Education for police officers

Find out more about the education conditions and programmes for the profession of a police officer

In order to enrol in the educational programme for police officers and be employed as one, you must meet certain general conditions.

Police officer education conditions 

A person who wants to enrol in the education programme for police officers must meet the following conditions:

• have Croatian citizenship;
• have completed high school in the duration of three or four years;
• be younger than 28 on the day the programme starts;         
• be psychologically and physically fit;
• satisfy the specially prescribed level of motor skills;
• be a person worthy of being a police officer;
• cannot be a member of a political party.

Education programmes

Depending on the needs of additional employees in the police and based on the Police Act, the Police School “Josip Jović” implements three forms of basic education for the profession of a police officer:

• Regular high school education during the third and fourth year

If the Ministry of the Interior makes a decision on the education of regular secondary education during the third and fourth year of the Police School, then the minors who have enrolled in a civilian secondary school are admitted to the education programme after completing the second year of secondary school. In order to attend the secondary school for police officers, you must meet the general conditions and pass the examinations.
In this case, the programme lasts for two school years, and the accommodation for students is provided at the Police Academy during the whole programme.

• Secondary education of adults for the profession of a police officer

This is a type of education of adults that lasts 10 months. The secondary education of adults is intended for adults over the age of 18 who completed secondary school in the duration of three or four years. 
After adoption of a decision on the implementation of the secondary education of adults, the Ministry of the Interior publishes a public call to which all adults over the age of 18 may apply if they meet the general conditions.
The person must be younger than 28 on the first day of the secondary education programme for adults for the profession of a police officer.
Candidates who pass the examinations shall be referred to a motivation interview which is also evaluated.
During the programme, the accommodation for students is provided at the Police Academy

• Basic police course

The basic police course is implemented and takes places pursuant to a decision of the Police Directorate, and is intended for civil servants of the Ministry of the Interior and other ministries who completed secondary school or higher education, and who are posted or relocated to workplaces of police officers.
During the programme, the accommodation for candidates whose residence is outside of the Zagreb County shall be provided at the Police Academy.
All candidates will conclude an agreement establishing mutual rights and obligations of the attendants and the Ministry of the Interior.

Testing

The programme candidates must have the necessary level of psychological and physical fitness and fulfil a specially prescribed level of motor skills.

Psychological and physical fitness is tested in authorised health institutions. 

The testing of the prescribed level of physical motor skills is carried out at the Police Academy.

Besides the already stated tests, other tests can also be carried out if necessary (general knowledge, IT literacy and English or German language level) at the Police Academy.