Traditional Hire
The "classic" way of starting your career in Arizona Law Enforcement is by applying with and receiving an offer of employment from an Arizona Law Enforcement Agency. Generally this is a very formal and structured process. Although not every agency conducts business the same, they tend to follow this general chain of events
Reserve Officer Options
Arizona POST rules does not distinguish between a Reserve Officer and a full-time Regular Officer. A reserve officer in the State of Arizona has the same authority as a regular full-time officer. AZ POST requires the same standards to be met for the appointment of a reserve officer as it would with a full-time officer. To review these standards please be sure to review the Traditional Agency Hire page to review the pre-employment process page.
Open Enrollment
Open enrollment is a program offered through various community colleges in Arizona. Under the open enrollment the student applies to the college to be accepted into the college's police academy. The college itself will conduct a background investigation of the applicant verifying eligibility to participate. In many cases there is a cost advantage to the hiring agency so open enrollment applicants can gain an advantage over other applicants.
Corrections Officer
Correctional Officers in the State of Arizona are an instrumental key in the Arizona Criminal Justice System. The Arizona Department of Corrections has their own training academy which addresses the issues that are unique to the prison environment. In addition to Correctional Officers, the Department of Corrections also employs full-authority peace officers within the organization. These officers generally perform special criminal investigations. The vast majority of officers within corrections are Correctional Officers.