By Organ Mountain News on Jul 5, 2026

Las Cruces police academy applications open July 6

Applications for the next Las Cruces Police Department training academy open July 6, with cadets starting at $24 per hour and incentives available.

Las Cruces Police Department academy recruits talk during training. The department will begin accepting applications July 6 for its next academy. (Courtesy photo / Las Cruces Police Department)

The 22-week paid academy is expected to begin in January 2027, with cadets starting at $24 per hour and eligible for hiring incentives

Organ Mountain News report

LAS CRUCES - The Las Cruces Police Department will begin accepting applications Monday, July 6, for its next training academy.

The 22-week paid academy, the department’s 57th, is expected to begin in January 2027. Applications for police cadet positions must be submitted by Sept. 16.

Cadets will earn $24 per hour while in the academy. Graduates become officer trainees earning $26 per hour. Officer trainees who successfully complete their one-year probationary period become patrol officers earning $30.28 per hour.

LCPD also offers hiring incentives for cadets who make a three-year commitment. The incentives are non-stackable and range from $11,000 for each cadet to $30,000 for applicants with a master’s degree in sociology, psychology, criminal justice or criminology.

Applicants with an associate degree may qualify for a $15,000 incentive. Applicants with a bachelor’s degree, four years of honorable military service or military retirement may qualify for $20,000. Applicants with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, psychology, criminal justice or criminology may qualify for $25,000.

Some recruits who live outside Las Cruces may also be eligible for up to $5,000 in relocation assistance.

First-year officers, after completing their one-year probation, earn 256 hours of leave each year. That includes 80 hours of annual leave, 80 hours of personal leave and 96 hours of sick leave. Officers work four 10-hour shifts, meaning annual and personal leave add up to 16 days off each year, in addition to holidays and regular days off.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or have work authorization from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. They must be at least 19 when the academy begins, have at least a high school diploma and have no felony convictions.

The department is budgeted for 198 commissioned officers and currently employs 183. The academy is preceded by a six-week pre-academy.

Prospective candidates can learn more about the Las Cruces Police Department Academy online.

Keep Reading

State senators press Project Jupiter concerns, announce Aug. 11 listening session — Four Las Cruces-area lawmakers criticized transparency, energy claims, air pollution and ratepayer risks tied to the Santa Teresa data center project.

New Mexico DOJ demands federal records on DEA fentanyl operations — Attorney General Raúl Torrez’s office is seeking records tied to allegations that DEA agents allowed large quantities of fentanyl to reach New Mexico communities instead of seizing the drugs.

New Mexico State Parks increases BUI patrols for Fourth of July weekend — Officers will increase on-the-water patrols July 3-5 as part of Operation Dry Water, a national effort to prevent boating under the influence.