The Las Cruces Police Department is accepting applications for its 51st training academy and will host a pair of Physical Training Practice Courses on Saturday for prospective applicants.
LCPD recruiters are hosting the Physical Fitness Practice Courses for prospective applicants at two locations beginning at 7 a.m. on Saturday, April 17. The courses will be held at the running tracks at Centennial High School and at Onate High School. Prospective police cadet applicants can participate at either location. Participants should anticipate their test to last about one hour.
The testing will be held in one-hour increments starting at 7 a.m. and at 8 a.m. Applicants should arrive well before PT test they choose to attend. Prospective applicants are encouraged to wear clothing and footwear appropriate for the four physical fitness standards set below.
The PT practice course measures Police Cadet applicants on their current fitness condition, lets them know what is required of applicants and helps prospective applicants set their fitness training goals before they formally test for the Academy. The PT course evaluates participants in four basic entry standards for law enforcement that are set by the New Mexico Department of Public Safety. The basic entry standards – the same for men and women – include:
- 1.5 mile run in 15 minutes, 14 seconds or less.
- 300 meter dash in 71 seconds or less.
- Minimum 27 sit-ups in less than 1 minute.
- Minimum 15 pushups in less than 1 minute.
Recruiters will also be available to answer questions about the Academy and life as a law enforcement officer. LCPD’s academy is tentatively set to begin in January 2022 but applications must be received by July 4, 2021. Early submission of applications is encouraged.
The starting salary for cadets – those who are accepted into the academy – is $16.50 per hour. Upon graduation from the 22-week academy, officer trainees earn $18.83 per hour and are eligible for a $4,000 retention bonus. Officer trainees who successfully complete their one-year probationary status earn a salary of $22.94 per hour.
Applications for Police Cadet are being accepted through July 4 and can be completed online. Information about the Academy, and a link to the job description, can be found by clicking the “Recruitment” tab at www.CLCPD.com.