Arlington is the seventh-largest city in Texas with a population of over 400,000 and sits between Dallas and Fort Worth in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area.1 The Arlington Police Department (APD) is authorized for 712 sworn officer positions in fiscal year 2025 and is actively recruiting both new officers and experienced lateral applicants.7 Men and women who want to join the APD will find information on the application, selection, and training process below.

Arlington Police Officer Requirements

To join the APD, candidates must meet the following minimum qualifications:2

  • Be a US citizen
  • Be at least 21 years old
  • Meet one of the following education or experience thresholds: a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution recognized by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement; four years of active-duty military service with an honorable discharge; 60 college credit hours with two continuous years of employment with the City of Arlington; or 60 college credit hours plus completion of the APD Hometown Recruiting Program (already-certified peace officers apply through the Lateral Transfer Academy)
  • Have no class A misdemeanor or felony convictions, including deferred adjudications
  • Have no misdemeanor convictions above class C, including deferred adjudications, within the past 10 years
  • Not be on court-ordered community supervision or probation for any offense above a class C misdemeanor
  • Have no family members employed by the APD
  • Be of good character with a stable school, work, and driving record
  • Have no DWI convictions within the past 10 years
  • Be fluent in English (reading, writing, and speaking)
  • Have 20/20 vision in each eye, corrected or uncorrected, with uncorrected vision no worse than 20/100 in each eye, and no dichromatic color blindness, night blindness, or other visual limitations
  • Have no hearing loss greater than 45 decibels at 4,000 hertz
  • Pass a physical examination administered by a physician
  • Have no neck, face, or hand tattoos, except for one wedding band

An associate’s degree is required to promote to Corporal, and a bachelor’s degree is required to promote to Sergeant.

The APD hiring process begins with a formal application and personal history statement. Qualified candidates attend a preliminary interview with a panel of senior officers, then complete a pass/fail physical agility assessment. Applicants who advance complete a polygraph examination, medical examination, comprehensive psychological evaluation, background investigation, and an oral review board interview. Successful candidates receive a conditional offer of employment and a seat in the Arlington Police Basic Academy.

For more information about becoming a law enforcement officer in a big city like Arlington, check out 10 Steps to Becoming a Police Officer on our home page. For full details on each step and to apply, visit the APD recruitment page.

Arlington Police Basic Academy

All new APD recruits complete the 32-week Arlington Police Basic Academy, which consists of approximately 1,280 hours of instruction at the department’s training center.3 The curriculum includes 720 hours of mandatory TCOLE classroom instruction, scenario-based training, emergency vehicle operations, firearms, defensive tactics, and leadership development, with physical fitness built into the daily schedule. Recruits must pass all academy examinations and the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) licensing exam before being commissioned as peace officers, then complete 17 weeks of field training alongside a Field Training Officer. Applicants who hold a current TCOLE certification or a law enforcement certification from another state may apply through APD’s Lateral Transfer Academy. In-state laterals consist of 10 weeks and out-of-state laterals consist of 14 weeks, followed by seven weeks of field training.

Salary, Benefits, and Jobs Outlook

APD pays recruits during the Basic Academy and places officers on a step pay scale upon graduation. Police Officer (P-1) base pay at each step of service is shown below.4

Service TimeAnnual Base SalaryMonthly Base
Entry (Academy)*$83,665$6,972
After 1 Year$87,863$7,322
After 2 Years$92,240$7,687
After 3 Years$96,865$8,072
After 4 Years$101,714$8,476
After 5 Years$106,764$8,897
After 15 Years$109,436$9,120
After 20 Years (Top Step)$112,174$9,348

*Entry (Academy) is the annualized rate paid to Police Officer recruits during the 32-week Basic Academy; the After 1 Year rate takes effect upon graduation.

The Police Officer (P-1) classification covers all commissioned non-supervisory positions, including patrol officers and detectives. Officers receive additional compensation including $110 per month education pay, $50 per month detective pay, $100 per month bilingual pay, a 5% premium for Police Training Officers, a 6% shift differential, and a $600 annual clothing allowance. After five years of continuous service, Police Officers qualify for Stability Index Pay calculated at $112.33 multiplied by years of service.4

Benefits include medical and dental coverage, paid life insurance, three weeks of paid vacation, 10 paid holidays, a paid sick leave plan, tuition reimbursement, a pre-tax savings plan, and a deferred compensation plan. APD issues each officer a uniform, firearm, and ballistic vest. Officers are eligible for retirement after 20 years of service and participate in a 401(k) plan with a 50% employer match.4

In Texas, employment of police and sheriff’s patrol officers is projected to grow 11% from 2022 to 2032, with approximately 5,461 new positions added each year on average, according to Projections Central.5 The number of officers hired by APD in any given year is also affected by retirements and the city’s public safety budget.

Find open Arlington police officer listings on our jobs board.

Career Advancement at APD

APD officers begin their careers as Police Officers (P-1) in a patrol assignment, then may move into detective and specialty roles within the P-1 classification. Promotion to Sergeant (P-2) requires at least three years of service with the department and is determined through a multi-step promotional process; promotion to Lieutenant (P-3) requires at least three years of supervisory experience after reaching Sergeant.4 Higher-education thresholds apply at the rank of Corporal (associate’s degree) and Sergeant (bachelor’s degree).2

Promoted ranks follow their own step schedules. Sergeant base pay is shown below.4

Service TimeAnnual Base SalaryMonthly Base
Entry$118,419$9,868
After 1 Year$124,340$10,362
After 2 Years (Top Step)$130,557$10,880

Lieutenants earn a published range of $138,670 at entry to $145,603 after one year at rank.4 Stability Index Pay for promoted ranks is calculated at $136.83 multiplied by years of service for Sergeants and $141.13 multiplied by years of service for Lieutenants, paid after five years of continuous service.4

Cities and Police Departments Near Arlington

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 16,120 police and sheriff’s patrol officers work in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area, with a mean annual wage of $87,150 as of May 2024.6 Law enforcement professionals in the region can also explore opportunities with the Fort Worth Police Department, the Dallas Police Department, the Grand Prairie Police Department, the Irving Police Department, and the Mansfield Police Department. For more information about police departments across the state, see our Texas page.

Additional Resources

Arlington Police Department Contact

1. US Census Bureau, QuickFacts, Arlington city, Texas, Population estimates July 1, 2024 (V2024): https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/arlingtoncitytexas/PST045224
2. Arlington Police Department, Police Recruiting Eligibility: https://www.arlingtontx.gov/City-Services/Public-Safety/Police-Department/Police-Recruiting/Eligibility
3. Arlington Police Department, Police Academy Experience: https://www.arlingtontx.gov/City-Services/Public-Safety/Police-Department/Police-Recruiting/Police-Academy-Experience
4. Arlington Police Department, Police Employee Benefits: https://www.arlingtontx.gov/City-Services/Public-Safety/Police-Department/Police-Recruiting/Police-Employee-Benefits
5. Projections Central, 2022-2032 Long-Term Occupational Projections, Texas, via O*NET: https://www.onetonline.org/link/localtrends/33-3051.00?st=TX
6. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Southwest Information Office, Occupational Employment and Wages in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington — May 2024: https://www.bls.gov/regions/southwest/news-release/occupationalemploymentandwages_dallasfortworth.htm
7. Arlington Police Department, 2025 Annual Report: https://arlingtontx.gov/files/assets/city/v/1/police/documents/apd-annual-report/2025-apd-annual-report.pdf