State troopers are certified law enforcement officers who are dedicated to saving lives through enforcing Kansas laws. Daily responsibilities include performing traffic stops, providing emergency medical assistance, assisting motorists, investigating crashes, detecting and deterring criminal activity, and assisting other law enforcement agencies. State troopers assist during civil disturbances and natural disasters, provide law enforcement at the Kansas State Fair, inspect school buses and motor vehicles, testify in court, and educate the public about traffic safety.
Career opportunities available to state troopers include Honor Guard, Breath Alcohol Unit, Drug Recognition Expert, Aircraft Operations, Criminal Interdiction, Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program, Motorcycle Patrol, Administration, Critical Highway Accident Response Team, K-9 Unit, Special Response Team, Emergency Management, Homeland Security, and Governor's Security Detail.
- Must be a U.S. citizen of at least 21 years of age
- Possess a high school diploma or G.E.D.
- Free of conviction of any crime punishable by imprisonment in a federal or state penitentiary
- Good physical and mental condition
- Weight must be in proportion to height
- Possess a valid Kansas driver's license
- Must pass vision and hearing standards
- Willing to live and work anywhere within the state of Kansas
Troopers receive 22 weeks of rigorous training at the Kansas Highway Patrol Training Academy in Salina, Kan. Experienced instructors and coaches lead the recruits through an extensive curriculum of basic and advanced law enforcement skills. Upon graduation from the Training Academy, recruits begin 16 weeks of field training with a veteran trooper in their assigned districts.
SALARYStarting Pay: Trooper Trainee - Pay Grade 24
- Hourly - $16.97
- Annually - $35,297.60
Starting Pay: Pay Grade 26
- Hourly - $19.06
- Annually - $39,644.80
After five years of service, Troopers are eligible to promotion to Technical Trooper and receive an accompanying salary increase. Technical Troopers must meet certain qualifications and receive additional training in specialized areas. After seven years of service, Troopers are eligible for promotion to the rank of Master Trooper.
With additional years of service and experience, promotions are available to Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel (Assistant Superintendent), and Colonel (Superintendent).
Retirement
Troopers are members of the Kansas Police & Fire retirement program. Members may retire at age 50 with 25 years of service, age 55 with 20 years of service, or age 60 with 15 years of service. KP&F members have a maximum of 32 years of service.
BENEFITS- Rewarding and professional career with a premier law enforcement agency
- Promotional opportunities
- Competitive salary
- Group health and dental insurance
- Optional group life insurance
- Worker's compensation protection
- Optional individual retirement account
- Paid vacation and sick leave
- Uniforms, equipment, and firearms provided
- Uniform cleaning allowance
- Fleet vehicle provided
- Troopers are assigned their own vehicle
- Troopers take their vehicles home
- Most patrol vehicles are retired before reaching 49,900 miles
- In-car video cameras
Applicants must pass written and verbal exams, physical agility test, polygraph, background investigation, and psych. test before any offer of employment.
Handling Stress & Responsibility
This component measures the ability to deal effectively with on-the-job stress, such as dangerous situations, conflict, and emotional interactions. In addition, this component measures the degree to which an individual assumes personal responsibility for his/her own actions and decisions.
Emotional Skills & Work Attitude
These skills include optimism, personal influence, self-control and impulse control, respect for authority, and ethics. These are skills and values demonstrated in a person's integrity, dependability, initiative and self-confidence.
Interpersonal Skills
The ability to effectively deal with others is one of the most important skills for law enforcement officers. Interpersonal skills include compassion, empathy, teamwork, conflict resolution, oral communication, service orientation, and flexibility. This test component measures an applicant's ability to work cooperatively and effectively with diverse groups of people within the agency and with members of public.
Practical Skills
Practical skills gauge how applicants handle and resolve problems, interact with others, accomplish goals, and use good judgment and common sense in work and life. Troopers must be able to think clearly, quickly, and logically in complicated situations, and they must be able to identify, analyze, and solve problems.
Cognitive Skills
This component measures traditional skills related to the job, such as reading, writing, and mathematics. Cognitive abilities measure a person's acquired knowledge (such as ability to do basic math), motivation to succeed in job training, and learning and comprehension necessary for doing the job.
The scores in the different components are combined into a total score to provide a final score and ranking for each applicant.
Vision Requirement
- 20/25 corrected
- 500 Hz at 20 Db
- 1000 Hz at 20 Db
- 2000 Hz at 20 Db
- 3000 Hz at 30 Db
Magazine Loading Station
Cartridges are non-firing (dummy) rounds. After the assessor has demonstrated how to load a magazine, you will be allowed one minute (timed) to familiarize yourself with the magazine loading process. The magazine and eight cartridges will be placed on the table. At the command to start, begin loading the magazine. Time will start with the beginning command, and it will end when all eight rounds have been inserted and the loaded magazine is returned to the tabletop. Time allowed is 30 seconds.
Trigger-Pull StationEnsure the handgun is not loaded. After the assessor has demonstrated how to pull the trigger, you will be allowed one minute (timed) to familiarize yourself with the weapon's functions. Stand with your feet in a designated area, and hold the handgun pointing downward by the side of your leg. At the command to start, raise the weapon as quickly as possible, and place the barrel within the circumference of the metal ring. Simulate the act of firing the handgun, double action, seven times with each hand. Time will start with the beginning command, and it will end when all simulated firing has stopped and the weapon is returned to a resting position by your leg. Time allowed is 20 seconds.
Shotgun Cycling StationEnsure the shotgun is not loaded. After the assessor has demonstrated the action of cycling a pump shotgun, you will be allowed one minute (timed) to familiarize yourself with the weapon's function. Stand with your feet in a designated area, and hold the shotgun in the post-arms position (weapon held diagonally across the body, with the muzzle near the left shoulder). At the command to start, raise the weapon as quickly as possible, and place the barrel within the circumference of the metal ring. Simulate the act of firing the shotgun four times on each shoulder, changing hands as you change shoulders. Time will start with the beginning command, and it will end when all simulated firing has stopped and the weapon is returned to port-arms position. Time allowed is 20 seconds.
General Obstacle Course
The course must be completed in 2 minutes and 45 seconds, or less. Applicants will wear a weighted vest throughout the course. The vest weighs approximately 15 pounds. Touching any cone, bar, or obstacle will result in a time penalty.
1. Getting out of the car seat: Begin in the car seat with the seat belt fastened and your hands resting on your knees. The assessor will indicate when to begin, at which time the clock will start. Unfasten the seat belt and begin the course.
2. Run and obstacle jump: Go to a designated mat on the floor and touch one knee to the mat. Advance to and around a marked set of cones, changing direction. Proceed to and go over a 2-foot bar. A time penalty will be assessed for failure to kneel on the pad. Note: Use caution when jumping over the bar, as the weighted vest may make you off-balance. You may step over the bar.
3. Kneel and crawl: Touch one knee to a mat on the floor, then proceed to crawl on your knees, or duck walk, under the obstacle. A time penalty will be assessed for failure to kneel on the pad. Proceed around a marked set of cones, changing directions.
4. Serpentine Run: Go through a serpentine of seven cones spaced 5 feet apart. The first cone will be to the left. You must run to the outside of the cones. A time penalty will be assessed for failure to pass through the cones in the proper sequence. Advance to and around a marked set of cones, changing directions. Proceed in a straight line to a set of cones marking the end of obstacle stations 2, 3, and 4. A time penalty will be assessed for exiting the course in the improper place.
5. Weight drag: Advance to a 70-pound weight bag, and grab the bag by the handles or pick it up. Drag or carry the bag to and around a cone. Drag or carry the weight bag back to its original position. The station is completed once the applicant drags or carries the weight bag to its original position and places the bag within the boundaries of a marked square. Note: Use your legs to lift, keeping your back straight to avoid injury.
6. Stair climb: Go up the stairs. Hold the railing and touch every step during the climb. Time penalties will be assessed for failing to hold the railing and taking more than one step at a time.
7. Drop and push-up: Touch your chest to the mat on the floor, keeping your hands within a rectangle marked with red tape, then push off the mat to standing position.
8. Dummy takedown: Approach and take down a 90-pound life sized dummy (with a resistance line attached), pinning the dummy to the mat. This task must be completed within the square marked by red tape. The station will be completed when the dummy's chest is fully pinned to the mat. Time penalties will be assessed for using straps or ropes to assist in the takedown or for pinning the dummy outside the red square. Note: Pin the dummy by putting your weight directly on the shoulders. Push the dummy straight down, keeping it directly under the pulley.
9. Stair descent: Proceed down the stairs. Hold the railing and touch every step during the descent. Time penalties will be assessed for failing to hold the railing and taking more than one step at a time.
10. Getting in to car seat: Return to the car seat and fasten the seat belt around your waist. The assessor will stop the clock when the seat belt has been fastened.
11. Reaction test: Applicants immediately will be escorted to the reaction test station. Use the baton to touch a series of pads, numbered 1 to 10, that are mounted on a wall. The numbers will be in a random pattern. Keep one foot on the "X"on the floor; you may hold the baton in whichever hand is most comfortable. Find each number on the wall and hit it with the baton, while saying the number aloud. Go through the numbers in order. You will have one practice before being timed. You will be timed going through the numbers two times without stopping. This event is timed separately. Time penalties will be assessed for removing your foot from the "X", failing to call out the numbers, or not striking the numbers in sequence.
Physical Agility Test Penalities
The Kansas Highway Patrol maintains an efficient and effective workforce by selecting capable, qualified applicants through a fair, nondiscriminatory selection process. All elements of the selection process will be administered, scored, evaluated, and interpreted in a uniform manner. The Kansas Highway Patrol will evaluate any applicant who may have participated in or committed any crime or act in the automatic disqualifiers listed below. Please review each statement. If you answer yes to any of these statements, you will be disqualified from the application process.
- Under 21 years of age, at the time recruits report to the Training Academy
- Not a U.S. citizen
- No high school diploma or G.E.D.
- Convicted of any crime punishable by imprisonment in a federal or state penitentiary
- Arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs within the past 5 years
- Sold marijuana or other controlled substance
- Convicted of any felony, whether convicted as a juvenile, adult or expungement
- Used and or experimented with marijuana within the past 3 years
- Used any controlled substance within the past 10 years
- Any misdemeanor conviction of domestic violence (expungement will not mitigate)
- Driver's license currently suspended or revoked
- Cannot meet minimum vision and hearing standards
Possible Disqualifiers: You may be disqualified for any of the following situations:
- Any unlawful act involving theft of a vehicle.
- Any act involving bribing or attempting to bribe any government official or employee.
- Any act involving telling any lie, falsehood, or misrepresentation of any fact while under oath or upon a sworn or notarized document.
- Any act involving impersonating a peace officer, police officer, law enforcement official, or other governmental official.
- Any act involving physical interference with the arrest or detainment of another person by a peace officer.
- Any sexual act, which constitutes incest or child molestation.
- Any act involving the production, distribution, or possession with the intent to sell any picture, magazine, film, device, tape, book, or any other item that depicts any patently offensive sexual acts, including any form of copulation, masturbation, excretory function, sadism, masochism, or lewd exhibition.
- Since the age of eighteen (18), any act involving the making, viewing, possessing, marketing, or distributing of child pornography in any form.
- Soliciting money for sexual acts, and/or any act involving the receipt of compensation or anything of benefit for any act of prostitution committed by a person, forcing any person by threat of physical force to commit an act of prostitution.
- Any act involving illegal gambling, including promotion of gambling, keeping a gambling house, or possessing a gambling device, excluding dice or cards. (This does not include include gambling in a private place in which all persons engaged in gambling have an equal chance of winning or losing and no person received anything other than his own winnings.)
- Any act involving any participation in any criminal enterprise or organized crime activity, which seeks to further murder, arson, robbery, burglary, theft, kidnapping, aggravated assault, forgery, gambling, prostitution, promotion of prostitution, distribution of illegal arms, sale or distribution of drugs, or promotion or sale of obscene materials.
- Any illegal act resulting in a less than honorable discharge from any branch of the armed forces.
- You have been or are now, a member of any group, which advocates the illegal denial of civil rights to any person or group.
- You have been charged with domestic violence.
At General Headquarters in Topeka, KS
At General Headquarters in Topeka, KS