Minneapolis Police Department

Partial profile reviewed 2026-10-30. Not proof of an opening.

Application timing: The City says Police Officer (Recruit) and Police Officer Lateral applications are being accepted. The current recruit posting (2026-00003) and lateral posting (2026-00002) display Apply buttons and a January 1, 2026 opening date; no closing date was shown when checked October 30, 2026. The City also says Police Cadet applications are being accepted. Confirm the live posting before applying. Scope: Recruit, lateral, and cadet application routes. Checked 2026-10-30. Current official notice ↗

Minimum requirements

• The current Recruit posting requires completion of a two- or four-year Law Enforcement or Criminal Justice degree through a Professional Peace Officer Education Program and Minnesota POST eligibility within two months of academy start. It also requires U.S. work authorization, a valid driver's license, no felony conviction, and passing the MPD background investigation. The City application page lists general police-job minimums of age 18 and high-school diploma/GED; read the controlling posting for route-specific requirements.
• If you do not yet have the recruit posting's law-enforcement education and POST eligibility, the City describes a separate paid cadet route: MPD sends hired cadets to complete the degree/certificate and licensing requirements, with tuition paid and wages during 23–24 weeks of school. The City must confirm current cadet qualifications and any open class details.
• The Lateral posting requires a two- or four-year law-enforcement or criminal-justice degree through a Professional Peace Officer Education Program, Minnesota POST certification or ability to obtain it before hire, a valid driver's license, and at least one year each of full-time sworn and patrol experience. Upload proof of POST status with the application.

Selected requirements, not a complete eligibility or disqualifier checklist.

Lateral entry

A distinct lateral posting is currently open. It requires at least one year of full-time sworn law-enforcement service and one year of patrol experience, an appropriate law-enforcement degree, and Minnesota POST status. The City describes a shorter onboarding/orientation and field-training path rather than the recruit academy.

Recruiting contact

Minneapolis Police Recruitment · police-recruitment@minneapolismn.gov · 612-673-5583

Hiring outline

1. Select the route that matches your current credentials: Recruit, Lateral, or Cadet. Apply through the City-linked NEOGOV posting; the City says applications and all required documents must be submitted online by the posting deadline, and hiring communication is sent by email.
2. For Recruit and Lateral, MPD reviews qualifications and interviews selected candidates. The current notices describe background investigation and placement on an eligible list; candidates receiving conditional offers then complete medical and psychological exams, work-simulation/fitness evaluation, and drug/alcohol screening before final employment.
3. Recruit hires attend a 14–16 week weekday academy followed by six months of field training. Lateral hires complete a one-month onboarding/orientation and about three months of field training, with possible extension. Cadets complete 23–24 weeks of paid, tuition-covered education and licensing preparation before moving to recruit status and the 14–16 week academy, then six months of field training.

Physical testing

The City requires applicants to meet MPD fitness goals and to demonstrate the physical ability to run/chase, wrestle/subdue, jump and crawl, and lift/drag. The published pre-employment page gives vision and hearing standards but no timed candidate fitness-test event chart. Medical evaluation includes work simulation; follow the live posting and recruiter instructions for the current assessment and do not assume an academy fitness goal is a pre-hire test standard.

Benefits

Review the live City postings and police labor agreement for current benefit terms and eligibility. The cadet page specifically states that MPD pays tuition and pays cadets while they complete the 23–24 week education and licensing phase.

Hiring incentives

Availability and terms need confirmation.

The City currently lists recruit, lateral, and cadet applications as being accepted; verify each live posting because hiring windows and qualifications can change. Do not treat the June 2025 mixed class as 36 officers hired. The 642 figure is a 2026 speech snapshot without an exact date; 733 and 800+ are goals. Minneapolis offers a substantial paid cadet bridge for candidates who do not yet meet the recruit posting's education and POST requirements.

No test preset is imported from this profile. Bring current employer instructions to your preparation.