How to Become a Police Officer in Irving, Texas

The license is TCOLE's. The job is Irving's. Those are two gates. The Texas sequence is in How to Become a Police Officer in Texas. The license rules are in TCOLE peace officer license requirements. This page is Irving's own documents.

Department listing: Irving Police Department. Pay comparison: Texas police salary by department. Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Frisco, McKinney, Mesquite, Grand Prairie, and Denton have their own hiring guides: Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Frisco, McKinney, Mesquite, Grand Prairie, Denton. Houston hiring from hpdcareer.com and NEOGOV 5328764 is How to Become a Police Officer in Houston. Lubbock hiring from Recruiting, the 2025-26 pay scale, NEOGOV 5405047, and lateral 5097636 is How to Become a Police Officer in Lubbock. Amarillo hiring from Benefits/Salaries and Workday JR2397 is How to Become a Police Officer in Amarillo. Brownsville hiring from the June 13, 2025 civil service notice, Employment & Benefits, and the stay-tuned exam page is How to Become a Police Officer in Brownsville. McAllen hiring from the August 21, 2026 civil service notice, Staff Services, and the October 13, 2026 exam packet is How to Become a Police Officer in McAllen. Waco hiring from the FY 2025-2026 Civil Service Police Salary Schedule, NEOGOV 5344313, Employment, Training, and Employment Fitness Test is How to Become a Police Officer in Waco. Texas DPS hiring from Training Operations is How to Become a Texas State Trooper.

What Irving actually is

Recruiting lives on Join Irving PD. The officer door is Officer careers. The city paths cityofirving.org/375/Police and irvingtx.gov/police both returned 403 to our request on 2026-08-21, and cityofirving.org/375/Police now redirects to irvingtx.gov/375/Police. That may be a bot filter rather than a dead page, so we have not verified what a browser sees there. Official recruiting is joinirvingpd.com, and that is where this page links.

This page does not print a sworn headcount. About IPD says "a mid-sized agency with 403 officers" and "45 specialized units." 403 is recruiting copy, not a roster. It is not on the directory card.

Police personnel phone: 972-721-3776. Email: ipdrecruiting@irvingtx.gov. Recruiters names Investigator Miles as recruiter, 972-721-6574, mmiles@irvingtx.gov. About IPD names Chief Derick Miller.

Minimum requirements

FAQ is the floor printed for new officers. Officer careers reprints the same list. The NEOGOV cards reprint most of it and drop one exemption.

Citizenship. U.S. citizen (FAQ and officer page). TCOLE also licenses a legal permanent resident who is an honorably discharged veteran with two years of service and has applied for citizenship (37 TAC 217.1(b)(17)). Irving's printed line is citizen only.

Age. Three measuring points, all live, not averaged:

1. Officer page: 20 years 6 months to apply; 21 by academy graduation.
2. FAQ: 20 years 6 months old when you apply to take the civil service test; 21 when you graduate from police academy.
3. Both NEOGOV cards: at least 20 years, six months of age at time the position is offered.

If you are 20 and a half, read those three lines against the date you actually have. TCOLE's own floor is 21, or 18 with an associate's degree, 60 semester hours, or an honorable discharge after two years of active service (37 TAC 217.1(b)(1)(A)). Irving's apply door is 20 years 6 months, and 21 by academy graduation on the officer page and the FAQ. The NEOGOV cards measure 20 years 6 months at the time the position is offered. Those are Irving's measuring points, not TCOLE's. Read TCOLE peace officer license requirements before you spend the application.

Education. FAQ: associate's degree or 60 college hours from a TCOLE-approved / accredited school with at least a 2.0 GPA, plus a high school diploma or GED, unless one of three exemptions:

1. 3 or more years of active military service and a high school diploma or GED
2. Employed as a full-time certified peace officer for 3 or more years within a 180-day period immediately preceding the application, plus HS/GED
3. Employed by the City of Irving as a Detention Officer for 3 or more years immediately preceding the application, plus HS/GED

The detention-officer door is on Join Irving PD and the FAQ. It is not on NEOGOV 5409288 or 5163669. Those cards name only the military and peace-officer exceptions. Print that split. Do not invent a fourth door.

Driver's license. FAQ: valid driver's license (Irving hiring). NEOGOV adds vision correctable to 20/20 and good hearing in both ears. TCOLE does not require a Texas license; 37 TAC 217.1(b)(8) is that you are not prohibited from operating a motor vehicle.

Criminal history (FAQ). No convictions above Class B misdemeanor. No Class B within the last 10 years. No court-ordered supervision or probation for any offense above Class B, or any Class B within the last 10 years from the date of the court order. Expungements are not excepted on convictions, even if the sentence was probation. Out-of-state expungements must meet Texas standards. TCOLE also bars community supervision for family violence, and a Class A conviction is a lifetime bar (37 TAC 217.1(b)(4), (b)(6), (b)(7)).

Driving (FAQ). No more than two moving violations, two preventable accidents, or any combination in the past 18 months. No more than four moving violations, accidents, or any combination in the past 36 months. NEOGOV says "hazardous violations or accidents" with the same 18-month / 36-month counts.

Drugs (FAQ). Illegal drugs, including marijuana, cocaine, crack, heroin, methamphetamine, PCP, LSD, ecstasy, fentanyl, steroids, and prescriptions not prescribed to you, are considered case by case. That is not a free pass and not a published look-back table.

Step-by-step hiring process

1. Register on the live NEOGOV card, and read the date conflict first. Join Irving PD and Officer careers say registration for the October 12, 2026 civil service exam is now open. Irving Convention Center, 500 Las Colinas Blvd. W., Irving, TX 75039. Doors 5:00 p.m. Central. Exam 6:00 p.m. Central. Late arrivals are not admitted. The same page also lists St. Louis (Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel, 9801 Natural Bridge Rd., 5:00 / 6:00 p.m. Central) and Los Angeles (Westin Los Angeles Airport, 5400 W. Century Blvd., 5:00 / 6:00 p.m. Pacific).

The top REGISTER button on that page is Police Officer Test Registration 2026 A, NEOGOV 5409288, job 2600205, opened July 14, 2026. Salary field $0.00 Annually. A lower REGISTER NOW button is Police Officer Test Registration 2026, NEOGOV 5163669, job 2500325, opened December 8, 2025, salary $83,808.00 - $112,272.00. Both cards were 200 on 2026-08-21. Both print: "TEST REGISTRATION DEADLINE TO BE DETERMINED AND MAY CLOSE WITHOUT NOTICE." Both say registrants will be notified when the examination date has been set. That is not the same sentence as October 12. This page prints both. It does not pick a winner.

$0.00 on 5409288 is not a wage. The pay plan and the recruiting annuals are the wage.

2. Written civil service exam. FAQ: 100-question multiple choice from a third-party vendor. Observation and memory, written communication, reading comprehension, analytical ability. Sample packets are linked from the FAQ. This page does not reprint sample items.

3. Row test, same process, not always the same day. All applicants must complete Irving's 2,000-meter indoor row. Off-site exam takers complete the row later in Irving when they report for interview. Details are in Physical agility below.

4. Background through chief's review. FAQ hiring process: written exam, physical agility, pre-polygraph interview, polygraph, background, oral review board, psychological exam, drug screen, medical exam, then the Chief of Police for final disposition. The officer page prints a shorter, differently ordered Background Investigation block: pre-polygraph interview, polygraph examination, interviews with references and employers, psychological examination, medical examination and drug screening, oral board interview, and chief's review. It does not name the written exam or the row test as steps in that block. FAQ: once your name is reached on the eligibility list, the rest typically takes about 30 to 45 days, and that clock moves with travel, polygraph and psych appointments, and how fast references answer.

Out-of-state applicants, FAQ: usually three trips. First: written and fitness. Second: pre-polygraph and polygraph. Third: oral board, usually two days, and if you pass, psych, drug screen, medical, and FBI fingerprint on that trip.

5. Current eligibility list. June 8, 2026 alphabetical eligibility list is posted. This page does not reprint names. The extract did not carry an expire date. Do not invent one.

Physical agility

Not Dallas's seven-event PAT. Irving's entry fitness exam is a 2,000-meter indoor row on a Concept2 machine, damper set to 5. Minimum passing times are based on age, weight, and gender. Applicants must score at least 54.7 percent. The row test protocol is the administration sheet: 2000m workout screen only, weigh before the test, damper 5, form to the Personnel Sergeant. Use the row time calculator for your own cut. This page does not print a time table.

Academy and field training

Two clocks, both from Irving, not averaged.

New officers, officer page: 6-month academy, then 6-8 weeks of in-service, then field training that lasts approximately 17 weeks (four phases plus a final).

New officers, FAQ: basic police academy lasts approximately 7 months, then approximately 4 months of field training before you work on your own. Subjects named: Texas criminal and traffic law, criminal procedure, family violence, report writing, investigations, firearms, defensive tactics, emergency vehicle operations, plus department systems.

Laterals, officer page and FAQ: seven-month in-house academy if you meet TCOLE requirements. Field training is a minimum of 11 weeks. The TCOLE out-of-state URL on the lateral block returned 403 on 2026-08-21. Use TCOLE peace officer license requirements for reciprocity.

You are paid the Police Officer rank-entry rate, not a trainee stipend. Occupations Code §1701.2551 sets the basic peace officer course at no less than 720 hours. Irving's 6-month and 7-month lines are Irving's academy, not the state floor. Daily academy life is in Texas Police Academy: What to Expect.

Pay and benefits

Base (Civil Service Pay Plan FY 2025-26 1st Edition), monthly, effective January 4, 2026. Recruiting annuals in parentheses.

• Rank Entry: $6,984 ($83,808)
• 0.5 years: $7,333 ($87,996)
• 1.5 years: $7,699 ($92,388)
• 2.5 years: $8,083 ($96,996)
• 3.5 years: $8,487 ($101,844)
• 4.5 years: $8,911 ($106,932)
• Max 5.5 years: $9,356 ($112,272)

Chapter 143 footnote on the plan: steps are time in rank.

NEOGOV 5409288 prints $0.00. NEOGOV 5163669 prints $83,808.00 - $112,272.00, which matches Rank Entry through Max. Join Irving PD's "fastest top-out pay in DFW" line is a slogan. It is not on this page.

FAQ additional pay (recruiting list, not the civil service PDF). Master Peace Officer $160 a month. Advanced $110. Intermediate $60. 60 college hours $70. 75 hours $90. Associate's $100. 90 hours $125. Bachelor's $150. Master's $200. Field Training Officer 3 percent of pay. Military leave: full salary, 15 days annually. Fitness incentive up to $150 a month. Bilingual up to $250 a month. Officer careers also lists night shift 3 percent of pay, tuition reimbursement up to $1,500 per semester, longevity incentives, and a 457(b) with city contribution. "Up to" stays "up to."

FAQ supervisor annuals versus the plan. FAQ: Police Sergeant max $133,752; Lieutenant $146,664; Deputy Police Chief $169,752; Assistant Police Chief $206,088. Plan CP08 Lieutenant max $12,222 a month, CP10 Deputy max $14,146, CP14 Assistant max $17,174. Those three annuals match 12 times the monthly max. Plan CP05 Sergeant max is $11,131 a month. 11,131 times 12 is $133,572, not $133,752. This page does not ship $133,752 as the sergeant cell.

FAQ retirement. Texas Municipal Retirement System. Employees contribute 7 percent. City of Irving matches 2 to 1. Vested after five years. Eligible at 20 years of service at any age, or age 60 with at least five years. Supplemental Benefit Plan: 2.5 percent employee contribution. 457(b) deferred compensation. TMRS death benefit. That block is FAQ copy, not a second pay plan.

FAQ leave. Vacation: 60 hours after 6 months; 120 hours at 0-8 years; 136 at 9-13; 144 at 14-18; 160 at 19-23; 176 at 24+. Holidays: 9. Sick: 120 hours annually.

Schedule (officer page and FAQ). Six 12-hour shifts and one 8-hour shift in each two-week period.

Equipment (FAQ). Department supplies required equipment except boots. Chevrolet Tahoes. Indoor gym. Load-bearing vests at the officer's expense. Facial hair and visible tattoos allowed under policy; a tattoo that does not comply must be removed before field training.

Lateral officers

Already licensed? Officer careers: laterals are held to the same requirements as entry-level officers. Prior experience is evaluated case by case for training needs. Education exemption: at least three years as a full-time peace officer with a public law enforcement agency, immediately preceding the application, drops the 60-hour college requirement.

Lateral starting salary by whole years of police officer experience, officer page:

• 1 whole year: $87,996
• 2: $92,388
• 3: $96,996
• 4: $101,844
• 5: $106,932
• 6: $112,272

Service time can include multiple agencies if breaks are less than 180 days between agencies, and no more than 180 days between the last agency and Irving hire. Background investigators must review internal files including disciplinary records. If the investigator cannot view the file, the applicant cannot be considered.

How to prepare this month

1. Read the FAQ education doors and the three age lines against the date you actually have. If you are counting on the detention-officer exemption, notice it is missing from both NEOGOV cards.
2. If you clicked the hero button at the top of the officer page, captioned REGISTER HERE FOR OUR OCTOBER 12, 2026 CIVIL SERVICE EXAM, you are on NEOGOV 5409288. If you clicked the REGISTER NOW button inside the October 12 exam block, or the one below the row test block, you are on NEOGOV 5163669. Both buttons carry the same October 12 framing and go to different cards. Whitelist noreply@governmentjobs.com.
3. Run the row calculator and train 2,000 meters at damper 5 to 54.7 percent. Do not train Dallas's seven events or Garland's mile / push-ups / sit-ups and call it Irving.
4. Do not calendar Irving Fire's test. That is a different credential on the same pay PDF.

Career path inside Irving PD

FAQ: promotional exams or transfers to specialized sections require two years as an Irving Police Officer immediately before the request or exam. Promotional exams are 100-150 multiple-choice questions. One seniority point per full year. Study materials provided. About IPD lists SWAT, K-9, crime scene, CID, narcotics, bomb squad among 45 specialized units. That is recruiting copy for the menu, not a vacancy list.

What to do this week

Open Officer careers. Call police personnel at 972-721-3776 or email ipdrecruiting@irvingtx.gov. Ask which NEOGOV card is the live door for the October 12, 2026 exam, because the recruiting page names that date and both city job cards still say the date will be notified later. Then train the row.

Sources

• Civil Service Pay Plan FY 2025-26 1st Edition (eff. Jan 4, 2026; CP01 Rank Entry $6,984; max 5.5 $9,356; retrieved 2026-08-21)
• Officer careers (Starting $83,808; Oct 12 2026 exam; 6-month academy split; lateral table; 2000m row; retrieved 2026-08-21)
• Join Irving PD home (retrieved 2026-08-21)
• FAQ (100-question exam; ~7-month academy; TMRS 7% / 2-to-1; incentive cells; retrieved 2026-08-21)
• About IPD (retrieved 2026-08-21)
• Recruiters (972-721-3776; retrieved 2026-08-21)
• NEOGOV 5409288 (job 2600205; $0.00; opened 07/14/2026; retrieved 2026-08-21)
• NEOGOV 5163669 (job 2500325; $83,808-$112,272; opened 12/08/2025; retrieved 2026-08-21)
• Row test protocol (retrieved 2026-08-21)
• June 8, 2026 eligibility list (names not reprinted; retrieved 2026-08-21)