Requirements & Qualifications
Because South Dakota Highway Patrol Troopers respond to a variety of situations, the application process involves several requirements. Applicants must:
- Be 21 years of age on or before the hiring date
- Be a U.S. citizen with a valid (or the ability to obtain a valid) South Dakota driver license
- Have a high school diploma or GED
- Possess 20/20 binocular vision with or without corrective lenses
- Be in good physical condition with no chronic conditions that would impair performance
- Have normal hearing in both ears
- Have a good character background with no felony convictions
- Be willing to travel or relocate anywhere in South Dakota and respond to duty 24 hours a day
The entire selection process involves completing an application, written test, physical test, two interviews, background investigation, medical exam, drug screening and polygraph exam.
Physical Requirements
Applicants must be capable of passing physical agility tests including push-ups, sit-ups, vertical jump, and a 1.5 mile run.
- Push-ups. The push-up test has no time limit with ability rated by age group. See chart.
- Sit-ups. Applicants must perform as many sit-ups as possible within one minute. Ability will be rated by age group. See chart.
- Vertical jump. The vertical jump measures muscular power. Applicants must make two marks as high as they can on a wall, with ability measured by jump height. See chart.
- 1.5 mile run. To measure endurance, applicants are timed and may run, walk or jog as needed. Ability is ranked by time. See chart.
