Police Officer (Recruit Level)

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Veteran friendly employer!

You served our country and worked hard to earn your GI Bill benefits; it's time to let them work for you. Not to worry, the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) honors your service and sacrifice. In addition to great pay and benefits, SDPD is certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to train veterans and eligible persons under 38 U.S.C. 3675.

For which SDPD can certify candidates who are eligible to receive VA education benefits under the on-the job-training (OJT) program while employed by SDPD to attend a paid California POST approved Police Academy and up to a year after graduation while completing the field training program and SDPD probation period.

Do you have a strong dedication to public service? If you do, a career with the San Diego Police Department may be for you!

A career with the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) offers excitement, rapid growth opportunities, work-life-balance, and the chance to make a positive impact in your community. As one of the nation's leaders in Community Oriented Policing, we strongly value the partnerships we have built with the diverse communities of San Diego and are looking for Officers that will uphold that tradition.

Throughout your career with SDPD, you'll have the chance to follow many paths in over 70 different positions, including: Detective, Special weapons and tactics (SWAT), New Technologies, Canine (K9) Handler, Beach Patrol and Motor Officer, among others. SDPD offers a competitive base salary, great benefits, and many additional pay opportunities.

The following skills and desirable attributes exemplify what we look for in a Police Officer (Recruit Level):

Integrity; leadership skills; excellent judgment under pressure; ability to maintain sufficient level of fitness to safely perform as a law enforcement professional; the ability to be aware of, control, and express emotions appropriately, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically; ability to maintain confidence in uncertain situations; excellent judgment and ability to act under pressure; ability to thrive in diverse populations.

A San Diego Police Officer

• Contributes to the team effort of maintaining a presence in the community that helps to deter crime and provide support to citizens.
• Collaborates in building strong relationships with community members, upholding best practices of Community Oriented Policing.
• Acts as a police presence at major public events to ensure public safety.
• Identifies potential criminal activity or other hazardous situations and takes proper actions to protect citizens and property.
• Helps to secure crime scenes and process evidence.
• Responds to calls for service; Observes violations; makes arrests and citations when necessary.
• Conducts criminal investigations by gathering evidence and interviewing victims and witnesses.
• Documents observations and actions by radioing information; completing reports.
• Fulfills court orders by testifying in court regarding criminal investigations and citations.
• Maintains safe traffic conditions by monitoring and directing traffic; enforces laws and ordinances; investigates collisions; reports unsafe streets and facilities.

Police Officer (Recruit Level) employees attend the Police Academy classroom lectures on subjects including criminal law, laws of arrest, traffic laws, juvenile law, principles of law enforcement, rules of evidence, rules of search and seizure, patrol theory and methods, and report writing; observe demonstrations on arrest and control methods and the care and use of firearms; participate in physical conditioning and self-defense exercises; practice the use of firearms; and take examinations.

Notes

• Eligible benefitted employees originally hired on or after July 10, 2021, will be automatically enrolled in the San Diego City Employees Retirement System (SDCERS).
• Police Officer (Recruit Level) employees must complete the Regional Academy Training and receive a Basic P.O.S.T. Certificate within ONE year of hire.
• After completing the Police Academy, Police Officer (Recruit Level) employees are promoted to Police Officer I and assigned to the Field Training Unit for a minimum of four months.
• Police Officer I employees may work a 4 day/10-hour, rotating shift work schedule, depending on assignment.
• After one year, Police Officer I employees receive a $900 annual uniform allowance.
• Bilingual pay (3.5% of base pay) is provided to qualified officers, if skills are required.
• Additional add on pays may be available if you meet the requirements.

State Standards

In accordance with P.O.S.T Standards, candidates must be free of any felony convictions. Candidates will be screened by the San Diego Police Department and are subject to immediate disqualification if any of the following are found during the background investigative process: domestic violence conviction(s), or if you are a registered sex offender; for additional information refer to the following link: P.O.S.T. Disqualifiers.You must meet the following requirement on the date you apply, unless otherwise indicated.

AGE: 20 years of age on the date you apply; 21 years by date of Academy graduation.

CITIZENSHIP: Be legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law.

Note

• Candidates screened by the San Diego Police Department must present proof of legal right to work in the United States when they submit their Background Investigation Questionnaire.

You must meet ONE of the following options

• Graduation from a public high school located within the United States.
• Graduation from an accredited nonpublic high school located within the United States.
• Graduation from a United States Department of Defense high school.
• Passage of the General Education Development (G.E.D.) test or passage of the California High School Proficiency Examination.
• Possession of a two-year, four-year or advanced degree from an accredited college or university located within the United States.
• Possession of a two-year, four-year, or advanced degree earned OUTSIDE the United States, with an NACES or AICE equivalency report.

Notes

• Candidates screened by the San Diego Police Department must present proof of education when they submit their Background Investigation Questionnaire.
• Education earned OUTSIDE the United States must include an equivalency report to qualify. For public safety positions, acceptable equivalency reports must be issued by a credential evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES –) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE –).

LICENSE: A valid California Class C Driver License is required at the time of hire.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (Must be included with your application): To request a waiver of the written examination, you must submit proof of ONE of the following:

Education

• Associate degree or higher diploma
• Official or unofficial transcripts showing degree conferral

POST certification

• California POST–approved Police Academy Peace Officer Course Certificate
• California POST Basic Peace Officer Certificate

Written Test Documentation

• Letter from the agency that administered the California POST entry-level law enforcement test battery (PELLET-B). The letter must include the candidate’s name, exam date, and T-scores for reading, writing, and overall performance.
• Official National Testing Network (NTN) Law Enforcement Individual Score Report

To request a waiver for the Physical Abilities Test (PAT), you must submit proof of:

• Official California POST Work Sample Test Battery (WSTB) score verification report

Required documents should be attached electronically to your application. If you are unable to attach at the time of application submittal, you must submit them as soon as possible via fax:; or to the Employment Information Center: City of San Diego Personnel Department, 1200 Third Avenue - Suite 300, San Diego, CA 92101. Include your name and the title of the position for which you are applying.

The screening process will consist of the following components

• APPLICATION REVIEW: Please ensure all information is complete and accurate as the responses you provide on the supplemental questions will be reviewed using an automated evaluation system. If you are successful in this initial screening process, your application will be reviewed for applicable education, experience, and/or training to ensure all minimum requirements have been met.

Note

• Out-of-Town Selection process: Overview; The City of San Diego offers an out-of-town testing option for candidates residing more than 100 miles from Downtown San Diego. This process is designed to streamline scheduling and reduce travel burdens for qualified applicants. For example, an out-of-town selection process schedule would typically be: Friday, administration of the City’s custom, validated written examination; Saturday Morning (Next Day), re-administration of the written exam for candidates who did not pass on Friday; Saturday Afternoon, administer the PAT for all candidates who pass the written examination; Saturday Evening, candidates who successfully pass the PAT will complete a Pre-Investigative Questionnaire with a San Diego Police Department (SDPD) background investigator.
• Successful candidates will be placed on the Police Officer (Recruit Level) eligibility List for two (2) years. SDPD will use this list to identify and select the best-qualified candidates to continue in the department’s hiring process.
• To take advantage of this convenience, please select a written exam date in the supplemental questions of your application that is denoted as "Out-Of-Town Process".
• WRITTEN TEST: IF YOU MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS AND YOUR APPLICATION IS APPROVED, you will be scheduled for the written examination date you select on the supplemental questions of your application. The email confirmation notice that you will receive a day or two after your application is approved will grant you admission to the examination date you select.

The written test consists of multiple-choice questions that measure general aptitudes needed to be a Police Officer. A Study Guide with test taking tips and sample questions is available in the following link: STUDY GUIDE.

The test includes the following factors: Section I: Reading Comprehension/Interpretation of Data

Ability to read, comprehend, and interpret factual or technical materials in a variety of written formats, and ability to draw inferences, recognize assumptions, weigh evidence and distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information presented in written form.

Section II: Checking Ability

Ability to detect similarities and differences between groups of items such as words or numbers.

Section III: Decision Making

Ability to identify and comprehend critical elements of a situation and choose courses of action based on general policies and guidelines.

Section IV: Written Communication

Ability to correctly apply fundamentals of English grammar, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, written expression, and vocabulary.

There is one overall pass point for this examination. THIS IS A (PASS/FAIL) TEST; you are not ranked based upon your score. For which only your pass or fail status will be provided.

Written Test Waiver: You may be eligible to waive the written test if one of the following applies to you:

• Have passed the CURRENT customized and validated City of San Diego written test within the last two (2) years.
• Were previously hired by the City of San Diego as a Police Officer (Recruit Level) within the last two (2) years.
• Have taken the California P.O.S.T. Pellet-B test within the last six (6) months and acquired T-scores of 42 in each of the following test sections; reading, writing and overall test.
• Possess an associate degree (or higher) from an accredited college or university located within the United States.
• Have graduated from a California P.O.S.T. approved Police Academy with a Peace Officer's Course Certificate.
• Possess a California P.O.S.T. basic Peace Officer's certificate.
• Have taken the National Testing Network’s (NTN) law enforcement test within the last six (6) months and acquired scores of 55 on the video test, 65 on the reading test, 65 on the writing test and have completed both parts of the public safety self-assessment (PSSA) test.

Notes

• If your waiver request is approved, your application will bypass the written test selection process and be moved to the performance test selection process. You will be scheduled and notified of your performance test date.
• If your waiver request is not approved, you will be notified and scheduled for the written test based on your responses to the supplemental questions on your application.
• Education earned outside the United States does not qualify for a written test waiver.

Re-Examination Eligibility: If you fail the written test, you may reapply immediately, but you will need to request a written test date that is at least ONE MONTH after your most recent TEST DATE.

• PERFORMANCE TEST: The performance test is pass/fail examination which consists of 5 different events based on the California P.O.S.T. Work Sample Test Battery and measures a variety of physical abilities necessary in police work. The test requires candidates to:
• Complete a 99 yard Obstacle Course consisting of several sharp turns, a number of curb height obstacles, and a 34 inch high obstacle that must be vaulted.
• Jump, step, and/or climb over 6-foot chain link fence.
• Jump, step, and/or climb over 6-foot solid fence.
• Partially lift and drag a 150 pound "simulated victim".
• Complete a 500 yard run.

Notes

• Test information will be given to candidates prior to their scheduled test date.
• Events will be completed in a random order with the exemption of the 500 yard run, which will be the last event.

Performance Test Waiver: You may be eligible to waive the performance test if one of the following applies to you:

• You have passed the City of San Diego Performance test within the last TWO (2) years.
• You have taken the California POST Work Sample Test Battery (WSTB) within the last six (6) months and acquired a score of 384 or above. The WSTB needs to be administered by an agency with staff that has completed the California POST Basic Course Physical Training Instructor training.

Notes

• Waiver requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis based on your responses to the supplemental questions on your application.
• If your waiver request is approved, you will bypass this step and be placed on the eligible list.
• If your waiver request is not approved, you will be notified and scheduled for the performance test.

Candidates who pass the written test and performance test will be placed on a list which will be used to fill position vacancies during the next two years. For each vacancy, only those candidates with the most appropriate qualifications will be contacted by the hiring department for an interview.

Note

• Do not reapply until your name expires from the Police Officer (Recruit Level) eligibility list.

Individuals who are placed on the eligible list and are being evaluated by the Police Department for employment, must successfully pass the following prior to hire:

Pre-investigative Questionnaire

On the day of the performance test, candidates will also complete a Pre-Investigative Questionnaire.

Personal History Statement

Candidates will be required to complete and submit a Personal History Statement to the Police Department. Information regarding this step of the process will be provided to candidates at a later date.

MEDICAL EXAMINATION: A City medical examination including drug screening and documentation of medical history that meets City of San Diego and/or P.O.S.T. guidelines will be conducted following a conditional offer of employment. Medical conditions must enable the applicant to perform the essential duties of the position. The City of San Diego is committed to a drug and alcohol-free work place.