Rockford has an exceptionally high overall crime rate that is more than double the national average. In addition to this troubling statistic, the violent crime rate in Rockford is more than triple the national average.
Sponsored School(s)
Requirements for Becoming a Detective with the Rockford Police Department
To become a detective with the Rockford Police Department, applicants must go through the testing, application, and training process necessary to become a uniformed patrol officer, as well as probationary period of 18 months. After becoming a patrol officer, those interested in becoming detectives with the Rockford Police Department can apply for open criminal investigator jobs as they become available.
Education:
The Rockford Police Department requires one of the following educational standards to be met:
- Applicants must have a high school diploma
OR
- Applicants must have earned a G.E.D equivalency certificate
A college degree is not a necessity, but an additional five preference points will be added to an applicants final score for the following educational accomplishments: earning an associate’s degree in law enforcement, criminal justice, fire service, or emergency medical services, earning a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college.
Other Requirements:
In order to be considered for a job with the Rockford Police Department, these requirements must be met:
- Within 6 months of the end of their probationary period, applicants must be a resident of Winnebago County or live within fifteen miles of the Public Safety Building
- Applicants cannot have been convicted a felony
- Applicants must have a valid driver’s license at the time of appointment
- Applicants must be between the ages of 21 and 34 by the last day of the application period
- The only exceptions are veterans of the United States military and those applicants who have been previously employed as police officers in a different municipality
The Application Process:
All candidates must successfully complete the following process in order to become a member of the Rockford Police Department:
- Pass a physical fitness assessment that includes: a sit-and-reach test, one minute sit-up test, one-time maximum bench press test, and a timed 1.5 mile run
- Applicants must pass a written examination
- Applicants must submit to a criminal history check
- Pass a pre-polygraph assessment
- Complete the M-Pulse Inventory Test
- All applicants must submit the documents that apply to them as dictated by the Rockford Police Department
- None of these documents will be returned the applicant
After these steps are completed, the Police Board will determine which applicants will be accepted to continue on in the hiring process. The next stage of the hiring process involves:
- An oral interview with the City of Rockford Board of Fire and Police Commissioners
- A polygraph exam
- A psychological examination
- Further background check
- Medical health exam
- A final physical fitness test
Applicants that successfully complete these steps will be added to the eligibility list, from which the Board will begin the hiring process.
Final Steps:
After accepting the offer of employment, newly sworn officers must go through the following training regimen:
- Attend Basic Training at an accredited Police Training Academy and graduate with a passing average and pass the final comprehensive examination
- Train with the department for an additional 5-8 weeks
- Complete a roughly 20 week period of field training under a Field Training Officer
After 40 weeks of training, trainees will be promoted to full-fledged patrol officers. Once the rank of patrol officer has been reached, interested individuals may apply for promotion to the rank of investigator with the Investigative Services Bureau of the Rockford Police Department.