The FDLE's minimum qualifications ensure that officers will be successful both in training programs and on the certification exam. Applicants must be at least 19 years old, have graduated from high school or have a GED, have a clear criminal history, have good moral character and have record of a health assessment. If you have been a member of the U.S. military, you must not have been dishonorably discharged. All candidates must also be U.S. citizens.
The FDLE training programs span Florida's peninsula, with more than 40 training centers located in community colleges and stand-alone facilities. Training programs prepare law enforcement officers to enter the workforce directly and often provide job-placement assistance. To be admitted into a law enforcement training program, applicants must first pass a battery of tests to ensure their basic competency to complete the course of training. Applicants can take the basic abilities test (BAT) at training centers. The BAT covers comprehension, information processing, and inductive and deductive reasoning abilities. You must have a passing score on the BAT to be admitted into the training program.
The Basic Recruit Training Program prepares recruits to work as patrol officers. The curriculum covers physical fitness, legal issues in police work, crime scene investigations, traffic stops, DUI, firearm and stun gun training, defensive tactics and other pertinent topics. Officers who graduate from the Basic Recruit Training Program may choose to engage in advanced and specialized training courses to further his or her job's scope. Topics in the advanced and specialized courses include narcotics investigations, management, underwater crime scenes, juvenile offenders, gang threats and homicide investigations.
Upon completion of the training program, recruits must take and pass the State Officer Certification Examination. The SOCE covers all topics addressed in the training program and is a computer-based test. Graduates must pass the SOCE in three attempts or less to continue with the certification process. The FDLE offers the SOCE every month at five locations throughout the state. The 2010 SOCE fee is $100.
With a completed course of training and a passing score on the SOCE, candidates can seek employment with a law enforcement agency of their choice. Without employment, a candidate may not complete the certification process. When the candidate has secured a position, the employer will request a certificate of compliance for the officer, and he or she will become a certified Florida law enforcement officer.