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Official website for the City of Aurora, Illinois. Mayor Tom Weisner

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. When will APD be testing again? February 10-12, 2012.
  2. Where will the test location(s) be? West Aurora High School, 1201 W. New York St., Aurora, IL 60506.
  3. How long after I test can I expect to be offered a job? There is no definitive answer to this question. We operate under a Civil Service Commission. The commission establishes an eligibility list from those candidates who successfully passed the testing process, and we hire from that eligibility list. Hiring is done quarterly, and the number of positions hired is dependent on the number of openings we have due to retirements, resignations, increases in authorized strength, etc. Your placement on the eligibility list relative to the number of openings available will determine when you will be offered a position.
  4. Can any of the testing phases be missed? No, all phases are mandatory.
  5. How can I prepare for the physical test/what does it consist of? The physical test is the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board’s (ILETSB) Peace Officer Wellness Evaluation Report (POWER) test. It measures strength, flexibility, and aerobic capacity/cardiovascular endurance—the general components of overall physical fitness. Anything you do to increase these three areas will help, but one of the best ways to prepare for the test is to do the test. Click on this link for the ILETSB’s publication outlining the POWER test, what it consists of, the standards, and recommendations for preparing to take it.
  6. If I don’t pass the physical test can I move on in the testing? No, you have to be able to pass the POWER test to be eligible to attend the police academy. If you can’t pass it in our testing process we can’t hire you.
  7. Can I study for the written test? The written test is a general aptitude test designed to test your inherent skills and abilities. There are many test guides published that claim to be useful study guides for police written tests. The City of Aurora and the Aurora Police Department neither vouch for nor recommend any of these products.
  8. What can I do to increase my chances of being hired? The City of Aurora offers preference points that are added to test results to determine final placement on the eligibility list. Those preference points are as follows:
    • Aurora residency: 5 points
    • Bachelor Degree: 5 points
    • Associate Degree (or 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours): 2 points
    • Military service: 5 points for active duty service of more than 180 days
    • Total preference points are not cumulative, and can not exceed a total of 10 points.
  9. Does Aurora accept lateral transfers from other police departments? Sorry, but no.
  10. Are there any exceptions to the 2.5 G.P.A./2480 G.E.D. minimum composite score? No. Understand though, that the high school and college G.P.A.s are independent of one another. If your high school G.P.A. was under 2.5 but you’ve had at least 16 hours of college credit and your college G.P.A. is 2.5 or higher, you’re eligible. By the same token, if your college G.P.A. is under 2.5 but your high school G.P.A. was 2.5 or higher, you’re eligible. A G.E.D. minimum composite score of at least 2480 is also independent of any G.P.A.s, and would also make you eligible.
  11. What if I was home-schooled, am I still eligible? Home-schooling certainly won’t make you ineligible, but we still need to establish comparative minimum academic standards. If you were home-schooled, you will have to achieve either the 2480 G.E.D. minimum composite score, or the 2.5 college G.P.A. requirement (after at least 16 hours of college credit).
  12. If I’m hired, can I start out in a specialized unit? No. All new officers begin in uniformed patrol.