As far as I'm aware you need to be a US Citizen to join the police in America.
Thats the trouble though most are not aware. Every State has different policies as well as cities and towns.
Cities and towns are governed by state recruitment regulations. Rapier is right. The majority require citizens and if not US permanent residents. Whatever the case it aint no walk in the park.
Hope this helps Gents..
Alaska - Can work in just about ANY department with just a Green Card
• Alabama – Citizenship required by state law
• Arkansas – Citizenship Required by state law
• Arizona – Citizenship required by state law
• California – Will take you on a green card provided you are eligible and have already applied for Citizenship
• Colorado – Can work in MOST departments with just a green card, no POST type requirement for citizenship.
• Connecticut – POST requirement for Certification
• Washington DC – POST requirement for Citizenship
• Delaware – No State requirement for citizenship, however I cannot find any department that doesn’t require it.
• Florida – State law requires Citizenship
• Georgia – POST requirement for Citizenship.
• Hawaii – Can work in any department with just a green card
• Iowa – ILEA (POST) requires citizenship.
• Idaho – POST requires Citizenship
• Illinois – No State requirement for Citizenship, SOME departments will take you on a green card (Incl. Chicago PD)
• Indiana – POST type requirement for Citizenship
• Kansas – State Law requirement for citizenship.
• Kentucky – POST type requirement for Citizenship.
• Louisiana – No state requirement for Citizenship, about 50% of departments will take you with just a green card.
• Massachusetts – No state requirement for citizenship, several departments available that will hire with green card.
• Maine – No state requirement for Citizenship, about 75% will take you (including state police) with just a green card and the state police academy doesn’t require citizenship.
• Maryland – State law requires Citizenship
• Minnesota – State POST requirement for citizenship.
• Michigan – MCOLES (Post type thingy) requires Citizenship.
• Mississippi – State Dept of Public Safety requires citizenship
• Missouri – POST Requirement for Citizenship
• Montana – POST requirements state that Quote “Must be a US citizen, but MAY be a lawful resident alien†whatever that means.
• Nebraska – State law requires Citizenship.
• Nevada – POST requirement for Citizenship.
• New Hampshire – State requirement for Citizenship.
• New Jersey – State requirement for Citizenship
• New Mexico – State requires citizenship
• New York – State requires Citizenship
• North Carolina – POST requires Citizenship
• North Dakota – POST requirements state that they will take you with just a green card – See the following link
PEACE OFFICER STANDARDS
• Ohio – No state or post requirement for citizenship, Spoke to several departments who stated over the phone that they would hire Green card holders.
• Oklahoma – Will take you on a green card – see the following CLEET standards link -
[url]http://www.oscn.net/applications/os...p?citeID=91596/[/URL]
• Oregon – Will take you on a green card – BUT you HAVE to attain Citizenship within 18 months else your certificate will be revoked.
• Pennsylvania – Citizenship required by state
• Rhode Island – Citizenship required but I cant find the legal basis behind the requirement.
• South Carolina - Citizenship required but I cant find the legal basis behind the requirement.
• South Dakota – Will take you on a Green card but you must “declare intent to become a naturalized citizen as soon as eligibleâ€
• Tennessee – State law requires citizenship
• Texas – Recently changed law means that In order to be certified by the TCLEOSE (POST) agency you have to be a US citizen. Previously there was no Citizenship requirement.
• Utah - State requirement for Citizenship
• Vermont – no Citizenship Law - Will take Green card holders, Incl. the State Police
• Virginia – POST requires US Citizenship – BUT will waive the Citizenship requirement if good reason is shown and such a waiver is filed on form “DCJS Form w-1 application of waiver for minimum qualifications†Chiefs of Police and Sheriffs have the authority to approve this application for waiver – as does the POST agency.
• Washington – No legal requirement for citizenship, nor any POST type requirement, however I only found two small departments that will take you with a green card.
• West Virginia – No state requirement for citizenship, several major departments will take you on a green card
• Wisconsin – Cannot find any information as per a state requirement for Citizenship. Most departments websites require it – however the State police DOES NOT.
• Wyoming – Citizenship required by state law.
• Washington DC – Citizenship required by state law.