Job Openings Police Officer (Recruit Level)

About the job Police Officer (Recruit Level)

JOB INFORMATION

JOIN THE SDPD TEAM TODAY!!!

See NOTE(S) below for future wage increases and/or additional compensation opportunities.

Please read through the entire bulletin for important information.

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 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, SWAT, New Technologies, 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 Officers (Recruit Level) 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:

  • Employees in job classifications represented by the San Diego Police Officers Association (SDPOA) are scheduled to receive a 5% general wage increase effective 7/1/23.
  • 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 Officers (Recruit Level) 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 Officers (Recruit Level) 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 (Download PDF reader).

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

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.

EDUCATION: You must meet ONE of the following options:

  1. Graduation from a public high school located within the United States.
  2. Graduation from an accredited nonpublic high school located within the United States.
  3. Graduation from a United States Department of Defense high school.
  4. Passage of the General Education Development (G.E.D.) test or passage of the California High School Proficiency Examination.
  5. Possession of a two-year, four-year or advanced degree from an accredited college or university (accreditation must be from an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Department of Education of the United States of America).

NOTES:

  • Candidates screened by the San Diego Police Department must present proof of education when they submit their Background Investigation Questionnaire.
  • College and/or university degree equivalency reports are not accepted to meet the education minimum requirements for this recruitment.

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

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (MUST SUBMIT WITH APPLICATION):

  • Associate degree (or higher) diploma and/or transcripts showing degree conference, if used to waive the written test.
  • California P.O.S.T. approved Police Academy Peace Officer's course certificate, if used to waive the written test.
  • California P.O.S.T. basic Peace Officer certificate, if used to waive the written test.
  • Letter from the organization that administered the California P.O.S.T. entry-level law enforcement test battery (Pellet-B), if used to waive the written test. The letter must indicate candidates name, date of exam and T-scores for the reading, writing and overall sections.

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: (619) 533-3337; 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.

SCREENING PROCESS

The screening process will consist of the following components:

1. 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.

2. 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 (Download PDF reader). No prior law enforcement knowledge is necessary to pass the test.

NOTE:

  • If you live more than 100 miles from Downtown San Diego please select a written exam date in the supplemental questions of your application that is denoted as "Out Of Town Process". Doing so will enable you to take the written test on Friday, and if you are successful on the written test, you will be given the opportunity to take the Physical Abilities Test on the same day and the Pre-Investigative Questionnaire the following morning. *This two-day process is available only when taking the Police Officer (Recruit Level) exam at NTC on a Friday in the CITY OF SAN DIEGO. Your address will be verified to ensure that you live more than 100 miles from Downtown San Diego.

The test includes the following factors:

Section I:
Reading Comprehension: Ability to read, comprehend, and interpret factual or technical materials in a variety of written formats.

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

Map Reading/Directional Situations: Ability to correctly follow a series of written directions (north, south, east, west) or movements (left, right) within a general area; ability to locate destinations and follow/determine appropriate routes using a map and/or map index.

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

Section III:
Written Communication: Ability to correctly apply fundamentals of English grammar, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, written expression, and vocabulary.

There are three pass points for this examination. You must pass Section I, Section III AND Sections I, II, and III combined to pass the written test. THIS IS A (PASS/FAIL) TEST; you are not ranked based upon your score.

Written Test Waiver: Request a waiver on your application supplemental question responses, if 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 the reading, writing and overall test sections.
  • Possess an associate degree (or higher) from an accredited college or university (accreditation must be from an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Department of Education of the United States of America).
  • 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.


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.

NOTE:

  • 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.

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.

3. 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: a. 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; b. Jump, step and/or climb over 6-foot fence(s); c. Partially lift and drag a 150 pound "simulated victim"; and d. Complete a 500 yard run. Test information will be given to candidates prior to their scheduled test date. NOTE: Requests for waivers will be considered on a case-by-case basis based on your responses to the supplemental questions on your application.

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.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

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.

VISION/HEARING REQUIREMENTS: Vision requirements vary depending upon the corrective measures employed.

1. If you wear eyeglasses or hard (non-orthokeratology) contact lenses, your uncorrected vision may be no worse than 20/70 both eyes together. Uncorrected vision worse than 20/20, but not worse than 20/70, must be corrected to 20/20 both eyes together.

NOTE:

  • Hard contact lenses also include semi-soft, semi-rigid, semi-permeable, gas permeable, and similar lenses.

2. If you wear soft contact lenses and your vision is corrected to 20/20 both eyes together, there is no minimum uncorrected visual acuity requirement.

To qualify under this provision, you will be asked to present satisfactory medical evidence from your private optometrist or ophthalmologist documenting that you have been a successful wearer of soft contact lenses for six months prior to the medical examination given by the City of San Diego. Such documentation must also indicate if you have any medical contraindications to wearing soft contact lenses. We will request this information from you following the medical examination given by the City.

You will also be required, as a condition of your employment, to sign a pre-employment agreement obligating you to wear soft contact lenses at all times while on duty, except when otherwise authorized by the San Diego Police Department. Your use of soft contact lenses will be subject to verification by the City of San Diego and to such medical eye examinations as necessary in the judgment of the City.

3. (a) If you have undergone any type of refractive vision surgery (or "touch up" surgery) such as Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK), radial keratotomy (RK) or photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) prior to being medically considered for a Police Officer (Recruit Level) or Police Officer position, you must be substantially free of vision problems including, but not limited to: impaired vision at night or under dim lighting conditions; sensitivity to glare; starbursts experienced around light sources such as street lights or headlights; hazing or blurring of vision; eye irritation and pain; progressive regression of visual acuity; and/or daily changes in visual acuity. Your vision must be 20/20 both eyes together. If it is not, it must be corrected to 20/20 both eyes together in accordance with the requirements in No. 1 or 2 above.

To qualify under this provision, you will be asked to submit the results of a recent eye examination from your private ophthalmologist documenting the status of your vision. We will request this information from you following the medical examination given by the City.

(b) If you have undergone any type of refractive vision surgery (or "touch up" surgery) within six months of being medically considered for a Police Officer (Recruit Level) or Police Officer position, you may be hired on a "conditional" basis.

To qualify under this provision, you must successfully complete a City provided vision examination prior to hire and six months from the date of your last vision surgery or "touch up" surgery. You must be substantially free of the vision problems outlined in paragraph 3 (a) above. Your vision must be 20/20 both eyes together. If it is not, it must be corrected to 20/20 both eyes together in accordance with the requirements in No. 1 or 2 above.

4. In all cases, you need to have binocular vision (vision in both eyes), normal visual fields, normal binocular fusion, and freedom from other visual conditions that would interfere with your ability to perform the full range of duties of a Police Officer (Recruit Level) or Police Officer with the San Diego Police Department.

5. In all cases, you need an acceptable level of color vision. This is determined at the time of the medical examination given by the City using standardized color vision tests.

For hearing requirements, the City of San Diego uses the California Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission's guidelines for Police Officer (Recruit Level) applicants. These guidelines require pure tone threshold testing for each ear separately at 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, and 6000 Hz. For acoustical reasons, audiograms must be done without hearing aids in place.

An additional examination by a medical specialist will be required if the screening audiogram is considered "abnormal" or there is a history of ear-related symptoms. In general, an audiogram is considered to be abnormal if thresholds exceed 25 dB. In these cases, the examining physician must determine 1) whether the hearing loss is functionally relevant to the safe performance of patrol duties, and 2) whether the candidate needs to be evaluated by a hearing specialist to assess treatment options and/or prognosis.

Candidates with hearing aids: Candidates who wish to be tested with their hearing aids will be administered a test to assess speech comprehension ability in noise and quiet. Both tests will be administered by sound field methods rather than headphones. An aided audiogram will be reviewed to evaluate sound detection ability.

Prior to testing, the candidate must attest that he/she has worn the aids regularly for at least one month. In addition, all records from the audiologist who dispensed the hearing aids must be provided, including documentation of the fitting program and other hearing aid settings, which are used on a regular basis by the individual.

As a condition of employment, candidates who wear hearing aids will be required to sign a pre-employment agreement obligating them to wear their hearing aids when assigned to field duty or other hearing critical tasks.

NOTE:

  • Any evaluation by a hearing specialist, including additional audiogram testing, will be at the applicant's expense.


PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS: Employment offers are conditional pending the results of all screening processes that are applicable to this position, which may include the following: confirmation of citizenship or legal right to work in the United States; completion of a pre-employment medical review and exam (which may include drug and alcohol testing); reference checks; confirmation of full COVID-19 vaccination; and fingerprinting. Fingerprints will be submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice for a conviction record report. Certain positions may require additional screening processes, which may include a polygraph examination and/or background investigation. All of these processes must be successfully completed before employment begins. A positive test for alcohol or illegal drugs, including marijuana, or inadequately explained prescription drugs, or misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of pertinent facts in any step of the screening or selection process, may be cause for disqualification or termination of employment. Nothing in this job posting constitutes an express or implied contract for employment with the City of San Diego. Candidates must notify the Personnel Department of any change in their name, mailing address, email address, or phone number, otherwise they may miss employment opportunities.

COVID-19 VACCINATION: You must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before your start date.

NOTES:

  • Fully vaccinated means a person has received, at least 14 days prior, either the second dose in a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine series or a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine, or otherwise meets the criteria for full vaccination against COVID-19 as stated in applicable public health guidance, orders, or law. Acceptable COVID-19 vaccines must either be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or authorized for emergency use by the FDA or the World Health Organization.
  • Candidates who receive a conditional job offer will be required to provide proof of their full COVID-19 vaccination.
  • Employees and candidates with a disability or medical condition that makes it medically inadvisable for them to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, as verified by their healthcare provider, or those with a sincerely held religious belief, observance, or practice that prevents them from receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, may request reasonable accommodation and exemption from the COVID-19 vaccination requirement. Candidates who receive a conditional job offer and wish to make a request for accommodation will be provided with more information. The City will review requests for medical or religious accommodation on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act. A candidates start date may be adjusted to allow for the accommodation process.

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