Police Officer Cadet CV: Example and Template
How to structure your CV as a police officer cadet for applications to cantonal, city and municipal police forces in Switzerland.
Currently 8 open Police Officer Cadet positions in Switzerland, across 3 cantons, 2 of them from the last 7 days. Coop advertises the most.
CV example — two-page template
This template is editable straight away — or upload your existing CV and it is carried into this layout automatically.
What qualifications and requirements do you need as a police cadet?
You generally need Swiss citizenship, an EFZ or a secondary school diploma, and complete the two-year basic training leading to the Federal Diploma Examination for Police Officer.
Most police forces require Swiss citizenship, a minimum age of 20, a completed apprenticeship with an EFZ or a Matura, a Category B driving licence, the ability to swim, and a clean criminal record and debt collection register extract. Some forces now also open the process to holders of a C settlement permit. List these hard criteria clearly in your CV, as they are the first things checked during screening.
The training lasts two years: you complete the first year at a police academy such as the Interkantonale Polizeischule Hitzkirch, the Zürcher Polizeischule, the Polizeischule Ostschweiz or in Savatan, and the second year as a practical training year with a police force. It concludes with the Federal Diploma Examination and the Federal Diploma as Police Officer. If your training is ongoing, state clearly which year of training you are in and when you will sit the Federal Diploma Examination.
Also document the selection steps you have already passed: basic sports test with score, assessment, language and basic knowledge test, driving aptitude test and medical examination. If you are still in the application process, state the planned test date and your preparation, such as weekly training volume and results in the 12-minute run or shuttle run.
How do you structure your CV if you have no police experience yet?
Translate military service, security, emergency service and club involvement into measurable statements about resilience, leadership, inspection duties and compliance.
Start with a brief three-sentence profile that combines your motivation for front-line duty, your fitness for shift work and your physical performance with figures. This is followed by work experience, education, certificates and languages. A police force reads the CV with the question in mind of whether you can cope with 24-hour rotating shifts, weekend duty and conflict situations - your bullet points need to prove exactly that.
Military service is strong evidence: state your rank, function, number of service days and span of leadership, for example 210 service days as squad leader with 8 subordinates. From security work, interventions, patrol rounds, reports and response times count. Fire brigade, Samaritan association, rescue service, J+S youth leadership or a board position in a club also demonstrate militia readiness and responsibility, provided you state hours, numbers of people involved and outcomes.
Add profession-specific practice once you are in basic training: number of patrol shifts, reports and criminal complaints, traffic checks, fixed penalty fines, accident reports, hours of police tactical training and module grades. Name the systems you work with, such as POLYCOM, RIPOL and IPAS database queries, or the journal and reporting system. This sets you apart from applications that merely claim motivation and teamwork skills.
How long should the CV be, and should it include a photo?
Two pages, a neutral portrait photo and a complete dossier with extracts and certificates correspond to the Swiss standard for police forces.
Keep the CV to a maximum of two pages, in reverse chronological order and without gaps; explain interim years such as a language stay or recruit school in one line. A professional portrait photo is customary for police applications - plain, with a light background and without the uniform of a force you do not belong to. Common details include year of birth, place of residence, citizenship or place of origin, and driving licence.
Place of residence and distance to the base are relevant because many forces have a residency requirement within the canton or a maximum travel time for on-call duty. Briefly note your willingness to relocate and to work rotating shifts. The dossier should include a cover letter, work references, diplomas, a current criminal record and debt collection register extract, a copy of your driving licence and, depending on the force, a medical certificate.
Regarding salary: state your expectations only if asked. Cadet salaries range, depending on the force, from around CHF 78'000 to CHF 88'000 per year, and around CHF 95'000 after obtaining the Federal Diploma, plus allowances for night, weekend and on-call duty. Two to three references with function and phone number, such as a practical trainer, supervisor or company commander, round off your documents.
Where Police Officer Cadet are hired in Switzerland
How the 8 open positions are spread across the cantons.
Figures as a table
| Canton | postings |
|---|---|
| Freiburg | 2 |
| Nidwalden | 1 |
| Waadt | 1 |
Which languages the postings require
Of 8 postings that state a language — in brackets, those requiring professional level.
Figures as a table
| Language | postings |
|---|---|
| French | 6 (6) |
| German | 2 (2) |
Who hires Police Officer Cadet in Switzerland
Employers with the most open positions. Staffing agencies are excluded.
Figures as a table
| Employer | postings |
|---|---|
| Coop | 8 |
Full-time or part-time?
How the positions are advertised.
Figures as a table
| Workload | postings |
|---|---|
| Vollzeit / plein temps | 8 |
The CV in full
To read through and reuse.
Silvan Aebischer
Police Officer Cadet, 2nd Year of Training, Federal Diploma Examination (Police Officer) 2026
Police officer cadet in the practical training year with a cantonal police force, having completed 180 patrol shifts in 24-hour rotating shift duty and a module grade average of 5.2 at the police academy. Prior to basic training, 2.5 years of intervention and site protection duty as well as 210 service days as squad leader with the Military Police. Resilient in front-line duty, confident in report writing under the CrimPC (StPO) and in police tactical training (PET) with 320 training hours.
What sets me apart
Legally sound report writing: Drafted 240 reports, criminal complaints and interview records in accordance with the CrimPC (StPO) and cantonal police law; rejection rate by the public prosecutor's office below 3 percent.
Traffic duty with proven practical experience: Accompanied and conducted 65 traffic checks, recorded 18 fixed penalty fines under the Ordinance on Fixed Penalty Fines (OBV), and documented 12 traffic accidents with reports and sketches.
Basic physical requirements demonstrated: Basic sports test with 92/100 points, 12-minute run 2'950 m, SLRG Brevet Plus Pool lifesaving certificate; strength and endurance training 3x per week since 2019.
De-escalation experience from security work: Resolved 14 interventions involving trespassing and disorderly conduct without the use of coercive measures; onboarded 4 new employees in intervention procedures.
Key achievements
Passed the recruitment process on the first attempt. Completed selection procedures including sports test, assessment, German language test and driving aptitude test with 3 police forces; received an offer out of 240 applications for 24 cadet positions.
Passed all basic training module exams without a resit. Passed all 11 modules of the 1st year of training on the first attempt, grade average 5.2, top grade of 5.8 in traffic studies and fixed penalty fine law.
Reduced downtime in site protection. Introduced a new inspection and key management plan for 6 sites, thereby documenting 900 patrol rounds per year and reducing false alarms by 22 percent.
Experience
Police Officer Cadet, 2nd Year of Training (Practical Year) — Kantonspolizei Mittelland, Stützpunkt Rothrist, 08/2024 - present
Front-line duty in uniformed security police on 24-hour rotating shifts, supervised by two practical trainers; operational area with 95'000 residents.
- Completed 180 patrol shifts, including 60 night shifts, and handled around 420 initial responses following emergency calls to 117
- Recorded 240 reports, criminal complaints and notifications in the journal and reporting system, rejection rate below 3 percent
- Carried out 65 traffic checks, recorded 18 fixed penalty fines as well as 9 preliminary breath alcohol tests and 4 preliminary drug tests
- 320 hours of police tactical training, firearms training with a 94 percent hit rate in the standard programme
Security Officer, Intervention and Site Protection — Argus Objektschutz AG, Luzern, 03/2021 - 07/2024
Night and weekend duty for 6 industrial and administrative sites as well as crowd control at events with up to 4'000 attendees.
- 900 documented patrol rounds per year, reduced false alarms by 22 percent within 12 months
- De-escalated 14 interventions involving aggressive individuals without the use of coercive measures, reported all incidents in writing within 24 hours
- Reduced the reporting channel to the control centre to an average of under 90 seconds
- Onboarded 4 new employees and coordinated 12 shift schedules per year
Squad Leader, Military Police (Continuous Service Member) — Schweizer Armee, Militärpolizei-Detachement, 01/2020 - 12/2020
Continuous service duty with site protection, traffic and personal checks, and support for civilian authorities.
- Completed 210 service days and led a squad of 8 armed forces personnel in guard duty
- Carried out 45 site protection and inspection operations without security incidents
- Prepared 36 inspection reports and instructed 15 new recruits in inspection procedures
Education
Federal Diploma Examination, Police Officer (in progress, completion 2026), Basic police training under BGK — Kantonspolizei Mittelland, practical training year · 2024-2026
Basic training, 1st year, grade average 5.2, Law, traffic studies, tactical training, criminology — Interkantonale Polizeischule Hitzkirch IPH · 2024
Federal Certificate of Proficiency (EFZ), Polymechanic, specialising in production technology — Berufsbildungszentrum Sursee · 2019
Passed basic police sports test, 92 out of 100 points (2024) · BLS-AED-SRC Complete, recertified 2025 · SLRG Brevet Plus Pool (2023) · Driving licence Cat. B and BE, unlimited since 2018