Law Enforcement Officer Position

Dallas Police Department - Police Officer Trainee

 

PROFILE DISCLAIMER

The information herein is provided by the respective agency and is only as accurate and as up-to-date as the agency representative(s) update this information. PST is not responsible for the veracity of this data as it is provided directly from the agency. It is ultimately the applicant's responsibility to verify any information about the agency with the agency.

Dallas Police Department - Police Officer Trainee

Last updated on August 07, 2025
PST Partner Agency since January 29, 2021

Vacancies: 300

Important Information

To sign up for Dallas Police Department, please follow the steps below:

1. Click "Sign Up" on the Dallas PD profile on PST's website. Create your PST account and finish the initial registration process (there is no testing fee, but you must complete the checkout process).

2. You will be emailed a Dallas PD Personal History Statement and Preliminary Interview Form. Complete the two forms and upload them to your PST account under "Agency Requested Docs". Be sure to assign the documents to Dallas PD.

3. Please visit https://bit.ly/DPDfromPST and select the "Please Click Here To Apply" link. It will take you to the City of Dallas job posting page where you must create an account and register for the Civil Service Exam. Please follow the steps on that page for additional information.

4. Once you have registered, a link to take the Civil Service examination will be emailed to you. You have 14 Days to complete the exam.

5. Once you have passed the exam a Dallas PD recruiter will reach out to you regarding the next steps of the hiring process.

If you have questions before or during your application process, please email us at dpdrecruiting@dallascityhall.com

Helpful Links:

Applicant Processing Steps

Process for Applicants Outside the State of Texas

Information about Testing

Department Information

On behalf of the men and women of the Dallas Police Department, congratulations on your interest in becoming a member of the Dallas Police Department! The Dallas Police Department was founded in 1881, and it is the 2nd largest police department in the State of Texas and the 9th largest police department in the country. The Dallas Police Department is comprised of over 3100 sworn members and over 500 non-sworn members. The Dallas Police Department provides police services to over 1.3 million citizens who reside in a city occupying 385 square miles. The Dallas Police Department is dedicated to recruiting, hiring, and training the most qualified applicants. The Dallas Police Department offers a wide range of assignments and more opportunities for advancement and professional development than other departments. We look forward to you taking the first step in a rewarding career with a progressive and diverse police department.

Job Description

Please be advised applying through Indeed.com is not the final step of applying for this position. You must apply with the City of Dallas and then then successfully pass the Civil Service exam.

**PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION WITHOUT ATTACHING YOUR COLLEGE TRANSCRIPT OR MILITARY DOCUMENTS**

Submit your application here:

https://dallaspolice.net/joindpd

Your application is INCOMPLETE until you have attached a legible copy of one of the above qualifying documents.
Examples of Qualifying Documents

  • College Transcripts/Unofficial Transcript (including required number of hours and overall GPA of 2.0 - Diplomas are not considered a qualified document) (DO NOT attach your degree certificate)
  • Military DD214 [member page 4] (if separated)and/or Statement of Service (if currently active). This must be provided for any federal military service.
  • Statement of Service must include:
  • Dates of service
  • Anticipated separation date (must be no more than seven (7) months following application date)
  • Anticipated discharge status
  • Active TCOLE Peace Officer License
  • Out of State Law Enforcement License

Do Not Attach

  • Resumes
  • Cover Letters

This is a temporary trainee classification used to qualify and train candidates’ under-filling permanent Police Officer positions. Participates in a Qualifying Training Program to learn, through formal classroom instruction, the basic police procedures, techniques, and laws required to perform the duties of a Dallas Police Officer.

Essential Functions

1. Attends a 32-week Basic Training Course at the Dallas Police Academy, which will provide classroom and field instruction in basic police procedures, techniques, and laws.
2. After passing the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) Basic Peace Officer Licensing Examination, will receive additional training in Dallas Police Department specific courses including Dallas City Code (city ordinances), and other real life police situations and functions.
3. Performs other related duties, including special projects, as requested or required.
4. Regular, reliable and punctual attendance is an essential function of the job.

Minimum Qualifications

  • Forty-five (45) semester hours of college credit (excluding developmental courses & repeated courses) with an overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher from an accredited college or university

OR

  • Valid Texas Commission on Law Enforcement license (TCOLE) (Active TCOLE Peace Officer License Exemption:College credit hours requirement is waived for Law Enforcement Personnel who possess an active TCOLE Peace Officer License)

OR

  • Thirty-six (36) months of full-time certified law enforcement experience (from date of receipt of license) with a city, county or state law enforcement agency and be currently employed or separated from the agency for no more four (4) months prior to the date of application

OR

  • 21 years of age with a minimum of a high school diplomaor general education development (GED) and 36 months of full-time, consecutive employmentexperience.

OR

  • A minimum of thirty-six (36) months service in the Armed Forces of the United States of America with an Honorable Discharge (as indicated on separation documents provided by the military [DD214, Member page 4])If on active duty at time of application, applicant must provide a statement of service. (Allowance for no more than ten (10) calendar days less than thirty-six (36) months; more than ten (10) days requires approval from the Assistant Chief of Police over the Personnel and Development Division)

Additional Requirements

  • Military discharge must be honorable or uncharacterized (if applicable).
  • Must be a United States Citizen
  • Must be at least nineteen and one-half (19 ½) years of age* and not have reached forty-five (45) years of age on the date the Civil Service written examination is taken. [*Applicants under the age of twenty-one (21) must have at least sixty (60) semester hours of college credit (excluding developmental and repeated courses) with an overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher from an accredited college or university.
  • No felony or class A misdemeanor convictions
  • No class B misdemeanor convictions within the last ten (10) years
  • Must have valid driver's license with good driving record.
  • Must possess the physical/medical health to adequately perform the duties of a Police Officer

Spanish/English Equivalency Test (College Level Exam Placement-CLEP) will substitute for
up to twelve (12) semester credit hours.

EXAM DESCRIPTION: Exam covers map reading, reading comprehension, prioritization, probability, vocabulary and word use, mathematics, sentence clarity, and character comparison.
TIME LIMIT: Three (3) hours
Practice Test: https://neogov.testgenius.com/application/user-registration.html?dallas-DPD%20Police%20Officer%20Trainee%20Practice%20Exam

Supplemental Information

The salary listed on the job posting is the starting salary range; amount offered will depend upon qualifications.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $75,397.00 per year

Benefits:

  • 401(k)
  • 401(k) matching
  • Dental insurance
  • Employee discount
  • Health insurance
  • Health savings account
  • Life insurance
  • Paid time off
  • Professional development assistance
  • Retirement plan
  • Tuition reimbursement
  • Vision insurance

Schedule:

  • 10 hour shift
  • 8 hour shift
  • Day shift
  • Evening shift
  • Holidays
  • Night shift
  • Weekends as needed

Application Question(s):

  • Are you a United States Citizen?
  • Have you served in the US Military (Active Duty) for a period of three (3) years or more, and have an Honorable Discharge or Uncharacterized as stipulated on their DD Form 214?
  • Do you have an active TCOLE License?
  • Are you between the ages of 21 -44 and have 45 College Hours?

Work Location: In person

Area Information

County: Dallas
Population: 1,300,000
# of Staff: 3150

Hiring Status

Dallas Police Department - Police Officer Trainee has 300 vacancies.

The Dallas Police Department is the 9th largest department in the nation and hires Police Officer Trainee applicants year round. The Dallas Police Department has its own paid academy, with academy classes starting throughout the year as well.

Salary Information

$75,397 - Starting Pay! 

We'll pay you for up to 5 years of licensed Peace Officer experience.

Please review in-depth information about salary and benefits HERE.

Benefit Information

Please review in-depth information about salary and benefits HERE.

Dallas Police Department - Police Officer Trainee Requirements

Category Requirement Required at time of...
    Test Hire
Written Examination No, not required

While there is no written test via Public Safety Testing, the Dallas Police Department requires applicants to take and pass a Civil Service Exam. Passing the Civil Service Exam is the first step in the application process and must be done before additional steps can be started.

LEO/CO Physical Ability Test (PAT) No, not required (may be required later)

While there is no Physical Ability Test via Public Safety Testing, the Dallas Police Department requires applicants to take and pass a Physical Readiness Evaluation as part of their Phase One testing. Additional information on the evaluation can be found at www.dallaspolice.net/joindpd

Minimum Age Must be between 19 1/2 years of age and 44 years of age. Applicants must not turn 45 years of age before taking the civil service examination.
Citizenship Must be a citizen of the United States.
High School Grad/ GED Must be a U. S. high school graduate or possess a G.E.D. Applicants that are 19 1/2 and 20 years of age must have a minimum of 60 semester college hours with a 2.0 GPA from an accredited college or university. Applicants between 21 and 44 years of age must have a minimum of 45 semester college hours with a 2.0 GPA from an accredited college or university. Military Exemption: College credit hours requirement is waived for military personnel who served at least 3 years on active duty and were conferred an Honorable discharge as stipulated on their DD Form 214 (member 4 copy). Consideration is allowed for 10 calendar days short of the mandatory three years.
Driver's License Required Must have demonstrated safe driving habits and have a valid driver’s license.
Vision Requirements No worse than 20/100 vision rating in each eye, correctable to 20/20 in both eyes. The city of Dallas uses the Department of Transportation standard vision test. The exam includes moving your eyes left to right, up and down and able to see three different colors: red, yellow, and green (just like a stop light).
Body Decorations Applicants must not have tattoos, brands, or body art that may be considered offensive or obscene. Tattoos must be covered by a long sleeve uniform shirt. Applicants must not have tattoos on their head, scalp, face, neck, hands, or fingers.

Dallas Police Department - Police Officer Trainee Disqualifiers

The following are automatic and potential disqualifiers. Applicants should not apply to our agency if they indicate any of the automatic disqualifiers. Potential disqualifiers will be considered on a case by case basis.

Category Disqualifier
Driving
Automatic Must not have been convicted of a DWI (Class B misdemeanor) within 10 years preceding the date of application.
Automatic Must not have any outstanding traffic warrants or pending citations.
Automatic Must not have been convicted of three (3) or more hazardous traffic violations within twenty-four (24) months preceding the date of application. Must show proof of disposition on all citations received within the previous one year (from the court of jurisdiction).
Drug Usage
Potential Illegal drug use is determined on a case by case basis. Factors considered are types of drugs used, recency of drug usage, the total number of usages, and applicant’s age of last drug usage. If you have any questions regarding prior drug usage, call and speak with a recruiter.
Criminal Activity
Automatic Must not have been convicted, plead guilty or nolo contendere, placed on probation or deferred adjudication for any felony (civilian or military).
Automatic Must not have been convicted, plead guilty or nolo contendere, placed on probation or deferred adjudication for any Class A misdemeanor (civilian or military).
Automatic Must not have been convicted of a family violence offense.
Automatic Must not have been convicted of public lewdness, indecent exposure or prostitution.
Automatic Must not have been convicted, plead guilty or nolo contendere, placed on probation or deferred adjudication for a Class B misdemeanor within the last 10 years.
Automatic Must not be on probation for any crime.
Automatic Must not be under criminal investigation or have criminal charges pending (civilian or military).
Automatic Under Texas law expungements are not accepted on convictions, even if the sentence was probation. Expungements from another state must meet the same standards as Texas law.
Other
Automatic Must not have been discharged from military service with anything other than a Honorable Discharge. 

Contact Information

Dallas Police Department - Police Officer Trainee

1400 Botham Jean
Dallas, TX 75215 Dallas County
214-671-4409

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Agency Test Requirements
Written Examination: No, not required
PAT: No, not required (may be required later)