The Austin Police Department appreciates the service performed by members of the United States military. In lieu of college credit hours the Austin Police Department authorizes all military personnel who have served 24 months of military service(Active-Reserve or National Guard) to apply. College credits or prior police service will not be required if you have the 24 months of military duty. An Honorable discharge is required. If you have received a General discharge under Honorable conditions these will also be accepted but reviewed on a case by case basis.

***Attention*** US active duty military personnel that are assigned outside of the United States and do not have access to specialty mail carrier services may send in their completed application packets to our PO Box. The address is APD Recruiting, PO Box 689001, Austin, Texas 78768-9001. All other applicants other than active duty military personnel must send in their application packets by specialty mail carrier services. If you are currently deployed outside of the United States and do not have access to all of the required documents to make your application complete please attempt to have a family member assist you in getting your packet together. If that cannot be accomplished you may send in your application packet and we will place it on hold for a time period until you are able to send in the required documents. Please place a memo in your packet that you are presently deployed outside of the United States so we are aware when we receive your application packet.

All military personnel are authorized to purchase 2 years of Austin Police Retirement at any time in order to receive additional retirement benefits. A full retirement is at 23 years and under this scenario former military service members may retire at 23 years but receive 25 years of retirement benefits from the Austin Police Retirement system. All personnel may stay additional years to accrue up to and over 100% of their salary towards retirement.

The Austin Police Department Training Academy is certified for full-time Veteran’s Administration Education Benefits. Military personnel who participated in the G.I. Bill may be eligible for an additional training stipend of up to $1,400 per month from the Veteran’s Administration while being trained as a police officer. The total amount accrued could be up to $18,000.

These benefits are paid during the eight months of attendance at the Training Academy and while you are assigned to the Field Training Officer Program upon graduation, which will be three to four additional months of the GI Bill stipend. All successful academy graduates will earn 21 hours of college credit from Austin Community College.

Please click on the link below to learn more about your G.I. Bill benefits.

Visit the Department of Veterans Affairs G.I. Bill page for more information.

Austin ranked 4th in the Nation under 2011 Best Places for Military Retirement: Second Careers. USAA and Military.com commissioned Sperling's BestPlaces to create this ranking to help military retirees launch a second career by highlighting the best places in the nation for jobs that match their skill sets.

The rankings are a resource to help military retirees overcome common transition challenges, such as effectively translating job skills and managing a new financial landscape.