There are some general police officer requirements in the United States. To join one of many police officer careers, you will need to be over 20 and have graduated from high school. Good health and fitness is necessary too. Each city and state dictates the exact necessities for their police officers. Some police departments require their officers to have at least some post-secondary education. Going to police academy to obtain police officer training is not an option though for most officers-to be. Those looking to get a leg up on their careers or to get higher pay and more responsibility will complete either two year or four year college degrees in areas such as criminal justice, law enforcement, police science, or public administration, and many departments will pay for their officers to complete such a degree. Those who work in federal law enforcement agencies are required to have college degrees. Passing a civil service test following civil service mandates is the deciding factor on who can become a police officer in many states. These exams can be very competitive.