ARIZONA PEACE OFFICER CERTIFICATION PROCESS

In order to become an Arizona certified peace officer, specific requirements must be met. Please refer to the AZ POST Rules for full wording.

To begin the process of certification, the prospective applicant must first seek appointment as a peace officer with an Az POST law enforcement agency. When applying to an agency for appointment, the prospective applicant must meet all of the minimum standards as provided for in AZ POST Rule R13-4-105.  As required by this rule, the agency will require that the applicant undergo a background investigation, a medical examination and a polygraph test. AZ POST audits all agency employment packages to ensure that the qualifications for certification are met.

The agency, upon appointment of the applicant, will enroll him/her to a basic peace officer course (police academy with minimum of  585 hours of Az POST Board prescribed mandated training). The applicant must successfully complete all of the requirements of the academy to receive certification as an Arizona peace officer.

If the applicant had prior certification and service as a peace officer in Arizona and the date of the last separation of service is less than (3) three years from the new date of appointment, he/she can be recertified as a peace office without being required to attend and successfully complete an academy. The appointee would, however, be required to submit to a background process that would include a physical examination and polygraph examination.

If the applicant had prior certification and service as a peace officer in Arizona and the date of the last separation of service is (3) three years or more from the new date of appointment, his/her training status is "lapsed".  The appointee may, however, utilize the AZ POST Waiver Process and, if successful, be recertified without being required to attend and successfully complete an academy.

If the applicant served honorably as a peace officer in another state or with a federal agency and he/she meets all of the Az POST requirements for eligibility, he/she may utilize the AZ POST Waiver Process and, if successful, be certified as an Arizona peace officer without being required to attend and successfully complete an academy.

Some police academies may offer an enrollment option for individuals who may want to attend at their own expense without the normally required prior appointment by an AZ POST law enforcement agency.   An individual may make application to such academy as an "Open Enrollee"  and must meet the minimum standards as set forth in AZ POST Rule R13-4-105.E.  Upon successful completion of the academy, an "Open Enrollee" may become certified upon appointment as a peace officer by an AZ POST law enforcement agency.