Qualifications

There are several special qualification requirements you should be aware of before seeking employment opportunities for the position of State Trooper. Per T.C.A. 8-30-209, any applicant that is selected for further consideration will be required to:

  • Be at least twenty-one (21) years of age
  • Possess a valid motor vehicle operator’s license
  • Complete a criminal history disclosure form in a manner approved by the appointing authority and agree to release all records involving any criminal history to the appointing authority.
  • Complete/Pass a timed challenge/physical agility test that will be conducted at the Tennessee Department of Safety’s Training Center in Donelson, Tennessee.
  • Supply a fingerprint sample in a manner prescribed by the TBI for a fingerprint based criminal history records check.
  • Pass medicalphysical, and psychological examinations, which include a drug-screening, in Nashville, Tennessee.
  • Uncorrected no worse than 20/100 and corrected 20/20 in one and not worse than 20/30 in the other.
  • Must not be color blind. If a candidate fails the Ishihara color vision test, then must pass the Farnsworth Dichotomous D-15 test.
  • Subjected to an intense background investigation, which includes a check of State and Federal criminal records, driving history, credit check, education, military, previous employment, and reference verification as well as a polygraph examination which will require some travel to the appointment.
    • No felony convictions or a conviction of any misdemeanor considered to be of moral turpitude (i.e., force, violence, theft, dishonesty, gambling, liquor (including DUI) or controlled substances).
    • High School education is defined by the State of Tennessee as a diploma that is recognized as such by the State Department of Education for the state in which the school is located. If you attended a high school overseas, it is the applicant’s responsibility to have your education converted to U.S. education standards. Any expense to have your education converted to U.S. standards and documentation provided will be your responsibility.
  • If selected, any tattoos must be covered at all times.
  • If selected, you must attend 17 weeks of military-style training at the Tennessee Department of Safety’s Training Center in Donelson, Tennessee. Candidates are required to stay on campus and allowed leave on some weekends or as dictated by the training schedule.

    If selected and preferred qualifications are met to attend the lateral training class, you must attend up to 11 weeks of military-style training at the Training Center.
  • Be willing to and able to qualify with, carry, and use assigned weapons.
  • If selected, on the first day of the academy, you will be required to submit a certified copy of your birth certificate and have available for inspection your official social security card for security clearance to the National Criminal Information.
  • If selected and upon graduation from the Trooper academy, you will be required to have available for inspection your Tennessee driver license per T.C.A. 55-50-304.
  • If selected, and you graduate from the 17 week academy, you will be given your duty assignment. If you are required to move you may request to reside in an adjoining or contiguous county to your assigned county but are required to maintain residency within the confines of the State of Tennessee, per General Order 204 – Residency and Duty Assignments. Initial assignments and voluntary transfers are not entitled to reimbursement of moving expenses per T.C.A. 8-26-114.

Per T.C.A. 4-7-102 – Each Member of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, employed after July 1, 2006, shall meet the requirements for minimum standards as set forth in T.C.A. 38-8-1, as required by the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (POST Commission) prior to graduating the Department of Safety Academy.

If you have served in the United States Armed Forces, you must provide a DD-214 Member 4 copy of your discharge stating no less than an honorable discharge from the military (POST rule 1110-2-.03(1)(e)), or a waiverable general discharge per post rule 1110-9-04(a)2. Discharges of other than honorable, bad conduct or dishonorable are disqualifiers per POST rule 1110-2-03(1)(f).

A candidate must not have been convicted ofpleaded guilty to, or entered a plea of nolo contendre to any violation of any federal or state law or city ordinance involving force, violence, theft, dishonesty, gambling, liquor (including DUI) or controlled substances per POST rule 1110-2-.03(1)(d). Including a sufficient number of misdemeanors to establish a pattern of disregard for the law as determined by POST (rule 1110-2-.04(2)(a)(2). Expunged misdemeanor convictions may be considered but not if relating to controlled substances or domestic violence POST rule 1110-2-.03(1)(e)(3).

Be a citizen of the United States or a permanent legal resident of the United States who is an honorably discharged veteran of the United States armed forces pursuant to T.C.A § 38-8-105(d)

Be a high school graduate or possess equivalence per POST rule 1110-2-.03(1)(c).

Provide two fully completed FD258 Applicant Fingerprint Cards for submission to the Tennessee Bureau Of Investigation per POST rule 1110-5-.01(1)(b).

Possess a valid driver license. If selected, out of state applicants must obtain a Tennessee driver license upon graduation from the academy (T.C.A. 55-50-304).