How to become a police officer in Mississippi
In Mississippi, police officers are hired by city police departments and county sheriff's offices. The Mississippi Board on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Training (BLEOST), Mississippi Department of Public Safety sets the statewide standards; the credential is Law Enforcement Officer certification (BLEOST professional certificate). You must be at least 21.
Pay at the Jackson Police Department
Each city and county sets its own pay.
No official Jackson police officer pay figure found: the JPD page on jacksonms.gov says only 'Competitive Pay & Benefits', and job postings sit on an external portal (jacksonms.portal.opengov.com) that was not checked.
Source:[jacksonms.gov]
Pay for this work across Mississippi
Federal survey figures for police and sheriff's patrol officers in Mississippi, counting every employer in the state, public and private, so they differ from any one agency's pay scale above.
| People in this work | 8,070 |
|---|---|
| Lower pay (10th percentile) | $33,230 |
| Median pay | $46,140 |
| Higher pay (90th percentile) | $61,550 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates (all employers)[bls.gov]
Requirements
- Minimum age: 21
- Education: High school graduate (accredited school) or GED; an associate degree or higher from an accredited institution is accepted in lieu; an official ACT composite of 15 or higher is accepted in lieu of a GED
- Citizenship: U.S. citizen
- Good physical and mental condition verified by a licensed physician (medical and psychological review)
- Good moral character: no conviction, guilty or nolo plea, probation, pre-trial diversion or fine for a felony, a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, or a crime directly related to law enforcement duties
- Former Armed Forces members must have an honorable discharge
- Background investigation including fingerprints submitted to the DPS Criminal Information Center
- Must complete training and obtain certification within one year of hire (full-time) or two years (part-time)
Source:[law.cornell.edu]
Hiring process
- Agency application
- Complete background investigation with fingerprints to DPS Criminal Information Center
- Review of diploma/GED, age and citizenship documents, and DD-214 if a veteran
- Medical and psychological review by a licensed physician (valid six months)
- Hire by a law enforcement agency
- Pre-entry physical fitness test at the academy
- Board-approved Basic Law Enforcement Training Course
- BLEOST certification within one year of hire
Source:[law.cornell.edu]
Required training
480 hours minimum, 11 weeks. Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers' Training Academy (MLEOTA) Basic Class #272 (Sept 4 - Nov 16, 2023): '480 hours', 'an eleven (11) week course' for new full-time sworn officers, with ten weekly tests and a final exam. BLEOST completion standards (31 Miss. Code R. 301-7.2): 70% academic average, 70% physical fitness, 75% firearms, 80% defensive driving, 80% defensive tactics plus a pass/fail practical exam. The 480 hours is MLEOTA's course length; the rule itself states no hour minimum.[dps.ms.gov]
Pension and retirement
- Plan: Public Employees' Retirement System of Mississippi (PERS) - Hybrid Retirement Plan (Tier 5)
- Benefit formula: Defined benefit component: 1.00% pension multiplier x years of creditable service x average compensation (highest four fiscal or calendar years, or final 48 months), plus a separate defined contribution 401(a) account
- When you can retire: 30 years of service credit at any age, or age 62 with 8 years of membership service; benefits reduced for each year below 30 years of service or below age 65, whichever is less
Tier 5 is mandatory for PERS members hired on or after March 1, 2026 (House Bill 1). Members contribute 4% of compensation to the defined benefit component. Whether Jackson police are PERS members was not confirmed from an official page.
Source:[pers.ms.gov]