Police Agent; Academy Recruits and Laterals; Police Officer

Apply by: 3/01/2026

Salary Range: $78,000 - $/year

Benefit info at:

The nationally recognized and accredited City of Lakewood Police Department is now accepting ongoing applications for the expected July 2026 Academy.

Applications are accepted through the city's website. We have monthly testing dates available. These dates are as follows - February 9-10 and March 16-17

We are an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourage ethnic minorities and women to apply. The City of Lakewood offers excellent benefits.

Please visit our Police Recruiting website at  for more information about the Lakewood Police Department.

• Must be at least 21 years of age at date of hire.
• Have obtained a Bachelor's Degree in any discipline from a nationally accredited university by July 1, 2026.

• No felony convictions.
• No convictions of misdemeanor crimes that would affect your ability to certify with the Colorado Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board.
• Must possess and maintain a valid Colorado driver's license by the date of hire.

• Possess an active Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification or an active state equivalent.
• Not currently under Internal Affairs investigation for any reason.
• A minimum of three (3) years of patrol duty (calls for service/street duty) while employed full time by a state, county or municipal police department or sheriff's office similar to that found in most urban and suburban settings.
• Experience accumulated as a deputy or officer employed at a correctional facility, or as a Federal or Military Police Officer is not applicable experience.
• Police Academy training does not count toward the three-year minimum experience requirement.

• y/Officer employed in a jail/prison setting.
• Full Service employment in a university setting.
• A volunteer reserve police officer.
• A military police officer.
• A District Attorney investigator.
• Employment on a part-time basis.
• Time spent in a training academy.

The Lakewood Police Department values the hiring of skilled, experienced and dedicated police professionals through a lateral entry program. Lateral applicants must meet the hiring requirements for new recruits, including possessing a bachelor’s degree in any discipline. Lateral applicants must have an active peace officer certification and at least three years of police patrol experience. The experience must have occurred in a similar environment and policing experience such as federal, railroad, private police, military and collegiate law enforcement will not be considered.

While each lateral applicant’s qualification and performance are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, most Colorado certified laterals spend two weeks in a police academy setting and most out-of-state laterals spend less than two months in a police academy setting. Lateral agents are eligible for an abbreviated field training program as short as six weeks.

Lateral agents complete a reduced probationary period of one year, subject to their performance. Lateral agents are eligible to compete for certain specialized assignments after successfully completing probation and are eligible for all specialized assignments and promotion to sergeant after only two years of service.

If you are interested in applying or if you have questions, please reach out to us at LPDRecruiting.

Testing

Summary:

Must be able to pass a written suitability test, physical abilities test (obstacle course), panel interview, polygraph, job suitability evaluation, post-offer psychological evaluation, background investigation, pre-placement physical examination and drug screen.

• Upon Hire as an Academy Recruit: $78,000.00
• Entry into Field Training: $83,241.60
• Graduation from Field Training: $88,816.00
• Two Years from Date of Hire: $94,764.80
• Three Years from Date of Hire (Veteran & starting salary*): $
• Four Years from Date of Hire: $ (Lateral with 4 years of patrol…