Polk > Future Students > Degrees and Programs > Kenneth C. Thompson Institute of Public Safety > IPS Selection Center

Polk County Criminal Justice Selection Center

Selection Center Coordinator: Burton Tew (Retired Major)

Phone: 863-669-2914 Email: btew@polk.edu Office: WHC-175

Polk State College's Kenneth C. Thompson Institute of Public Safety is an approved State of Florida selection center that conforms to Florida State Statute requirements. The center actively attracts, screens, and selects applicants for its law enforcement, corrections, and corrections probation academy training programs.

Florida State Statue 943 and Florida Administrative Code Rule 11B require applicants for all Florida Criminal Justice Standards and Training criminal justice academy programs to complete an in-depth application, which includes a background investigation, prior to their admission into any basic training course or program.

	Select here for the Academy Entrance Requirements
	Academy tuition and fees information
	Academy Physical Agilities Test
	Basic Abilities Test

Selection of Applicants for Academy

The selection of applicants for an academy will be based on graded scores from the Basic Abilities Test, the Physical Abilities Test, and the Oral Interview Board. There are 30 seats available for academies. Agencies who have employed and sponsored applicants have first priority on academy seats. Walk-in applicants compete for the remaining seats.

Fees for Law Enforcement Applicants

Payment of the following fees are required of the applicant at this stage:

(1) Basic Abilities Test..................$45.00 (payable to PSC)

(2) Applicant Screening Fee..........$100.00 (payable to PSC)

(3) Drug Screen and Physical........(varies depending on applicants choice of provider)

(4) Criminal History Check.............$56.25 (payable to PSC)

(5) Driving History Check.............(varies by state)