For the position of State Patrol Officer (Capitol Complex), an applicant must be at least eighteen (18) years of age at the time of application.

For the position of Trooper, Fire Inspector, Gaming Enforcement Officer, and Special Agent, applicants must be at least twenty-two (22) years of age upon graduation from the academy.

Applicants for the position of State Patrol Officer, Trooper, Fire Inspector, and Gaming Enforcement Officer (Special Agent I) must possess a high school diploma or a GED.

Applicants for a position as a special agent with the Division of Criminal Investigation or Division of Narcotics Enforcement (Special Agent II) must possess a Bachelor of Arts/Science degree from an accredited college or university, preferably in criminal justice, political science, business, social science, accounting, or other related fields;

OR

Have three (3) years of law enforcement experience as a sworn federal, state, or local police officer and at least sixty (60) semester hours (or equivalent quarter hours), or hold an Associate in Arts degree from an accredited college or university;

OR

Have five (5) years of law enforcement experience as a sworn federal, state, or local peace officer.

Applicants for a position as a Special Agent with the State Fire Marshal Division (Special Agent II - Arson Investigator) must possess a Bachelor of Arts/Science degree from an accredited college or university, preferably in fire science, criminal justice, political science, business, social science, or other related fields;

OR

Have three (3) years of law enforcement experience as a sworn federal, state, or local peace officer or three (3) years experience as a full-time, paid, professional firefighter with an organized federal, state, local, or military fire department or seven (7) years fire-fighting experience with an organized volunteer fire department and at least sixty (60) semester hours, or equivalent quarter hours, at an accredited college or university;

OR

Have five (5) years of law enforcement experience as a sworn federal, state, or local peace officer, or five (5) years experience as a full-time, paid, professional firefighter or fire officer with an organized federal, state, local or military fire department.

An applicant who will become an officer is required to be in acceptable physical and mental condition to perform his/her duties under physically demanding conditions. The following specific requirements must be met and maintained throughout the entire selection process:

• Uncorrected vision no worse than 20/100 in each eye, corrected to 20/20 in each eye. For further description of this requirement click here.
• Has color vision consistent with the occupational demands of law enforcement. For further description of this requirement click here.
• Normal hearing in each ear. Hearing aids are acceptable if a candidate can demonstrate sufficient hearing proficiency to perform all necessary duties of a law enforcement officer. Hearing is considered normal when hearing sensitivity thresholds are within 25 decibels measured at 100 Hz, 2000 Hz, and 3000 Hz averaged together. For further description of this requirement click here.

Medical conditions not specified will be evaluated by the Department's physician whose decision will be final.

Applicants must possess a valid license. An applicant will not be considered for employment at this time if:

• Driving privileges have been suspended, cancelled or revoked in the three (3) years prior to receipt of their application due to a moving traffic violation(s). These violations include, but are not limited to: driving while intoxicated, suspended, revoked or barred. Other suspensions, cancellations or revocations will be evaluated.
• Conviction of five (5) moving violations in the three (3) years prior to the receipt of their application.

Other conduct not specified will be evaluated.

An applicant must be of good moral character, which means that he or she can be trusted and is considered by those who know him/her to be a person of good reputation and good standing in the community.

When conduct is of a nature, that, if known, would tend to discredit the applicant as a peace officer, the applicant will not be employed.

The character of a person is determined by past behavior. Many factors are relevant in this assessment. The Department seeks applicants whose histories show good judgment, maturity, a sense of responsibility, and the respect of others. Several factors will be considered:

1. Conviction or commission of a felony (as defined by Iowa law) will disqualify an applicant.
2. Conviction or commission of an aggravated misdemeanor (as defined by Iowa law), less than 5 years ago will disqualify an applicant. Conviction or commission of an aggravated misdemeanor more than 5 years ago will be evaluated.
3. Conviction or commission of a serious misdemeanor (as defined by Iowa law), less than 2 years ago will disqualify an applicant. Conviction or commission of a serious misdemeanor more than 2 years ago will be evaluated.
4. Conviction of domestic assault, child abuse, or other conviction resulting from domestic or child abuse will disqualify an applicant.
5. A consistent pattern of unexplained failures to meet debt obligations will be evaluated.
6. An applicant who gives false or misleading information to the Department at any time during the application process may be disqualified.
7. History of excessive use of alcohol will be evaluated.
8. Unlawful sale of ANY controlled substance will disqualify an applicant.
9. An applicant who has used any illegal drug while employed in any law enforcement or prosecutorial position, or while employed in a position which carries with it a high level of responsibility or public trust, will be found unsuitable for employment.
10. An applicant who is discovered to have misrepresented his/her drug history in completing the application will be found unsuitable for employment.
11. An applicant who has used any illegal drug (including anabolic steroids after February 27, 1991), other than marijuana, within the last ten years or more than five times in one's life will be found unsuitable for employment.
12. An applicant who has used marijuana within the past two years, or used marijuana more than a total of 15 times in one's life will be found unsuitable for employment.

To determine whether you meet the Department's drug policy, please answer the following questions:

1. Have you used marijuana at all within the last two years?
2. Have you used marijuana more than a total of 15 times in your life?
3. Have you used any other illegal drug (including anabolic steroids after February 27, 1991) at all in the past 10 years?
4. Have you used an other illegal drug (including anabolic steroids after February 27, 1991) more than a total of five times in your life?
5. Have you ever sold any illegal drug for profit?
6. Have you ever used an illegal drug (no matter how many times or how long ago) while in a law enforcement or prosecutorial position, or in a position which carries with it a high level of responsibility or public trust?

If you answered YES to any of the above six questions, you are immediately disqualified and should NOT apply for a peace officer position with the Department of Public Safety.

Other conduct not specified will be evaluated