Application

• Interested Kentucky citizens can download a copy of the application form on the Kentucky State Police website. They will need to submit it along with a certified birth certificate, a valid driver's license and high school diploma. Applicants who have graduated from college will need to add transcripts. Those who have served in the military need to provide an official certification of service and those who are currently working in some form of law enforcement need to provide that certification as well.
  
  

Educational and Employment Requirements

• Applicants must meet one of the four educational or employment requirements. Sixty college credit hours are acceptable. Active duty service in the U.S. military for two years or working two years full time as a law enforcement officer will suffice. Applicants can also meet the requirement by having three years service as a Kentucky peace officer.
  
  

Written Exam

• Passing a written exam of 100 multiple-choice questions is a basic requirement. The test subject matter covers language skills and word knowledge, spelling and vocabulary, reasoning ability, math, measurements, property classification, direction orientation, speed computation and memory retention. Applicants can download a study guide from the Kentucky State Police website. Numerical scores are not given. The test is either pass/fail. Answering 70 percent of the questions correctly is a passing score. If an applicant fails the test, he can take it again; however, the test can only be taken twice within a 12-month period.
  
  

Contest-Based Task Test

• When an applicant passes the written exam, he moves on to the Content-Based Task Test requirement. This is an agility test on an obstacle course. The applicant will be tested on sprints, climbing, jumping, stair climbing, dummy dragging and dry fire. The test is standard and can be viewed on the police website. As with the written exam, an applicant can take the test twice within 12 months.
  
  

Structured Panel Interview

• The interview panel has three members who interview the applicant. The interview grade is combined with the Content-Based Task Test score for a composite score. Applicants who get a suitable composite score proceed with the application process.
  
  

Polygraph and Criminal Check

• Applicants are required to take a polygraph exam that is given by certified Kentucky State Police examiners. They are also required to go through a background investigation that looks at criminal history, previous employment, financial records and general character of the applicant.
  
  

Final Requirements

• Once an offer of employment is made, the applicant has two final requirements, a medical exam and a psychological evaluation. The applicant can then enter a 23-week training program at the Kentucky Police Academy.