A: Lateral Applicants are applicants who are already police officers at a different police department. Laterals are already certified police officers.
New Hires//Recruit Applicants are civilians who are not certified to be police officers yet and will have to go through our police academy.
A: Unfortunately, no. We cannot accept you as a Lateral. You will have to apply as a New Hire // Recruit.
A: Our academy for new hires is 6 months.
A: Yes. You will get to go home at the end of every day.
A: Yes. Your annual base pay and benefits start your very first day of the academy.
A: No. You do not have to live in the city; however, the City of Little Rock offers a residential incentive of up to $5,000 if you choose to relocate. New employees must relocate and submit paperwork to HR within the first year of employment in order to earn the residency incentive.
A: You will be required to pass written exams and a physical fitness test during the recruit academy. It is recommended to be in good physical fitness condition when participating in the academy process.
A: You must be a United States citizen, be at least twenty-one years old by the anticipated academy graduation date, have graduated from a standard high school or have possession of a high school equivalency certificate (i.e. General Education Diploma), have no felony convictions, be of good moral character, be able to complete a drug/alcohol test, have acceptable vision (uncorrected visual acuity must not exceed 20/100 in either eye, correctable to 20/20 or better in each eye), possess normal hearing and be free of any hearing defect.
A: Completion of application, preliminary background investigation, written exam, physical fitness exam, comprehensive background investigation, structured panel interview, polygraph, psychological exam, physical/medical exam, orientation, and then entrance into the police recruit academy.
A: After graduating the recruit academy, you will be required to work a minimum of three (3) years on patrol prior to being eligible for a specialized position; however, a transfer may be waived by the Chief of Police in the even there is a need for the productivity and efficiency of the Little Rock Police Department.
A: Yes. Tattoos that are visible to the public while in and out of uniform should NOT be obscene, sexually explicit, nor promote discrimination towards sex, gender, religious, ethnic or national origin. Alternatively, any and all tattoos believed to be offensive will be reviewed by the Chief’s Office to determine policy compliance. Officers are required to complete a Tattoo Declaration Form and forward it through their Chain of Command and will be resubmitted for any new tattoo in the future. Tattoos on the head, face, neck, and hands are prohibited with the exception of wedding band tattoos.
A: Yes. We have a Cadet Program for individuals between the ages of 18-21. Cadets are assigned to the Telephone Reporting Unit (TRU) and process non-emergency calls and write reports for crimes no longer in progress. The TRU is assigned to our Headquarters Division. You may click here to see all police department employment opportunities.
