How to become a police officer in Colorado
In Colorado, police officers are hired by city police departments and county sheriff's offices. The Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training Board (POST) sets the statewide standards; the credential is Basic Peace Officer Certification (POST). At the Denver Police Department, new hires start at $81,046 a year, rising to $115,780 after about 3.5 years. You must be at least 21.
Pay at the Denver Police Department
Each city and county sets its own pay. This is the official scale of the Denver Police Department, the largest city's agency.
| Starting salary | $81,046 |
|---|---|
| Top of scale | $115,780 |
| Years to top | 3.5 |
| Scale effective | 2026 |
2026 Denver Police salary: Police Officer Recruit $75,257 (paid from day one of the academy through graduation); Police Officer 4th Grade $81,046 (first year after academy graduation); 3rd Grade $86,835; 2nd Grade $92,624; 1st Grade $115,780 (top pay, which the city says is reached in three years and six months, beginning in the fourth year after the academy graduation anniversary). Longevity pay starts at five years; education incentive up to $150/month.
Source:[denvergov.org]
Pay for this work across Colorado
Federal survey figures for police and sheriff's patrol officers in Colorado, counting every employer in the state, public and private, so they differ from any one agency's pay scale above.
| People in this work | 9,610 |
|---|---|
| Lower pay (10th percentile) | $65,340 |
| Median pay | $97,350 |
| Higher pay (90th percentile) | $109,300 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates (all employers)[bls.gov]
Requirements
- Minimum age: 21
- Education: GED, high school diploma, or an equivalency certificate
- Citizenship: No citizenship rule; must be able to lawfully possess a firearm in Colorado and the U.S. (C.R.S. 24-31-305(1)(a)(II)), and must have legal employment authorization to be hired
- POST sets no minimum age; hiring agencies set their own (POST: 'usually 21')
- Current first aid and CPR certificates
- State-issued driver's license or ID card
- Successful completion of an approved Colorado Basic training course within the two years before applying
- Fingerprint-based criminal history check through CBI and FBI (POST Rule 14)
- Any adult felony conviction makes a person ineligible (no variance except deferred judgments, deferred prosecution, pretrial diversion); certain misdemeanors also bar certification
- State law requires a physical examination and a psychological evaluation before appointment
Source:[leg.colorado.gov]
Hiring process
- POST-approved Basic academy
- POST certification examination
- Fingerprint-based background check
- Basic certification (POST Rule 10)
- Agency hiring process and background investigation
- Physical examination and psychological evaluation before appointment
Source:[post.colorado.gov]
Entrance exam
Colorado POST Certification Examination. Basic certification requires a POST-approved Basic academy, the POST certification exam and a background check. Eligibility for the exam requires a GED/diploma, current first aid and CPR, a state-issued ID, and completion of an approved Colorado Basic course within the prior two years.[post.colorado.gov]
Required training
554 hours minimum. POST: the minimum required Basic curriculum is 556 hours, though all academies exceed it. Academies are full-time or part-time and run 16 to 40 weeks. Agency academies take only agency-sponsored recruits; community college academies are open-enrollment and usually self-funded. Denver pays recruits from day one of its academy.[post.colorado.gov]
Pension and retirement
- Plan: Fire and Police Pension Association of Colorado (FPPA) - Statewide Retirement Plan, Defined Benefit Component
- Benefit formula: 2% benefit per year of service for the first ten years, then 2.5% for every year after
- When you can retire: Vested after five years; Normal Retirement at age 55 with 25 years of service, or earlier under the Rule of 80 (minimum age 50); Early Retirement at age 50 with at least five years; Vested Retirement at age 55 with at least five years
The Statewide Retirement Plan also has Hybrid, Money Purchase and Social Security components chosen by the employer. Denver's recruiting page lists a defined benefit pension plan with the Rule of 80 and DROP, matching this component; FPPA does not state Denver's plan on this page.
Source:[fppaco.org]