Los Angeles has one of the most visible and well-known police forces in the nation. With nearly 10,000 sworn officers and approximately 3,000 civilian employees, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is the third-largest law enforcement agency in the US.1 The LAPD provides police services across the approximately 468 square miles within Los Angeles city limits, home to over 3.8 million residents.1,7 The steps to become a Los Angeles police officer are listed below in detail.

Los Angeles Police Officer Requirements

To be eligible to join the LAPD, candidates must meet the following minimum qualifications:2

  • Be at least 20 years of age at the time of application and 21 years of age by police academy graduation
  • Be legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law
  • Have a high school diploma, GED, California High School Proficiency Examination (CHSPE) certificate, or a two- or four-year college degree from an accredited institution
  • Demonstrate a history of ethical and moral behavior consistent with the City of Los Angeles Public Safety Background Standards
  • Have no disqualifying criminal, financial, or conduct history as assessed through the background investigation process

There is no maximum age limit and no residency requirement. Candidates do not need to live in Los Angeles to apply or work as an LAPD officer.2

The LAPD hiring process begins with an online application at myPD.joinlapd.com, followed by a multiple-choice test covering spelling, vocabulary, reading comprehension, and clarity. Candidates who pass complete a Personal History Statement (PHS), which includes fingerprinting and a background investigation. Subsequent steps include a department interview, polygraph examination, and a Physical Fitness Qualifier (PFQ). Candidates who advance continue to a medical evaluation and psychological evaluation. Successful candidates are appointed to an upcoming academy cohort.

See 10 Steps to Becoming a Police Officer on our homepage for the full application process. For specific details and to apply, visit the LAPD recruitment website.

Los Angeles Police Academy

The LAPD operates three academy facilities: the main academy at Elysian Park (1880 N. Academy Road, Los Angeles), the Ahmanson Recruit Training Center in Westchester, and the Devonshire training site in Northridge.2 The training program lasts six months. Training is conducted in the classroom and in the field, covering academics (arrest and booking procedures, report writing, traffic enforcement), driving, firearms, human relations, law, physical training and defensive tactics, and LAPD-specific curriculum including mobile digital computer training, community policing, and Spanish language instruction.2 Candidates are encouraged to participate in the free Candidate Advancement Program (CAP) before the academy to build physical fitness. After graduating from the academy, officers complete 12 months of field training as a probationary Police Officer I before transitioning to full patrol duties.2

Salary, Benefits, and Jobs Outlook

LAPD officers are paid their full starting salary beginning the first day of academy training.3 The current salary structure is as follows:3

StatusAnnual Salary
Recruit (in academy)$91,224
Sworn Police Officer (entry, after academy)$94,753
Top Step (not including bonuses)$124,236

Full-time sworn officers receive an average step increase of approximately $4,409 per year, plus an average annual cost-of-living adjustment of 1.5%.3 Officers assigned to patrol receive an additional $125 biweekly patrol bonus. The mean annual wage for police and sheriff’s patrol officers in the Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim metro area is $108,510.4

The LAPD offers flexible three- and four-day work schedules for many patrol and special assignment units, and medical and dental benefit options for officers and their eligible family members.3 Sworn employees receive 15 days of vacation per year after one year of service, 23 days per year after ten years, and 13 paid floating holidays annually.3 The City maintains an independent pension–annuity fund to which both the officer and the City contribute; additional retirement savings are available through a deferred compensation plan.3,5

California employment of police and sheriff’s patrol officers is projected to grow 3.4% from 2022 to 2032, with approximately 5,180 new positions added each year on average, according to Projections Central.6 For information on current LAPD law enforcement openings, visit our jobs board.

Career Advancement at the LAPD

Every LAPD officer starts at the Police Officer I rank, stationed at one of the department’s 21 geographic patrol divisions after completing the academy. Career growth within the department follows two distinct paths: competitive civil service promotion to a higher classification (such as Detective or Sergeant), which requires placement on an eligible list through examination; or advancement to a higher pay grade within the same classification (such as Police Officer II), which happens automatically after 18 months of satisfactory service.

Promotion to Sergeant or Detective requires passing a competitive civil service exam. Sergeants work as field supervisors and may also take on administrative or specialist roles; Detectives handle investigative follow-up, either in a specialized or generalized capacity. Sergeant salaries currently range from $134,717 to $158,583 annually.8 Officers who have served two years at the Sergeant or Detective rank may then compete for the Lieutenant’s exam and interview process. Advancement from Lieutenant I to Lieutenant II is interview-based. Ranks above Lieutenant–Captain, Deputy Chief, and Assistant Chief–are filled through a combination of civil service procedures and command-level appointments.

Cities and Police Departments Near Los Angeles

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 24,310 police and sheriff’s patrol officers work in the greater Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim metro area.4 Aspiring officers can find opportunities with departments throughout the region, including the Long Beach Police Department, the Pasadena Police Department, the Pomona Police Department, the Santa Monica Police Department, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which contracts law enforcement services to several cities in the region including Santa Clarita. For more information about police departments across the state, see our California page.

Additional Resources

LAPD Contact

References:
1. Los Angeles Police Department: https://www.lapdonline.org/
2. Join LAPD — Qualifications, Academy Training, Career Ladder: https://www.joinlapd.com/
3. Join LAPD — Salary and Benefits: https://www.joinlapd.com/salary-and-benefits
4. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024 Occupational Employment Statistics, Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim, CA: https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/area/0031080
5. Los Angeles Fire and Police Pensions: https://www.lafpp.com/
6. Projections Central, Long-Term Occupational Projections, California, Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers, 2022–2032: https://projectionscentral.org/longterm
7. US Census Bureau, QuickFacts, Los Angeles city, California (V2024): https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/losangelescitycalifornia
8. City of Los Angeles, Police Sergeant (Class 2227) Job Bulletin: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacity/jobs/newprint/4469531