check include:

Misdemeanor convictions within ten years
Domestic violence charges
Adult felony convictions
Poor driving records, like reckless driving convictions

What Is Training Like for Police in Alaska?

Training for law enforcement experience is a thorough process to ensure every candidate meets specific expectations.

With that said, there are multiple components to your training that you should expect to experience.

We’ve broken it down into basic skills, training schedules, and evaluations to help you get started.

Basic Skills

Every peace officer will be required to show fundamental skills in the Public Safety Training Law Enforcement Academy.

These skills include:

Reading and comprehending state and federal laws
Demonstrating sound judgment and reasoning by using your senses
Being able to think and act quickly in emergencies
Communicating effectively in writing and orally
Ability to participate in a health aide program
Operating a vehicle with a valid driver’s license
Being able to differentiate between colors
Proficiency in physical fitness training
Applying general mathematics and computer literacy
Showing exceptional leadership abilities

Training Schedule

There’s no doubt your training schedule is one of the most in-depth aspects of training to become a law enforcement officer.

There are three parts to your law enforcement academy training schedule that you’ll need to follow, including:

Physical conditioning runs (5:10 AM – 7:00 AM Monday to Friday)
Running, swimming, weight training, cross-training, and interval training
Practical in-class instruction (7:50 AM to 5:00 PM Monday to Friday)
Driving education and testing on weekends
Additional practical training and studying (6:00 PM – 10:00 PM most weekdays)

With training, you will need to show you’re proficient in basic fitness standards when you arrive at the academy.

These minimum entrance requirements include:

Ten push-ups in one minute
17 sit-ups in one minute
1.5-mile run in less than 17 minutes

Evaluations

During your time in academy training, there are several evaluations you will undergo.

These tests ensure that you are up-to-date with your studies and progressing well through your training.

You’re likely to encounter the following evaluations while at the academy:

Firearms proficiency tests
Weekly inspections
Performance examinations
Defensive tactics evaluations
Evaluations when working on criminal investigations
Psychological screening
Practice performance tests
Health aide program testing
Driving proficiency examinations
Physical fitness testing
Weekly, midterm, and final academic tests

How Long Is Police Academy in Alaska?

On average, police hires should expect your law enforcement academy training to take anywhere from 14 to 15 weeks.

Upon enrollment, you’ll receive a training schedule that gives you the specifics of your training expectations.

There’s no doubt police hires encounter many long days with extensive physical expectations ensuring you meet basic requirements.

How Much Money Do Police Officers Make in Alaska?

Once you’ve progressed through training and passed with flying colors, it’s time to graduate and find full-time employment.

Having an idea of the salary expectations for your future can assist you with deciding if this career path is right for you.

Starting wages for Alaskan State Troopers with full-time employment typically range around $36.04/hour or $74,963/year.

If you graduate from the law enforcement academy with a bachelor’s degree or higher, you can earn a starting salary of $77,771/year.

Those looking for higher rates of pay will need to get more job experience.

After a year, you could be likely to see the following pay increases with full-time employment:

1 year of experience: $80,683/year
3 years of experience: $86,840/year
5 years of experience: $93,475/year
6+ years of experience: $96,990/year