August 15, 2025
In an effort to fill its 4,000 quota, the Dallas police department is removing education requirement in favor of consistent work history.
The Dallas City Council approved a change to police hiring standards, removing the college-credit requirement for trainees.
Under the new pilot program, applicants age 21 or older can apply to the Dallas Police Academy with a high school diploma or GED. Additionally, candidates need at least three years of full-time work experience, WFAA reported.
On Aug. 7, at a city council meeting, Assistant Chief Israel Herrera explained the reason behind the adjusted requirements. According to Herrera, the city wants to create opportunities for all demographics to protect and serve.
“As we strive to make our city the safest city in America, we have to look at officers and applicants that come from every part of our community,” Herrera said. “So absolutely, we want everybody who is from Dallas to eventually come back and serve in the community that they grew up in.”
The decision comes as Dallas, like many cities, struggles with police staffing. As of July, the department reported more than 500 open positions. Supporters of the change believe lowering the education barrier will draw more candidates from the local community.
“This is about opening the door wider,” said Council Member Cara Mendelsohn.
Mendelssohn stresses that the change is not yet permanent. The city will assess results after the first wave of recruits completes the academy.
“If we find success, we can look at making it permanent,” Mendelssohn said.
Dallas officials say that dropping the college requirement does not mean lowering training or performance standards. Recruits will still complete 36 weeks of academy instruction and a field training program. Furthermore, recruits will earn college credits for academic coursework completed during training.
The pilot will run for 18 months. During this time, the city will track key metrics like applicant volume, academy graduation rates, and early career performance.
NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth reported that the program also allows applicants with military service or out-of-state law enforcement experience to bypass the college-credit threshold. Herrera mentioned that other major cities in Texas had “new pathways” for officers without education.
“This is one more way to ensure we’re not missing out on good candidates,” Herrera said. “Policing is about more than what you learn in a classroom—it’s about service, judgment, and integrity.”
Dallas hopes to have 4,000 police officers by the end of 2029. The need for more officers stems from a 2024 ballot proposal, Proposition U, which passed during the 2024 election.
Proposition U increases police salaries and requires at least 4,000 officers in the department.
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