Career Fair - Police Officer Recruit
San Diego Police Department Career Fair - Police Officer Recruit Visit our booth!
What: The San Diego Union Tribune Career Fair
When: Thursday, March 7, 2019
Where: Embassy Suites by Hilton, San Diego/La Jolla 4550 La Jolla Village Drive San Diego, CA 92122 (free parking in hotel parking structure)
Job Information
Join The SDPD Team Today!
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
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). 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: 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.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS You must meet the following requirement on the date you apply, unless otherwise indicated.
CITIZENSHIP: United States citizenship or permanent resident alien who is eligible for and has applied for U.S. citizenship prior to application for employment. AGE: 20 years of age on the date you apply; 21 years by date of Academy graduation.
EDUCATION: 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. 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. (Accreditation must be from an institutional accrediting body which has been recognized by the Council on Postsecondary Accreditation.)
NOTE: Candidates screened by the San Diego Police Department must present proof of education when they submit their Background Investigation Questionnaire.
LICENSE: A valid California Class C Driver License is required at the time of hire.
TYPING CERTIFICATE: The ORIGINAL typing certificate must indicate the ability to type at a corrected speed of 30 words per minute and must be submitted during the Background Investigation Process. The certificate must be issued under International Typing Contest Rules and specify the net and gross speed, the number of errors and that the test was five minutes or longer. Certificates specifying more than five errors will not be accepted. City of San Diego Government employees serving in a job classification which meets or exceeds the minimum typing requirements are not required to submit a typing certificate. Internet typing tests will NOT be accepted.
SCREENING PROCESS 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.
The screening process will consist of the following components:
1. APPLICATION REVIEW: Applications will be evaluated to ensure they meet the minimum requirements. Only those applicants who clearly demonstrate meeting the requirements specified above will be approved to continue in the screening process.
2. WRITTEN TEST: IF YOU MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS AND YOUR APPLICATION IS APPROVED, YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED AND GIVEN INSTRUCTION ON HOW TO VIEW AVAILABLE TEST DATES AND SELF SCHEDULE FOR ONE OF THE EXAMINATIONS. Once scheduled, you will be guaranteed admission to the examination 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 San Diego and your address is verified as being more than 100 miles from San Diego, you will be able 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.
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: If you have graduated from a California P.O.S.T. approved Police Academy with a Peace Officer's Course Certificate or possess a Basic California P.O.S.T. Certificate, YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO TAKE THE WRITTEN TEST. If your application is approved, you will bypass this step and be scheduled for the performance test.
NOTE: Requests for waivers for other reasons will be considered on a case-by-case basis based on your responses to the supplemental questions on your application.
RE-EXAMINATION ELIGIBILITY: If you fail the written test, you may reapply TWO MONTHS after your most recent TEST DATE. If you pass the current Written Test (T11130), you cannot reapply until you have expired from the Police Officer (Recruit Level) eligible list. 3.
PERFORMANCE TEST: The performance test is a pass/fail examination which consists of 465-yard course that simulates a suspect chase and measures a variety of physical abilities necessary in police work.
The test requires candidates to:
a. Dodge low hanging objects;
b. climb ladders and stairs;
c. run around pylons;
d. jump, step and/or climb over 3, 4, and 6-foot fences; and
e. partially lift and drag a 150 lb. "simulated victim".
While performing the test, candidates must wear a 3-pound vest provided by the Police Department.
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.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION Candidates must also pass the following processes 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 requirements vary depending upon the corrective measures employed. (See the attached for details on vision and hearing requirements.)
PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS: Employment offers are conditional pending the results of all screening processes that are applicable to this job, which may include but are not limited to the following: Confirmation of citizenship/legal right to work in the United States; completion of a pre-employment medical review/exam (which may include drug/alcohol testing); reference checks; and a fingerprint check. The 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, illegal drugs, including marijuana, or inadequately explained prescription drugs, misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of pertinent facts in any step of the screening/selection process may be cause for disqualification and/or termination of employment. Nothing in this job posting constitutes an expressed or implied contract for employment with the City of San Diego. Applicants must notify the Personnel Department of any changes in their name, address (home, email), or phone number or they may miss employment opportunities.
NOTE: Misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of pertinent facts in any step of the screening/selection process may be cause for disqualification or termination of employment.
VISION/HEARING REQUIREMENTS: Vision requirements vary depending upon the corrective measures utilized.
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.
San Diego CA