How to hire a police cadet

How to hire a police cadet, step by step

Here's a step-by-step police cadet hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a police cadet job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new police cadet
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a police cadet do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the police cadet you need to hire. Certain police cadet roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a police cadet to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a police cadet that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of police cadets and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Police Cadet	Description	Hourly rate
   Police Cadet	Police officers protect lives and property. Detectives and criminal investigators, who are sometimes called agents or special agents, gather facts and collect evidence of possible crimes.	$11-22
   Criminal Investigator	A criminal investigator is a law enforcement professional who endeavors to solve felony crimes. Criminal investigators may work alone or as a member of an investigative team whose goal is to uncover the certainty of a case and potentially keep suspects to prevent the ensuing criminal activity... Show more	$16-40
   Detective	A detective is responsible for conducting in-depth investigations for criminal activities, potential threats, and other law-violating incidents, coordinating closely with law-enforcement agencies and crime intelligence analysts. Detectives often work on the field, gathering data and related evidence to support claims and connect the timeline of events... Show more	$16-45

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patrol
   • Traffic Control
   • Public Safety
   • Police Academy
   • Parking Enforcement
   • Criminal Justice
   • Cadet Program
   • Police Reports
   • Livescan
   • Crime Scenes
   • Defensive Tactics
   • Field Training
   • CPR
   • Subpoenas

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Process requests for background record checks for a variety of agencies using RMS.
   • Prepare teletype requests to run serialize firearms; input data from all seize firearms into CLETS.
   • Perform clerical tasks, filing, data entry, payroll and information research/investigation with NCIC 2000 and SCIC.
   • Automate tow notification process within RMS system.
   • Perform preventative maintenance inspections, routinely servicing minor repairs on equipment and patrol vehicles.
   • General law enforcement responsibilities including dispatch, jail, patrol, investigations, undercover vice/narcotics and supervision.

   More police cadet duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your police cadet job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A police cadet can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, police cadets' average salary in tennessee is 56% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level police cadets 51% less than senior-level police cadets.
   • Certifications. A police cadet with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a police cadet's salary.

   Average police cadet salary

   $15.98hourly

   $33,243 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level police cadet salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 11, 2025

   Average police cadet salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Minnesota	$42,462	$20
   2	Texas	$41,900	$20
   3	Iowa	$41,346	$20
   4	Colorado	$41,098	$20
   5	California	$40,814	$20
   6	Ohio	$40,153	$19
   7	Massachusetts	$39,711	$19
   8	Utah	$38,075	$18
   9	Maryland	$37,186	$18
   10	Michigan	$37,186	$18
   11	Arizona	$35,784	$17
   12	New Mexico	$31,266	$15
   13	Kentucky	$29,455	$14
   14	Georgia	$27,544	$13
   15	Tennessee	$25,442	$12

   Average police cadet salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meridian Township	$43,189	$20.76	1
   2	Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County	$42,060	$20.22
   3	City of Anaheim	$41,874	$20.13
   4	City of Pasadena	$41,753	$20.07
   5	City of Modesto	$41,505	$19.95
   6	City of Cincinnati	$41,384	$19.90
   7	City Of Tustin	$39,504	$18.99
   8	City of Baltimore	$38,934	$18.72	3
   9	City of Glendale, CA	$38,202	$18.37
   10	City of Covington	$37,290	$17.93	3
   11	City of Las Cruces Government	$36,908	$17.74
   12	City of Novi	$36,791	$17.69	2
   13	City of Newport	$35,522	$17.08
   14	City of Yuma	$34,702	$16.68	1
   15	City of Greeley	$34,694	$16.68	3
   16	Pima Community College	$34,606	$16.64
   17	Glendale Community College	$34,394	$16.54	2
   18	Tooele City	$34,053	$16.37
   19	City of Santa Monica	$33,936	$16.32
   20	Howard County Government	$33,885	$16.29

4. Writing a police cadet job description

   A police cadet job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a police cadet job description:

   Police cadet job description example

   The Police Cadet Program provides an opportunity for individuals interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement to obtain valuable work experience in a law enforcement environment. Cadets are given rotating assignments flexible with their college class schedules while working within the Chicago Police Department (CPD). While becoming a Chicago Police Cadet is not a prerequisite for employment as a Chicago Police Officer, it is a paid part-time position which introduces young Chicagoans enrolled in college to the exciting and fulfilling career of public service
   
   **Being a Chicago Police Cadet does not guarantee being hired by the Chicago Police Department as a Chicago Police Officer.**
   + Visit different specialized units within the department for educational purposes
   
   + Participate in basic law enforcement and physical fitness training at the academy
   
   + Attend community meetings and other community outreach and recruiting events
   
   + Assist police officers at other police sponsored events or programs, as required
   
   + Gain opportunities to be mentored by CPD staff members
   
   + Assist in filing case reports and compiling data for use in various productivity and manning reports.
   
   + Create spreadsheets and maintain databases to track data
   
   + Search computer and manual records to verify or obtain requested data
   
   + Perform Clerical duties such as maintaining files and records, processing forms, gathering and organizing documents, and typing and photocopying documents
   
   + Answer telephones, respond to general inquiries regarding police programs and route specific calls to appropriate personnel
   
   **_NOTE_** _: The list of essential duties is not intended to be inclusive; there may be other duties that are essential to particular positions within the class._
   
   **LOCATION:** Chicago Police Department (Citywide)
   
   **HOURS:** Various
   
   **SHIFTS** : Rotational (flexible with college class schedule)
   
   **DAYS OFF:** Rotating Days Off
   
   **EXEMPT FROM THE CAREER SERVICE**
   
   **Applications must be submitted at:** **www.cityofchicago.org/careers**
   
   **Application period: October 3, 2022 through November 3, 2022**
   
   **Hourly salary $15.00**
   
   **Qualifications:**
   
   + Must be between the ages of 18 and 21 and enrolled in a nationally or regionally accredited college or university that grants Associate's and Bachelor's degrees.
   
   + Individuals selected for the program must maintain an academic schedule of a minimum of 20 semester hours or 30 quarter hours per year and a minimum grade point average of at least 3.0/5.0 or 2.0/4.0.
   
   + Graduates of the Chicago Police and Firefighter Training Academy will be given priority in processing for the program
   
   **Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts to your application in order to be considered for this position.**
   
   **Selection Criteria**
   
   This position requires applicants to complete an interview. This position also requires candidates to complete a Willing and Able questionnaire. Candidates who affirmatively answer the Willing and Able questionnaire will be interviewed (only if, other hiring criteria have been met). The interviewed candidate(s) possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities, based on the oral and/or written parts of the interview, will be selected.
   
   **Preference will be given to candidates possessing the following:**
   
   + Chicago Police and Firefighter Training Academy Program Graduates
   
   + Experienced in volunteering, community work, and/or organizations leadership
   
   + Proficiency in Microsoft Office and other computer software programs
   
   **ALL** **REFERENCES TO POLITICAL SPONSORSHIP OR RECOMMENDATION MUST BE OMITTED FROM ANY** **AND** **ALL** **APPLICATION MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR** **CITY** **EMPLOYMENT.**
   
   The City of Chicago is an Equal Opportunity and Military Friendly Employer
   
   **City of** **Chicago Department of Human Resources**
   
   Lori E. Lightfoot, Mayor Christopher Owen, Commissioner
   
   **_Applications_** **_for this position will be accepted until 11:59p.m. CDT on 11/3/2022_** **_._**

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find police cadets for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your police cadet job on Zippia to find and recruit police cadet candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with police cadet candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new police cadet

   Once you've decided on a perfect police cadet candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new police cadet. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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