How to become a police officer in Tennessee
In Tennessee, police officers are hired by city police departments and county sheriff's offices. The Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) Commission sets the statewide standards; the credential is P.O.S.T. Certification (Certificate of Compliance). At the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, new hires start at $70,904 a year, rising to $102,871 after about 14.5 years. You must be at least 18.
Pay at the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department
Each city and county sets its own pay. This is the official scale of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, the largest city's agency.
| Starting salary | $70,904 |
|---|---|
| Top of scale | $102,871 |
| Years to top | 14.5 |
| Scale effective | 2026-07-01 |
Metro Nashville FY27 police officer pay plan, one step per year.
Source:[nashville.gov]
Pay for this work across Tennessee
Federal survey figures for police and sheriff's patrol officers in Tennessee, counting every employer in the state, public and private, so they differ from any one agency's pay scale above.
| People in this work | 15,630 |
|---|---|
| Lower pay (10th percentile) | $43,520 |
| Median pay | $59,280 |
| Higher pay (90th percentile) | $79,480 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates (all employers)[bls.gov]
Requirements
- Minimum age: 18
- Education: High school graduate or equivalent of a high school diploma (no waivers for minimum education)
- Citizenship: U.S. citizen, or a permanent legal resident who is an honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. armed forces (T.C.A. 38-8-105(d))
- No conviction of, guilty plea to, or nolo contendere plea to any felony, or to any violation of federal/state law or city ordinance relating to force, violence, theft, dishonesty, gambling, liquor, or controlled substances
- No discharge from the U.S. armed forces under conditions other than honorable (DD-214s required if prior military)
- Fingerprints on file with the TBI
- Physical examination by a licensed physician (or authorized NP/PA) no more than 6 months before entering the basic course
- Good moral character, determined by a thorough background investigation
- Psychological certification by a Tennessee-licensed psychiatric/psychological provider no more than 6 months before entering the basic course
- Not previously decertified and not having voluntarily surrendered certification
- Must enroll in the Basic Law Enforcement Course within 6 months of initial employment; paired with a field training officer or certified officer until then
Hiring process
- Application to a city/county law enforcement agency
- Background investigation (good moral character)
- Fingerprints (TBI and FBI)
- Psychological evaluation
- Medical/physical examination
- P.O.S.T. pre-employment application submitted by the agency (within 30 days of hire)
- Basic Law Enforcement Course (minimum 488 hours) within 6 months of hire
- Certification by the P.O.S.T. Commission
Source:[tn.gov]
Required training
488 hours minimum. Rule 1110-07-.01 (revised September 2026): the Basic Law Enforcement Course shall include a minimum of 488 hours of instruction and study (raised from 480). Multi-agency academies must have a total-immersion, dormitory environment with at least 488 hours. Includes 120 hours patrol procedures, 48 firearms, 48 defensive tactics, 48 emergency vehicle operations, 50 criminal/constitutional law. Officers then need 40 hours of in-service training each year. No separate statewide licensing exam was found.[publications.tnsosfiles.com]
Pension and retirement
- Plan: Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System (TCRS) for participating cities and counties
TCRS local-government benefits depend on the plan each city or county adopts, and no official TCRS public-safety formula for new local hires could be retrieved.
Source:[treasury.tn.gov]