The North Las Vegas Police Academy Class 2026-1 currently has 50 members, of which 44 are North Las Vegas Police Department (NLVPD) police officers, three are NLVPD corrections officers and three are Clark County School District Police Department (CCSDPD) police officers. The last class of recruits (2025-2) saw 40 graduate the academy, so recruitment is up considerably.

“We added 81 entry level and lateral transfer police officers in 2025 and our recruiters are on track to surpass that number this year,” North Las Vegas communications manager Kathleen Richards informed. “The additional officers enable the department to increase staffing in specialized units such as the Traffic Division and Problem Solving Unit, expand DUI enforcement and targeted enforcement at high-risk locations, quickly address emerging issues and build relationships with the community before critical incidents occur.”

The Academy’s success with recruitment is a contributing factor for crime trending downward year over year, from 2024-2025. Traffic fatalities were down 40%, burglaries down 34%, motor vehicle theft down 26% and robberies were down 15%. 

The North Las Vegas Police Academy runs 24 weeks and provides more than 1,000 hours of instruction in the basic knowledge, skills and abilities required of a police officer, as well as advanced subjects such as tactics, use of firearms and emergency vehicle operations. These entry-level police officers will go on to complete 17 to 23 weeks of field training. Lateral transfer police officers, who have a minimum of two years of current, continuous service with a law enforcement agency, typically go through a six-week advanced academy plus 18 weeks of field training.

Physical fitness requirements for NLVPD candidates include, but are not limited to, a vertical jump of 11.5 inches, completion of a 1.5-mile run in less than 20 minutes and 20 seconds, completion of a 300-meter dash in 82 seconds or less, and the ability to complete 18 pushups with no time limit. All applicants are required to improve upon those initial fitness test standards in order to graduate from the academy. 

All applicants must be U.S. citizens with no felony convictions. Individual consideration is given for misdemeanor convictions. Applicants must be at least 20 years old at the time of application and 21 years old by the time of graduation. A high school diploma or GED is also required. Potential applicants can get more information by calling a recruiter at 702-633-2255 or emailing joinNLVPD@cityofnorthlasvegas.com.