Police Department Cadet Program
Police Department Cadet Program
The Overland Park Police Department Cadet Program is designed to immerse individuals ages 18-20 in a hands-on, law enforcement training environment. Each Cadet is assigned to the Training Unit for work assignments, training opportunities and educational check-ins and rotated throughout the police department for various field and office assignments.
Cadets are required to enroll as a full-time student at Johnson County Community College. Costs associated with the program are covered as a part of employment.
Minimum Eligibility Requirements
Eligible candidates must:
- Be between 18-20 years old.
- Have a high school diploma, GED, or evidence of equivalent achievement.
- Successfully pass a police department-administered polygraph exam.
- Pass an in-depth background investigation.
- Pass a city-coordinated drug screen, psychological evaluation and physical.
Past criminal activity
Eligible candidates must not:
- Have been convicted, or have had a conviction expunged, diverted, or deferred for any state or federal felony crime or misdemeanor domestic violence crime convictions.
- Have used any illegal drugs, with the exception of marijuana or synthetic marijuana, within the last five years.
- Have used marijuana or synthetic marijuana in the last year.
- Have an established pattern of prescription medication abuse.
- Have had revoked or curtailed the right to legally own or use a firearm under federal, state, or local law.
- Currently be charged with or under indictment for any criminal activity other than minor traffic violations.
- Currently be on criminal probation.
The following activities may not automatically disqualify an applicant for employment, but will be closely scrutinized on a case-by-case basis:
- Sales, distribution, manufacturing or transporting of any illegal drug.
- Unlawful use of medication not prescribed to the applicant within three years before the application for employment.
- Commission of any other potential felonious acts not listed above, detected or undetected.
Driving record
Eligible candidates:
- Must possess a valid driver’s license and an insurable driving record prior to beginning employment with the city.
- May not have been convicted of, plead guilty or no contest to, or been diverted on four or more moving traffic violations within the past three years.
- May not have been convicted of, plead guilty or no contest to, or been diverted on a serious traffic violation, including DUI, reckless driving, hit and run, vehicular homicide, transporting an open container of alcoholic liquor or cereal malt beverage, eluding a police officer, and negligent homicide, within the past three years.
