How to become a police officer in Minnesota
In Minnesota, police officers are hired by city police departments and county sheriff's offices. The Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST Board) sets the statewide standards; the credential is Peace Officer License. At the Minneapolis Police Department, new hires start at $90,064 a year, rising to $112,174.
Pay at the Minneapolis Police Department
Each city and county sets its own pay. This is the official scale of the Minneapolis Police Department, the largest city's agency.
| Starting salary | $90,064 |
|---|---|
| Top of scale | $112,174 |
| Scale effective | 2025-07-01 |
City of Minneapolis Police Officers' Federation (CPO) salary schedule effective July 1, 2025 (3.5% increase), Police Officer job code 08170C: Recruit Academy Rate (Step 11) $41.63/hr; Step 1 (upon graduation from academy) $43.30/hr = $90,064; Step 6 $53.93/hr = $112,174 (hourly x 2080). Step 2 after 12 months on Step 1; Step 3 after 8 months on Step 2; later step timing not shown. Longevity adds $1.38/hr from the 7th year up to $6.46/hr from the 26th year; night differential $2.028/hr. The 2023-2025 agreement ran through Dec 31, 2025; a successor schedule was not posted.
Source:[minneapolismn.gov]
Pay for this work across Minnesota
Federal survey figures for police and sheriff's patrol officers in Minnesota, counting every employer in the state, public and private, so they differ from any one agency's pay scale above.
| People in this work | 9,160 |
|---|---|
| Lower pay (10th percentile) | $60,670 |
| Median pay | $83,360 |
| Higher pay (90th percentile) | $106,160 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates (all employers)[bls.gov]
Requirements
- Education: Postsecondary degree plus completion of a POST-certified Professional Peace Officer Education (PPOE) program (Minn. R. 6700.0500)
- Citizenship: U.S. citizen or eligible to work in the United States under federal requirements
- Valid Minnesota driver's license (or a valid license from the state of residence)
- Complete personal history and thorough background investigation by the hiring agency
- No felony conviction (unless expunged, set aside, pardoned, or civil rights and firearm rights restored for out-of-state felonies) and none of the listed nonfelony offenses (e.g. domestic assault, harassment/stalking, theft except misdemeanor theft of $500 or less, controlled substance offenses other than nonfelony marijuana)
- Not listed on the National Decertification Index; no prior revoked law enforcement license
- Free of discriminatory conduct; no hate/extremist group or criminal gang conduct
- Fingerprints forwarded to the BCA and FBI
- Medical exam by a licensed medical professional showing no disqualifying physical condition
- Pass a psychological screening (Minn. R. 6700.0675)
- Emergency medical responder-equivalent training, or completed within the first six months of employment
- Minimum age is not set in POST minimum selection standards
Source:[revisor.mn.gov]
Hiring process
- Earn a postsecondary degree and complete a POST-certified PPOE program (academic and skills components)
- Pass the POST peace officer licensing examination (eligible to be licensed for three years)
- Agency application and background investigation
- Fingerprint check (BCA and FBI)
- Psychological screening
- Medical examination
- Hire by a law enforcement agency and POST license issued
Source:[revisor.mn.gov]
Entrance exam
Minnesota Peace Officer Licensing Examination. Eligible after completing PPOE; the application needs an official transcript showing a postsecondary degree and the coordinator's attestation. Passing makes a person eligible to be licensed for three years; if not licensed in that time, the exam must be passed again (Minn. R. 6700.0500).[revisor.mn.gov]
Required training
Length not published. Minnesota uses college-based Professional Peace Officer Education (PPOE) at POST-certified schools instead of a single state academy; the rule lists required subject areas (Minn. R. 6700.0300) but no minimum hour total. Minneapolis pays recruits a Recruit Academy Rate ($41.63/hr, July 2025).[revisor.mn.gov]
Pension and retirement
- Plan: Public Employees Retirement Association of Minnesota (PERA) - Police & Fire Plan
- Benefit formula: 3% of high-five average salary (60 consecutive months of highest pay) x years of service; members first enrolled after June 30, 2014 are capped at 99% of average salary (33 years)
- When you can retire: Full retirement age 55 for vested members; early retirement from age 50 with a 5% per year reduction. Members hired after June 30, 2010 vest on a graded schedule: 50% at five years, rising 10% per year to 100% at 10 years
- Social Security: no, this job is not covered
Handbook: members hired after March 31, 1986 have a portion of salary deducted for Medicare coverage through Social Security; it does not state Social Security old-age coverage for Police & Fire members.
Source:[mnpera.org]