No law enforcement experience is required!
Upon hire, all cadets complete six months of paid, comprehensive law enforcement training at the State Patrol Academy. Cadets live at the Academy during the week and return home on weekends; room and board are provided.
Physical Readiness Testing
Applicants must pass the physical readiness test to move forward in the hiring process. The Physical Readiness Testing is scheduled as part of the online application.
Background Investigation
A comprehensive criminal background investigation will be conducted as part of the recruitment process which may include FBI fingerprinting. Applicants with felony convictions or misdemeanor crime of domestic violence convictions are not eligible for employment unless they have received an absolute and unconditional pardon.
Medical Exam and Psychological Testing
Due to the nature of these positions, pre-employment medical examination, drug screening, and psychological testing are required.
Vision Requirement
Minimum uncorrected vision is 20/100 in each eye, correctable to 20/20 with glasses, hard contacts, or soft contacts. Any applicant having vision correction surgery must have had surgery a minimum of 6 months prior to appointment and provide written medical verification at the time of examination that no complications exist.
Hearing Requirement
Hearing assessment by an Audiogram is required as part of the medical evaluation. Any applicants requiring or using hearing aids will need to bring in documentation from a licensed audiologist showing corrected hearing meets the requirements of not having more than a 35db loss in either ear when averaging the loss at 500, 1000, 2000, and 3000hz.
Education
NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR 2023
Applicants must have a two-year associate degree from an accredited technical college or a minimum of 60 college-level credits from an accredited university prior to starting employment at the State Patrol Academy. A maximum of 30 credits may be waived for individuals with training or experience (such as military training) that has been evaluated and provided a college credit recommendation by a group such as the American Council on Education (ACE). Waivers may be requested by completing and submitting form DJ-LE-331 to the Wisconsin Department of Justice.
Authorization to Work
United States Citizenship is not required. The Wisconsin State Patrol does not sponsor work visas. Any selection made from this recruitment will be contingent upon the applicant being able to provide valid status to work in the United States without sponsorship.
Location and Assignment
The geographical location and assignment as a Trooper or Inspector are determined upon graduation, with the cadet having the highest class rank selecting their assignment first. Applicants must be willing to accept any location or assignment (Trooper or Inspector).
Qualifications
Candidates must meet all minimum employment standards for employment as a law enforcement officer as identified by the Law Enforcement Standards Board. Applicants must be 18 years old at the time the application is submitted.
Recruitment Timeline
The recruitment process takes approximately six months from application to official offer and begins with the online application. Additional steps in the recruitment process include physical readiness testing, background investigation, interview, and pre-employment medical and psychological exams. Candidates must pass each step in the hiring process to move forward to the next.