Does a police officer application require a cover letter? How should a police officer cover letter be written and formatted? Are there any tips and tricks to this application letter? What are the common mistakes to avoid? Stick around and we’ll cover these topics within this police officer cover letter example and guide.
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Police officers are sworn to serve and protect the communities in which they work. As the saying goes, “With great power comes great responsibility,” and it certainly applies to the challenging tasks police officers face.
Much of policing involves responding to routine calls, traffic stops and accidents, then filing reports and attending court hearings. The job is not without surprises and dangers, however. The unpredictability of each day means the best police officers are prepared to adapt.
Policing jobs can be competitive since many officers stay in their positions for years after being hired, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Since new openings may be hard to come by, you’ll need to show an agency that you’re the perfect fit for their coveted opening. A great cover letter is your key to success.
Resume.io’s police officer cover letter example is designed to walk you through every step needed to craft the most convincing cover letter. Combine this guide with our free cover letter templates plus our adaptable cover letter sample and you’ll have an application that makes an impact.
This police officer cover letter example, along with our recruiter-approved tips will show you:
- How to craft the best police officer cover letter format that highlights your strengths without overcrowding the page
- How to make the most of each cover letter section (header, greeting, intro, body and conclusion)
- Where to look for transferable skills when applying to a police officer job with no experience
- The most essential positive traits to convey, plus the most common mistakes to avoid
Before you get started crafting a great cover letter, it’s important to finish writing your resume. Luckily, we’ve got you covered. Check out our police officer resume example filled with tips, tricks and templates to create yours in just a few clicks.
Best format for a police officer cover letter example
One of the most important questions when writing a cover letter is figuring out the best cover letter format to convey your strengths. In this section we’ll look at the right way to format a police officer cover letter example and give you concrete tips to help you create a great written and visual impression.
First, let’s go over the basics: A cover letter is a 200-400 word document (no longer than one page) that expresses your motivations, key skills and relevant experience for the police officer position. A cover letter shouldn’t just rehash what’s on your resume, but compliment it by expanding on important points and offering details you might not have had the space to mention in your resume.
The best format for a police officer cover letter is one that clearly lays out your motivations for applying to the specific position and the reasons you believe you’d make a great fit. Your goal should be to show the police commissioner that you’ve done your research about their community and gained relevant experience from past situations.
What if the police officer job application DOESN’T require a cover letter?
When compared with other types of positions, police officers go through multi-step hiring processes involving background checks, physical fitness tests and mental exams. With all these extra checks, you may be wondering if a police commissioner really needs the extra information in your cover letter.
Here’s what we recommend: unless asked NOT to submit a cover letter, you should always write and send one in order to maximize your chances of moving onto the next round of applicants. Sure, a police officer job might require several extra steps, but a cover letter is a vital component in the decision as to whether you’re worth the department’s time and energy to test and train. Even if an online application describes a cover letter as optional, you won’t want to miss out on a prime opportunity to make a great first impression.
Figuring out the right layout for your cover letter isn’t only about the writing. The best format for a police officer cover letter example should also be visually attractive. Since law enforcement is a formal field, we recommend choosing a layout or template with professional fonts, strong lines and a black and white color scheme. You should also choose a conventional san serif font like Georgia, Helvetica or Arial for a polished presentation. Check out our overall guide on cover letters to find even more specific formatting tips.
Now let’s take a look at an adaptable police officer cover letter sample.
Dear Mr. Blankwith,
Coming from a family of law enforcement officers, my six-year career in the police service has given me a chance to understand the reality behind all the stories.
As an ultra-marathon runner, I have found my calling on patrol; with emergency response, arrest proceedings, search and seizure, domestic disputes and crime scene investigation taking up my time. Physical and mental fitness is essential to allow me to be in the best condition to aid my community and forty commendations speak of my ability to give my all.
I am a student of police procedures and believe that the law should form the bedrock of any policing decision. Common sense obviously plays an important role, but in my experience of 500+ individual incidents a year, it has to be applied alongside the regulations.
After studying Criminal Justice at Hapson Community College and subsequently graduating from the Miami State Police Academy, I have continually sought opportunities to gain knowledge. My first aid certification has come in useful on a number of occasions, including a rural industrial accident last year where I managed to treat 12 victims as emergency medical services were running late.
I was an active member of the Kitford community, partnering with schools for youth education campaigns and helping to run a drug rehabilitation drop-in clinic. These relationships often helped me solve problems and be seen as someone to talk to rather than avoid. Active policing is preventative policing and youth crime rates dropped 37% as a result of my engagement efforts.
I would welcome the opportunity to understand your policing challenges and hope that I can make your community feel even more safe and protected.
Sincerely,
Brian Mendez
The above police officer cover letter sample is meant to serve as a jumping off point for your own experience. Within our cover letter builder, you can edit the sentences, swap around the sections and even choose a different free cover letter template to create a police officer cover letter sample that perfectly suits your needs.
Since a police officer position can make for a great launch point into the world of law enforcement, some entry-level openings can be quite competitive. Many candidates, especially college students and recent grads, may have similar resumes making it difficult for a hiring manager to pick yours out of the crowd.
A well-crafted cover letter is one of the best (and easiest) ways to stand out and show what you can bring to the table. Even if you don’t have any previous experience in law enforcement, your cover letter is the place to highlight soft skills like leadership, ability to stay calm under pressure and a team spirit that are hard to train in candidates who don’t naturally possess them.
How to personalize your police officer cover letter sample
Not all policing jobs are created equal. Modern trends in policing include new focus on technology and community oriented policing. Not only do today’s officers deal with crime in neighborhoods, they also need to be prepared to investigate cybercrimes, according to the University of San Diego.
Understanding the nuances of the specific police department where you plan to apply is essential to writing an effective cover letter. Although you may start with a more general police officer cover letter sample, you should always customize it with your most relevant skills and experience related to the job description created by your potential employer. While customization may take a little extra time, you’ll reap the rewards when the hiring manager notices your diligence.
Cover letter introduction
Before you tackle your cover letter introduction, it’s important to layout the necessary sections of any complete cover letter. Luckily, they don’t change much between professions or fields so you’ll be able to use this information again and again as you advance in your career. Here are the key components:
- The cover letter header
- The greeting
- The introduction
- The letter body
- The conclusion
- The sign-off.
You can find more information on how to write each of these sections in our comprehensive guide to cover letter writing.
Cover letter heading
Your cover letter heading is one of the most important places to grab the agency’s attention and show off your professionalism. The first purpose of the heading is to convey all the necessary personal information (like name and contact details) should a hiring manager want to get in touch. The second role of your header is to create attractive formatting that sends the right message. This is likely the only place you’ll get to add any design elements so make sure to choose your formatting wisely. For a police officer job, a more traditional look is generally a safer choice than a creative approach.
The goal of this section: Label your document with your name and personal information, create attractive formatting that is polished while still being eye catching.
The importance of names and addressed greetings.
Names are a vital part of effective workplace communication. Research even shows that people have a positive neurological response upon hearing their own name. This is one of the main reasons why addressing your cover letter recipient by name is so important to establishing a personal connection and showing your interest in the position.
In some cases, it may be near impossible to find out exactly who will be reading your cover letter. In that case, you have some options. You may address multiple people in your greeting or use the name of the city/town/agency followed by a general noun like “Hiring Manager,” “Hiring Team,” or “Sheriff's Office.”
Cover letter greeting
Your cover letter greeting is a big opportunity to set the right tone for your cover letter and make a personal connection. Whenever possible, aim to use the hiring manager or letter recipient’s name in the greeting. For a government position like a police officer, “Dear Mr. / Ms./ Mrs.” is likely the most appropriate greeting choice. However, checking to see if there are specific formal requirements, titles or accepted greetings within the specific department you’re applying to might be a good idea (especially if you have access to someone who might clarify).
The goal of this section: Make a personal connection with the cover letter recipient by addressing them formally and by name.
Align document styles!
Since police positions can be competitive, you’ll need every tool at your disposal to stand out from the crowd. One of the best ways to accomplish this is by aligning document styles. Choosing a matching resume and cover letter template helps you create a polished image that conveys professionalism from the very first page.
Cover letter middle part
The cover letter middle part of a police officer cover letter sample is often referred to as the body section. The middle part offers you the most space to offer examples of your previous experience and transferable skills. One way to organize this section is through the STAR method. You can begin a short anecdote by describing the Situation, then the Task required of you, followed by your Action and the positive Result you achieved. Make sure to choose examples of situations which you are likely to face in your new position.
In a second body paragraph you may want to speak directly to your top skills and the reasons why you’d make a great fit for the new agency.
The goal of this section: Use the STAR method to offer examples of times you completed duties similar to those listed in the job description, lay out your strengths and connection to the new agency
How to close a police officer cover letter
Now that the majority of the writing is complete, you’ll need the perfect sentence to close your police officer cover letter. One of the best ways to accomplish the closing is through a Call to Action. This sentence directly states your enthusiasm or interest in the position and encourages a hiring manager to contact you. If you have space, you may even leave your phone number or email again here.
Finish your letter with a signature that is both polite and formal. “Sincerely” or “Best regards” are great choices for a police officer cover letter sample.
The goal of this section: Wrap up your cover letter with an effective call to action and end with a serious, yet positive signature
Writing psychology and mistakes to avoid
While your resume is a great place to highlight hard skills from previous police experience and other jobs, your cover letter is the perfect place to showcase the innate qualities that make you a great officer. Here are some examples:
- Integrity: Honesty, character and respectability are more important now than ever considering the additional scrutiny police officers are facing around the world. Use your cover letter to highlight moments when you did the right thing and achieved positive results.
- Willingness to serve: Community policing may sound like a buzzword, but it’s shaping the hiring decisions of more and more agencies. Make sure your love for the community and desire to see it thrive are at the forefront of your motivations on a police officer cover letter.
- The right temperament: The tone of your cover letter can say just as much about you as what you write. A positive attitude, calm demeanor and ability to work in a team are key qualities that will make you a welcome asset to any police force.
- Tenacity: Policing is a tough job. The hours are long and the days can be unpredictable. At the worst times, the job can be downright dangerous. Your cover letter is the right place to convey your understanding of the sacrifices police officers make to do their jobs effectively.
Now that we’ve discussed qualities to include on a great police officer cover letter sample, let’s explore the biggest pitfalls that trip up many candidates for this position.
- Generic cover letters: Just because a police officer job is a serious position doesn’t mean your cover letter should be bland. Make sure to express your interest in the specific agency, the community and a willingness to take on the duties outlined in the job description.
- Grammar and spelling mistakes: Typos and grammar issues make your cover letter less likely to be read all the way through. These mistakes also suggest you’ll struggle to fill out forms and reports accurately – a big part of the policing job.
- Poor formatting: Unprofessional fonts in the wrong sizes send a big message before the hiring manager even begins to read. Your balance of white space to text is also an important factor in keeping your cover letter reader-friendly.
- Lack of visual style: A police officer cover letter shouldn’t be filled with colors and images, but that doesn’t mean style doesn’t count. A clean, black-and-white layout that’s well organized can go a long way in making a great presentation.
Police officer cover letter with no experience
Believe it or not, you can become a police officer with no previous experience in this specific job (but perhaps some experience in adjacent fields). In this section, we’ll offer a sample of what to include on your cover letter when applying for your first police officer job.
Policing is a rewarding job that can provide you with plenty of room for career advancement, and the best part? You may only need a high school diploma and clean background check to get started. Many of a police officer’s tasks are learned on the job. Some of them include:
- Responding to a wide variety of calls
- De-escalating emergency situations
- Collecting evidence from a crime scene
- Tracking and arresting suspects
- Filing reports and logs
- Patrolling communities
- Making traffic stops and issuing citations
Although the process varies by state, in general, police officers with no experience take part in police academy training after they are hired. When their training is complete, they receive certification and are sworn into the police force. Since agencies spend lots of time and money to train each new recruit, they want to be sure that the candidates they’ve selected have the right temperament and teachability to persevere through the difficult training process.
If you’ve never worked as a police officer before, here are some skills that can help you stand out on your cover letter:
- Security guard or safety officer
- Military or ROTC experience
- Lifeguard
- Team leadership
- Martial arts or fitness training
- Foreign language skills
- Crisis management
- Community service and youth education experience
Use related experiences to highlight transferable skills – qualities that are applicable in both jobs. A police officer cover letter sample is also the best place to explain your motivations for the career change. Do you have officers in your family? Did you have a personal experience that prompted you to apply? A sincere cover letter with the right attitude and reasons for applying can quickly put you ahead of many young candidates who seem unfocused.
For more inspirational material and writing tips, check out our related security & protective services cover letter examples , such as the firefighter cover letter.
Key takeaways
- A cover letter is an essential tool for landing a police officer position, especially as many grow increasingly competitive.
- Your cover letter should convey all the necessary information through a well-organized structure including a header, greeting, body and conclusion.
- Choose professional fonts and keep a balance of white space to text for a format that is polished and easy to read.
- If you are applying to a police officer position with no experience, your cover letter should explain your interest in the role through examples of related jobs in safety and community service.
- A cover letter template can make great visual presentation much easier. Since a police officer job is a formal role, make sure to choose a neutral color palette with a traditional feel.
