How to become a Texas Peace Officer

Law enforcement positions include municipal police, deputy sheriff, county constable, state highway patrol officers (Department of Public Safety), agents of various state enforcement and regulatory agencies (Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Texas Racing Commission, Parks and Wildlife Commission, Lottery Commission and many more). In addition, there are hundreds of special agencies such as hospital district police and campus police departments which employ sworn officers.

In order to qualify for any of these positions, you must hold a peace officer license from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement or be license-eligible. In order to become eligible for licensing, you must meet certain minimum requirements, complete the full-time Basic Peace Officer Certification course and pass the basic peace officer licensing examination. The exam is given at the TCLEOSE headquarters in Austin, TX, and at several authorized testing centers around the state.

Classen Buck Seminars, Incorporated is not a licensed Police Academy. Educational requirements can be met through a departmental police academy, a regional academy, or a community college which holds an academy license. In addition to the state-mandated training and the state requirement of a high school diploma or G.E.D., many agencies also require a specific number of credit hours from an accredited college, an associates degree or in some cases a bachelors degree.

The hiring process for law enforcement positions can take up to six months. In most cases, some or all of the following steps will be involved:

Completion of a detailed employment application and personal history statement

A written examination (differs from agency to agency, depending on whether the department falls under state civil service regulations, and may measure basic reading comprehension and writing skills, general intelligence, and/or specific knowledge)

A physical agility test (usually administered as a timed course designed to measure occupation-related tasks such as changing a tire, dragging of a dummy body a certain distance, sprinting, broad jumping, scaling a wall, etc)

An initial interview with one or more police officials

An extensive background investigation for the purpose of ascertaining an applicant's character, maturity level, integrity and suitability for police work

A physical examination by a physician to determine if an applicant is in sound health

A drug screening test to detect use of any illicit drugs

A psychological examination by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist, usually including standardized tests to detect serious psychological disorders and potential psychological problems

A polygraph examination ("lie detector") validate applicant's answers to interview questions

An oral review board (group interview) often consisting of scenario situations and problem-solving exercises, designed to measure the applicant's decision-making ability, knowledge of the law and general law enforcement procedures, and ethical factors

Once hired, a police officer generally completes a field training assignment, working with an experienced officer for a designated period of time, before being allowed to function on his/her own.

All working officers are required to complete minimal continuing education courses in order to keep their licenses current. Classen Buck Seminars Inc., is a Training Provider approved by TCLEOSE to offer some of the continuing education requirements via correspondence courses. As licensed officers gain experience and education in the field, officers may qualify to receive the Intermediate, Advanced and Master Peace Officer post-licensing proficiency certificates. Requirements for attaining each certificate are established by TCLEOSE.

The following is a list of TCLEOSE licensed academies.

Abilene Police Academy Box 174 Abilene, TX 79604 Phone: (915)676-6537		Alamo Area LEA 8700 Tesoro Drive, suite 700 San Antonio, Texas, 78217 Phone: (210) 362-5291 or (210) 362-5294 FAX:(210) 824-5881 e-mail sramirez@aacog.com
Alvin Community College LEA 3110 Mustang Road Alvin, TX 77511 Phone: (281)388-4752		Amarillo Police Academy 200 South East Third Avenue Amarillo, TX 79101 Phone: (806)378-3084
Angelina College Police Academy Box 1768 Lufkin, TX 75902 Phone: (409)633-5328		Arlington Police Academy 6000 West Pioneer Parkway Arlington, TX 76013 Phone: (817)457-8013
Austin Police Academy 4800 Shaw Lane Austin, TX 78744 Phone: (512)385-6500		Baytown Police Academy 220 West Defee Baytown, TX 77520 Phone: (713)420-5881
Bexar County Sheriff's Academy 200 North Comal San Antonio, TX 78207 Phone: (210)270-6229		Brazoria Co. Sheriff's Academy 3602 C R 45 Angleton, TX 77515 Phone: (409)849-2441
Brazosport College LEA 500 College Drive Lake Jackson, TX 77566 Phone: (409)266-3315		Capitol Area Planning Council 2520 I H 35 South, Suite 100 Austin, TX 78704 Phone: (512)443-7653
Cedar Valley College LEA 3030 North Dallas Ave. Lancaster, TX 75134 Phone: (972)860-8289		Central Texas Regional Academy Box 1800 Killeen, TX 76541 Phone: (254)526-1276
College of the Mainland LEA 1200 Amburn Road Texas City, TX 77591 Phone: (409)938-1211		Collin County Community College LEA 2200 West University McKinney, TX 75069 Phone: (972)548-6861
Concho Valley Academy 5002 Knickerbocker Road San Angelo, TX 76901 Phone: (915)944-9666		Corpus Christi Police Academy Box 9016 Corpus Christi, TX 78469 Phone: (512)851-8971
Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport Academy P.O. Drawer 610687 D/FW Airport, TX 75261 Phone: (972)574-8501		Dallas Co. Sheriff's Academy 521 North Industrial Blvd. Dallas, TX 75207 Phone: (214)741-1094
Dallas Police Academy 5310 Red Bird Center Drive Dallas, TX 75237 Phone: (214)670-7448		Del Mar College Regional Police Academy Del Mar College Corpus Christi, TX 78404 Phone: (512)886-1706
Del Rio Police Academy Box 4239 Del Rio, TX 78841 Phone: (210)774-8722		Denton Police Academy 601 East Hickory Street Denton, TX 76205 Phone: (817)566-8178
East Texas Police Academy 1100 Broadway Kilgore, TX 75662 Phone: (903)983-8663		Eastfield College LEA 3737 Motley Drive Mesquite, TX 75150 Phone: (972)860-7689
El Paso Co. Sheriff's Academy Post Office Box 125 El Paso, Texas 79941 Phone: (915)856-4850		El Paso Community College LEA Box 20500 El Paso, TX 79998 Phone: (915)594-2000
El Paso Police Academy 911 Raynor El Paso, TX 79903 Phone: (915)564-7316		Fort Worth Police Academy 1000 Calvert St. Fort Worth, TX 76107 Phone: (817)877-8202
Galveston Co. Sheriff's Academy 2026 Sealy Galveston, TX 77550 Phone: (409)766-2305		Galveston Community College LEA 4015 Avenue Q Galveston, TX 77550 Phone: (409)763-6551
Galveston Police Academy Box 568 Galveston, TX 77553 Phone: (409)766-2172		Garland Police Academy 217 North Fifth Street Garland, TX 75040 Phone: (972)423-3047
Grand Prairie Police Academy 801 Conover Grand Prairie, TX 75051 Phone: (972)237-4531		Gus George LEA 1410 Ransom Road Richmond, TX 77469 Phone: (281)341-4780
Harris Co. Sherriff's Academy 2310 Atascocita Road Humble, TX 77396 Phone: (281)454-7252		Hays Co. Sheriff's Academy 1307 Old Uhland Road San Marcos, TX 78666 Phone: (512)396-6616
Heart of Texas Police Academy 1400 College Drive Waco, TX 76708 Phone: (254)299-8558		Hildago Co. Sheriff's Academy Box 359 Edinburg, TX 78540 Phone: (210)383-7486
Houston Community College Police Academy 7907 Cowart Houston, TX 77029 Phone: (713)673-1341		Houston Police Academy 17000 Aldine Westfield Houston, TX 77073 Phone: (281)230-2300
Institue of Criminal Justice Studies Texas State University State Univ. San Marcos, TX 78666 Phone: (512)245-3030		Irving Police Academy 2603 North Esters Road Irving, TX 75062 Phone: (972)594-1262
Jefferson Co. Sheriff's Academy Route 4, Box 1000 Beaumont, TX 77705 Phone: (409)726-2521		Killeen Police Academy 2408 East Rancier Killeen, TX 76541 Phone: (817)554-6300
Lamar University Police Academy Box 10072 Beaumont, TX 77710 Phone: (409)880-8022		Laredo Community College Regional Academy West End Washington Street Laredo, TX 78040-43 Phone: (210)721-5209
Lewisville Police Academy Box 299002 Lewisville, TX 75029 Phone: (972)219-3608		Longview Police Academy Box 1952 Longview, TX 75606 Phone: (903)237-1191
Lower Rio Grande Valley Academy 142 South 7th Street Raymondville, TX 78580 Phone: (210)689-5808		Lubbock Co. Sherriff's Academy Box 10536 Lubbock, TX 79408 Phone: (806)767-1466
Lubbock Police Academy Box 2000 Lubbock, TX 79457 Phone: (806)767-2960		McAllen Police Academy 1501 Pecan Blvd. McAllen, TX 78501 Phone: (210)972-7370
Mesquite Police Academy Box 137 Mesquite, TX 75149 Phone: (972)216-6656		Middle Rio Grande LEA 2401 Garner Field Road Uvalde, TX 78801 Phone: (210)278-4401
Montgomery Co. Sherriff's Academy 112 Academy Drive Conroe, TX 77301 Phone: (409)760-5859		Navarro College Police Academy 3200 West Seventh Avenue Corsicana, TX 75110 Phone: (903)874-6501
North Central Texas Regional Academy 624 Six Flags Drive, Suite 125 Arlington, TX 76011 Phone: (817)608-2300		North Harris Montgomery Community College 2700 W.W. Thorne Drive Houston, TX 77073 Phone: (281)591-9331
Northeast Texas Community College LEA Box 1307 Mt. Pleasant, TX 75456 Phone: (903)572-1911		Nueces Co. Sheriff's Academy Box 1940 Corpus Christi, TX 78401 Phone: (512)289-4200
Odessa College Police Academy 201 West University Odessa, TX 79764 Phone: (915)335-6455		Orange Co. Sherriff's Academy Box 1468 Orange, TX 77630 Phone: (409)883-2612
Panhandle Regional LEA Box 447 Amarillo, TX 79178 Phone: (806)345-5506		Pasadena Police Academy 4801 Spencer Highway Pasadena, TX 77505 Phone: (281)998-8240
Permian Basin LEA Box 60660 Midland, TX 79711 Phone: (915)563-1061		Pharr Police Academy 1011 West Kelly Pharr, TX 78577 Phone: (956)781-5095
Plano Police Academy 4912 East 14th Plano, TX 75074 Phone: (972)423-4797		Richardson Police Academy 4912 East 14th Plano, TX 75040 Phone: (972)422-5485
Sam Houston State Univ. C.J. Center Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX 77341 Phone: (409)294-1669		San Angelo Police Academy Box 5020 San Angelo, TX 76902 Phone: (915)481-2618
San Antonio College LEA 1300 San Pedro Avenue San Antonio, TX 78284 Phone: (210)228-0973		San Antonio Police Academy 12200 S.E. Loop 410 San Antonio, TX 78221 Phone: (210)628-1444
San Marcos Police Academy 2300 I H 35 South San Marcos, TX 78666 Phone: (512)753-2110		South Plains Assn of Govt. LEA Box 3730 Lubbock, TX 79452 Phone: (806)762-8721
South Plains College Academy Box 13 Levelland, TX 79336 Phone: (800)858-1019		Southeast Texas Regional Police Academy TEEX Public Safety & Security Division College Station, TX 77843 Phone: (409)845-6391
Sul Ross State University LEA Box C26 Alpine, TX 79832 Phone: (915)837-8614		Southwestern Law Enforcement Institute Box 830707 Richardson, TX 75083 Phone: (972)664-3471
Tarrant Co. Jr. College Academy Box 161175 Fort Worth, TX 76161 Phone: (817)515-7760		Tarleton State University LEA Box T-0665 Stephenville, TX 76402 Phone: (254)968-9276
Temple Police Academy 105 South 5th Street Temple, TX 76501 Phone: (817)770-5570		Tarrant Co. Sheriff's Academy 300 West Belknap Fort Worth, TX 76102 Phone: (817)531-7633
Texas Alcohol Beverage Comm. LEA Box 13127 Austin, TX 78711 Phone: (512)458-2500		Texas City Police Academy 928 5th Avenue North Texas City, TX 77590 Phone: (409)948-2525
Texas Dept. Public Safety LEA Box 4087, N A S Austin, TX 78773 Phone: (512)424-2000		Texas Parks & Wildlife LEA 100 West 50th Street Austin, TX 78744 Phone: (512)454-2502
Texoma Regional Police Academy 4501 Dinn Street Denison, TX 75020 Phone: (903)786-3151		Travis Co. Sheriff's Academy Box 1748 Austin, TX 78767 Phone: (512)473-4194
Tyler Junior College LEA Box 9020 Tyler, TX 75711 Phone: (903)510-2327		U.T. Brownsville C.J. Institute 80 Fort Brown Brownsville, TX 78520 Phone: (210)544-8993
U.T. Systems Police Academy Box 7606, UT Station Austin, TX 78713 Phone: (512)499-4680		University North Texas Police Academy Box 305130 Denton, TX 76203 Phone: (940)565-4475
University of Houston - Downtown LEA C J Center - One Main St. No.6 Houston, TX 77002 Phone: (713)221-8499		Vernon Regional Jr. College LEA 4105 Maplewood Wichita Falls, TX 76308 Phone: (904)696-8752
Victoria College LEA 2200 E. Red River Victoria, TX 77901 Phone: (512)573-3291		Victoria Police Academy Box 2086 Victoria, TX 77902 Phone: (361)572-6450
Waco Police Academy Box 2570 Waco, TX 76702 Phone: (254)750-7514		Weatherford College LEA Rt. 4, Building 704 Mineral Wells, TX 76067 Phone: (817)325-2591
West Central Texas Req. LEA Box 3195 Abilene, TX 79604 Phone: (915)672-1197		Wharton Co. Jr. College LEA 911 Boling Hwy. Wharton, TX 77488 Phone: (409)532-6328
Wichita Falls Police Academy 610 Holliday Street Wichita Falls, TX 76301 Phone: (940)761-7722