Police Officer Trainee (Entry-Level)

Sworn Police Officers can serve in patrol, traffic, investigations, and K-9 assignments. Other collateral opportunities include instructor positions (Firearms and Force Options Team), Regional SWAT, Mobile Field Force, 10851 Task Force, CSI, Regional Major Accident Investigation Team, Driving Team with firearms and force options team, Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), FBI Safe Streets Task Force, SET Team, Drone Team, Social Media Team, Community Resource Officer, School Resource Officer, and Field Training Officers. 

Please see the Police Officer class specification for a complete description of this classification's representative duties, requirements, working conditions, and physical requirements.

Police Officer Trainee Duties:

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Participate in and complete a prescribed law enforcement officer training program for entry level police officers, including training in report writing, laws of arrest and seizure, defensive driving, California Vehicle and Penal Codes, officer survival and physical fitness.
• Prior to entering the law enforcement academy training program, perform a wide variety of police support duties which may include dispatching and records, duties acting as desk officer and/or assisting in planning and research activities.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Police Officer Trainee Qualifications:

• Observe accurately and remember names, faces, numbers, incidents and places.
• Learn to use and property care for firearms.
• Think and act quickly in emergencies, and judge situations and people accurately.
• Learn, understand, interpret and apply laws, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Prepare clear, accurate and grammatically correct written reports.

Ability to

• Successfully complete a training program for entry level Police Officer.
• Establish and maintain cooperative work relationships with those contact in the course of work.
• Understand and carry out oral and written directions.
• Meet standards of physical stature, endurance and agility established by the City.
• Meet the requirements for Police Officer contained in the California State Government Code.

Experience & Education 
Any combination of experience and education that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

• Experience: None required, although previous experience in law enforcement is desirable.
• Education:  High school diploma and 60 units of college-level course work. Candidates with an honorable discharge may be credited with up to 15 semester units for a minimum of 3 years of active duty in the U.S. Armed Services (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard).

Application & Selection Process:  Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. Apply early as recruitment may close at any time. Initial screening of applicants will be based on quality of experience, education and training. In order to move forward in the recruitment, you must have completed the P.O.S.T. Entry Level Law Enforcement Test (Pellet-B exam) with a T-Score of 48 or higher or completed testing with the National Testing Network with a passing score. 

The most qualified applicants, as evidenced by their application, will be invited for an oral board interview, which is weighted 100%. To be placed on an eligibility list, an applicant must receive a passing score of 70 or more from each panel member.

A thorough background check, as well as a physical, including a drug screen, psychological evaluation, and polygraph exam will be conducted on the top candidates prior to appointment consideration.  Failure to achieve a qualifying score on any portion of the examination process will eliminate a candidate from further consideration.

All applicants must be at least 21 years of age at time of appointment and meet the physical requirements set in the California P.O.S.T. screening manual.

Immigration Reform & Control Act: To comply with the Immigration Reform and Control Act, all new employees are required to provide proof of U.S. citizenship or authorization to work in the United States on their first day of employment.

Equal Opportunity Employer: The City of Pleasant Hill is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), requests for special accommodations during any stage of the examination process should be made in advance to the Human Resources Department.

For more information contact Sgt. Ron Priebe, (925) 288-4644, [email protected].