Missouri State Highway Patrol adds Accelerated Academy with no required residency relocation

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri State Highway Patrol has added an Accelerated Academy this year that will not require residency relocation for Missouri applicants.

The Accelerated Academy is a 15-week recruit class for applicants with previous law enforcement experience.

Director of Recruiting and Community Outreach Division Capt. Jason Pace said relocation was a conversation that kept coming up with applicants and the highway patrol wanted to provide an opportunity for existing officers to continue serving in their area of the state.

"We recognize the time and commitment they've made in those communities where they've served, so we're just extending that and offering that same opportunity to become a trooper in that same (area)," Pace said. "Keeping their same residence and serving their same community."

Since 2022, the highway patrol has hosted three accelerated classes with a total of 156 applicants resulting in 23 graduates. This will be the fourth accelerated class.

It will start July 1 along with a standard academy class. Standard academy lasts 25 weeks, and Pace said the two begin together but break off about four weeks in to allow those who have already been trained to not have to then be retrained.

He said the highway patrol is also trying to give out-of-state and standard academy candidates their location assignment prior to entering the academy.

Standard academy has had five standard classes with 1,897 applicants resulting in 101 graduates since 2022.

Pace said the highway patrol is in a staffing shortage, and encourages anyone interested to apply.

The highway patrol's website shows 46 vacancies across the state, with six in Troop F. Pace said this is out of 1,276 budgeted positions.

Requirements for Accelerated Academy applicants include:

• High school diploma or GED equivalent
• Be 21 years old upon graduation from the academy
• Have served at least three consecutive years as a full-time police officer or military police officer
• Have an active Missouri Class A peace officer license or equivalent or active Class B license eligible for upgrade. Out-of-state and military applicants must have basic training and experience to be eligible for a Missouri Class A peace officer license
• Must not have any inappropriate tattoos or any tattoos that show outside of uniform

"If we can have troopers that are assigned to the road quicker through the accelerated program, it's going to be able to provide a service quicker to the communities that we serve throughout the state," Pace said.

While the academy won't begin until July, Pace said anyone interested needs to apply soon. Prior to July 1, applicants will have to undergo different types of testing before they are accepted into academy.

The process includes a written examination, physical fitness assessment, polygraph test, background investigation and oral interview board, according to a news release. Applicants must also complete a medical examination, psychological exam and an interview and drug screening.

Those interested can be tested at one of nine locations throughout the state, including Troop F Headquarters in Jefferson City. If they complete testing, they can begin training on July 1 with a scheduled graduation date of Oct. 25 for the accelerated class.

The starting salary for an Accelerated Academy trooper is $58,944, according to the release.

After graduating from the academy, troopers can earn college credit hours through Mineral Area Community College, the University of Central Missouri or Missouri State University.

People interested in applying or learning more about the academy can go to motrooper.com.