Editor’s note: Welcome to the new Police1 series, “Application to Probation” by Investigator Jesse Cohen of the Westminster (Colorado) Police Department. This series will guide police applicants and police recruits through everything from the initial stages of the testing process to your last day of probation, covering key steps along the way, including academy preparation and tips for working the graveyard shift. All advice is drawn from the author’s firsthand experience, intended to help you avoid common pitfalls and ensure a successful start to your career.
Plenty of police applicants have dreamed of becoming a police officer their entire lives. They dressed up as cops for Halloween, grew up around family members in law enforcement, and counted down the days until they were old enough — typically between 18 and 21 depending on the state — to apply.
Then there are people like me. If you were to talk to some of my high school and college classmates, they’d probably laugh if you told them that I’m a police officer. This career wasn’t even on my radar in college — it just sort of happened. I had such little knowledge about police work that I spent the weeks leading up to the academy watching the movie, “End of Watch” and binge-watching “Cops” to try to figure out what the job entailed.
I had the right idea but probably went about it the wrong way. Since this series will cover everything you need to become a police officer, let’s start here. Before you begin, understand that police work is unlike any corporate or business job. I’d first recommend looking internally and being honest with yourself to make sure it’s for you. The question isn’t, “Can I do this for 20-30 years?” but rather, “Can I perform at the best of my abilities for 20-30 years, where mistakes can be deadly, and I need to strive for perfection in various skills?” You must be willing to maintain your training, even when you’re close to retirement. You’ll experience situations where mistakes carry severe consequences, work shifts and hours others don’t, and feel intense emotions most people rarely experience. Assuming you already know this (or you wouldn’t be applying in the first place), let’s talk about how to prepare.
Mental preparation for the police academy
To prepare for the police academy and your new law enforcement career, my first recommendation is to start reading. You’re already on the right track if you’re reading this! Subscribe to Police1 to access articles on police training, current events, how-tos and stories from patrol — anything that helps you understand the job better. I wouldn’t recommend diving straight into legal documents or case law as these can be difficult to understand without prior background knowledge. You’ll get extensive training on criminal law, use of force policies and constitutional rights at the police academy.
Watch police training videos and debriefs
You should also watch police training videos, especially those that include after-action reports or debriefs. There are thousands of law enforcement training videos on Police1, Instagram and YouTube.
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Many of these videos will include commentary discussing what happened.If it’s a good video, pay attention to the officer’s actions and learn from what they did right. If it’s a bad video, analyze the officer’s mistakes and make a mental note not to repeat them.
Physical preparation for the police fitness test and academy
A lot of applicants to the Westminster (Colorado) Police Department ask me how to train for the police fitness test or the academy’s physical training. My advice? Don’t just train for a test — train for long-term health and career readiness.
It’s common to see police officers start their careers in great shape, only to lose motivation over time. If you already have a consistent fitness routine, you’ll likely pass the police physical fitness test (PT test) without issues. If anything, identify a weak point and work on it. For example, I hate running, but I knew I had to do it in the academy. So, I added running to my workout routine before I started. Now, 12 years later, I still focus on conditioning and functional fitness in my workouts.
Preventing injuries and staying fit throughout your police career
If I were to give one key piece of advice about police fitness training, it would be to prioritize mobility and injury prevention.
Everyone has their preferred workout style, and if it works for you, stick to it. But here’s the reality: if you’re injured, you can’t train — or do the job well.
Some injuries are unavoidable, but the most common injury among law enforcement officers is back strain. This usually comes from:
- Wearing a duty belt for long hours
- Spending excessive time sitting in a patrol car
To prevent back injuries and long-term wear and tear, start working on:
- Mobility and flexibility training
- Proper warm-ups for joints and ligaments before workouts
This won’t just help with those cold morning PT sessions at the academy—it will benefit your entire policing career.
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Now that you’ve done some self-reflection and are committed to becoming a police officer, it’s time to focus on the police hiring process. You’ve started preparing mentally and physically — keep that up throughout every stage. Now, let’s dive into how to succeed in each phase of the police hiring process, from testing to academy training.
In the next article, we’ll break down exactly what you need to know to pass the written test — what to study, common mistakes and how to approach the questions with confidence.
If you have any questions about the hiring process or academy preparation, feel free to reach out to Investigator Jesse Cohen at the Westminster (Colorado) Police Department. You can email him at jacohen@westminsterco.gov, or text at 720-705-3732
Find more articles by Investigator Cohen here and listen to him discuss the police applicant process here:
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