Police Officer

Salary : $91,291.20 - $119,329.60 Annually
Location : Saint Paul, MN
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 27-MAY-POLICE
Department: Police
Opening Date: 10/21/2026
Closing Date: 12/8/2026 11:59 PM Central


About the Position

Looking to take the next step in an exciting law enforcement career? The Saint Paul Police Department (SPPD) is accepting applications for our next selection process. Find out more about what it means to work for the SPP D and watch our video below.
At this time, we are accepting applications. We encourage you to apply now!

SPPD RECRUITMENT TEAM: Get to know us! The Saint Paul recruitment team is excited to learn how they can best support your law enforcement career aspirations. Please do not hesitate to reach out at View phone number on click.appcast.io or View email address on click.appcast.io .
POLICE OFFICER JOB DESCRIPTION

• Performs community engagement work involving the safety and protection of the community. Builds trust and nurtures legitimacy between the police and the community.
• Works to preserve peace, regulate traffic, patrol assigned areas, provide emergency services, and monitor, prevent and control neighborhood crime.
• Initiates and participates in community engagement activities to foster positive community relationships.
• Maintains knowledge of the city, and is invested in and respects Saint Paul's citizens, neighborhoods and cultures.
• Demonstrates empathy, accountability, and transparency to deliver trusted service with respect.
• Attends City meetings and consults with leaders in both business and residential communities.

For more information and essential functions, see our Police Officer Job Description

Our Benefits: We offer competitive wages, and a variety of , including health insurance, retirement contributions and paid vacation and sick time.

Equity, Inclusion and Belonging: The City of Saint Paul is dedicated to dismantling systemic racial, cultural, and economic barriers that prevent people from fully enjoying and participating in our community and ensuring fairness in opportunities and outcomes for all individuals. At the City of Saint Paul, we want our workforce to reflect the diverse city that we serve. Our leaders are guided by an unapologetic equity agenda, which promotes the belief that true equity is building a city that works for all of us.We encourage you to apply as we are most interested in finding the best candidate for this job.

Position Requirements

• Applicants must be at least 21 years of age and be licensed or eligible for licensure as a Peace Officer in the State of Minnesota by September, 9th, 2027.
  • NOTE: If you are unsure about your eligibility for licensure as a Peace Officer in the State of Minnesota, we encourage you visit the Minnesota Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) for more information. Upon application, we will contact you if we need additional information regarding your eligibility for licensure.
• Must possess and maintain a valid Minnesota Class D Driver's License or equivalent out-of-state driver's license.
• Must have no felony convictions, including pardons and/or expungements, criminal convictions of gross misdemeanor or equivalent level, physical assault, domestic assault, or eluding the police convictions.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be able to work any shift within a twenty-four-hour period, including weekends and holidays.
• Must take annual PT exam, all department required training, and meet regular firearms training qualifications.
• Must maintain P.O.S.T. licensure.

PLEASE NOTE:

• To be considered for employment by the Saint Paul Police Department, applicants must be licensed or eligible for licensure as a Peace Officer in the State of Minnesota. Therefore, qualified applicants who submit option " a " or option " b " from the list below and pass the oral interview assessment and qualifications rating will be eligible for employment consideration with the department.
• Qualified applicants who submit option c, d, or e from thelist below and pass the oral interview assessment will not be eligible for employment consideration until an additional letter demonstrating eligibility from Minnesota P.O.S.T. is received by the Office of Human Resources.
• Experienced law enforcement officers trained outside of Minnesota interested in obtaining employment as a peace officer in Minnesota may qualify to take the Reciprocity Licensing Examination. Interested out-of-state applicants must be scheduled for the Minnesota P.O.S.T. reciprocity exam to be considered for this position. More information on reciprocity may be found here.
• Applicants who are not licensed or eligible for licensure must be accepted into Skills, without condition, by the application deadline.

If you have questions about your P.O.S.T eligibility, please contact Minnesota P.O.S.T. at View phone number on click.appcast.io or

How to Apply

1. Submit a City of Saint Paul online application by the closing date.
2. Upload or submit one the following required documents via the online application system. (Zip files and web links will not be accepted. Each uploaded attachment is limited to 10MB.) a. A letter of eligibility from the
   b . A valid Minnesota Peace Officer License
   c. A letter of acceptance into Skills or placement on a Skills waitlist
   d. A letter verifying that you are scheduled to take the POST exam
   e. A letter verifying that you are eligible to take the Minnesota POST reciprocity exam

First time applying online? Read our


Need technical support? For help with the online application, please call View phone number on click.appcast.io.

Learn more about our Hiring Process

Assessment Process: Qualifications Rating and Oral Interview
The Qualifications Rating is an assessment of your completed application and answers to the Supplemental Questionnaire. Be as specific and detailed as possible in completing your application and questionnaire. You must submit your completed application and supplemental questionnaire by the application deadline. This portion is worth 50% of your total score.
In the Oral Interview assessment, a panel of interviewers will ask you structured questions about your past experiences handling specific situations, as well as character traits desirable to the position. The questions are designed to measure the degree in which you possess the characteristics identified as important to successful performance on the job. This portion is worth 50% of your total score.


Calculation of the Final Score = (Qualifications Rating x .50) + (Oral Interview x .50)

Oral interview assessment dates: Tuesday, December 15, and Wednesday, December 16, 2026

• Eligible applicants who apply throughout the posting window will be notified to schedule their oral interview assessment on either December 15 or December 16, 2026.

If you have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, you may be eligible for accommodation in the assessment process. Please contact Ellen Friedman at View phone number on click.appcast.io or


GENERAL INFORMATION:

Open Job Posting: This posting is open to anyone who meets the position requirements.

Eligible Lists: Eligible lists are typically created from a pass/fail assessment. Those who pass the assessment will be placed on an eligible list for approximately three months. Hiring Managers may interview/hire anyone from the list.

Final Selection Process: You must receive a score of 75% or higher to pass the assessment and be considered for the position. Those who pass will be placed on an eligible list and all will be notified of their status. A Hiring Manager will consider those applicants eligible for hire. You will be notified if you are invited to participate in the final selection process which may include an interview, job simulation, work sample submission, or other evaluation method.


Pre-Employment Screening: This position requires a comprehensive medical examination including a drug test, psychological assessment, and a thorough Saint Paul Police background check including criminal history and employment history as a condition of employment.


Continued employment and appointment to the position of Police Officer is contingent upon successful completion of the 16-week Recruit Academy and probationary period. A critical element to successful completion of the 16-week Recruit Academy is the physical fitness test. See details of the minimum physical fitness standards cadets are required to meet on the City's website by clicking this


Continued employment is also contingent upon passing a probationary period of 2080 work hours in the position of Police Officer following successful completion of the Recruit Academy.


Human Resources Contact Information:
Ellen Friedman at View phone number on click.appcast.io
Email:


Veteran's Preference : If you are a veteran and would like to receive Veteran's preference in accordance with MN Statute 197.455, you must submit a photocopy of your DD214 preferably at time of application.


Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: The City of Saint Paul is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Veterans, women, persons of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
The City of Saint Paul offers a competitive benefits package for permanent, certified positions. Temporary positions are not eligible for benefits.

Benefits vary with each position and the collective bargaining agreement. Benefits may include:

City Paid Benefits

• Health Insurance
• Vacation/Holidays
• Sick Leave
• Life Insurance
• Subsidized Metro Bus Pass
• Deferred Compensation
• Retirement Program

Optional Benefits

• Dental
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Disability Insurance
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
• Long Term Care Insurance

For a detailed overview, visit
01


The thorough completion of the supplemental questions is very important in the exam process. Therefore, a lack of detail and explanation in the supplemental questions and in your application, may result in a failure of the assessment for this position. In addition, documentation of work experience referred to in the supplemental questions must be included in the application. Your education, training, and experience are subject to verification.I understand that not answering the questions fully or giving false information, failure to accurately represent myself, or not providing required documentation as listed on the job announcement will result in disqualification from this position.

• Yes, I understand that my answers to the following questions are 50% of my overall assessment score for the Police Officer exam process.

02


Will you be at least 21 years old by 9/9/2027?

• Yes
• No

03


Are you currently in possession of a valid Minnesota Driver's License or equivalent out-of-state license?

• Yes
• No

04


What is your current Minnesota POST status?

• Accepted into Skills program or placed on a Skills program waitlist
• Scheduled to take the POST exam
• Eligible to take the POST exam
• Eligible to take the Minnesota POST reciprocity exam
• Passed the POST exam
• License Minnesota Peace Officer
• None of the above

05


If you selected "Accepted into Skills program or placed on a Skills program waitlist" in the previous question, please indicate your anticipated program completion date below (to include month, day, and year). If you did not, please leave this question blank
06


As indicated in the job announcement, I have attached the required documentation to my application regarding my Minnesota POST status (i.e., letter/email of acceptance to a Skills program, letter/email verifying scheduled POST exam, Minnesota Peace Officer License). I understand that I will NOT be able to submit my application unless I attach documentation verifying my POST status.

• Yes
• No

07


Please select any of the following Police pathway programs in which you have participated.

• A Community Liaison Officer, Community Service Officer, and/or a local agency cadet program
• Volunteer experience with a community-based or a local law enforcement program
• Parking Enforcement Officer
• Other
• None of the above

08


Based on the options you selected in the previous question, please answer the following: Describe where you obtained this experience (e.g., organization name, program, employer), and a brief summary of your responsibilities. If you selected "Other", please provide the name and details of the program you participated in. If you selected "None of the above", please type N/A.
09


Please select any from the following options in which you have experience.

• Law Enforcement, Security, Jail, Corrections, Juvenile, and/or Probation work experience.
• Crisis Intervention, Social Work, and/or First Responder (Firefighter, EMT, or Medic experience).
• Customer Facing or Customer Service Experience
• Military Experience
• Other
• None of the above

10


Based on the options you selected in the previous question, please answer the following: Describe your relevant experience, where you obtained this experience (e.g., organization name, program, employer), how many months or years of experience you have, a brief summary of your responsibilities. If you selected "None of the above", please type N/A.
11


Please indicate whether you have majored in any of the following fields of study.

• Criminal Justice, Criminology, Forensic Science, Law Enforcement, and/or Police Studies, etc.
• Communications, Social Work, Sociology, and/or Psychology.
• Emergency Management/Homeland Security
• Other
• None of the above

12


Data AdvisoryUnder the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, certain data, which is defined as "Applicant Data" is private and may not be shared by the Office of Human Resources until such time as your name is forwarded to the Saint Paul Police Department as a finalist for the position of Police Officer. By checking this box I agree that the following information may be shared with the Saint Paul Police Department prior to hiring: name, contact information, and work history. Participation is optional but highly encouraged because the purpose of the request is to allow for direct recruitment and engagement with you by the Department prior to date of examination and hiring. There are no consequences for not participating. Your information will be used to identify you as an Applicant and engage with you in recruitment related activities. Selected members of the Saint Paul Police Department are authorized to receive the answers provided. I authorize the Office of Human Resources to provide my information to the Saint Paul Police Department prior to the examination and hiring process.

• Yes
• No

13


LANGUAGES: Check all languages you speak, read, or write fluently. Candidates may be tested on the language selected prior to hire. If you are not fluent in a language other than English, select "NA."

• Amharic
• Arabic
• Cambodian
• Hmong or Laotian
• Oromo
• Sign Language
• Somali
• Skaw, Pwo, or other Karen language
• Spanish
• Vietnamese
• Other
• NA

14


LANGUAGES: If you selected "Other non-English language" in the previous question, please indicate what language(s) you speak, read, or write fluently below.
15


RECRUITMENT: How did you first find your way to our website to apply for this position? (check all that apply)

• City of Saint Paul website
• City of Saint Paul employee
• Saint Paul Police Recruitment Team
• City of Saint Paul job interest card
• City of Saint Paul walk-in
• City of Saint Paul Posted! newsletter
• City of Saint Paul Gov.Delivery notifications
• Friend or family member
• League of Minnesota Cities website
• Governmentjobs.com website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• X (formerly known as Twitter)
• Indeed.com website
• ZipRecruiter
• Pollen website
• MinnesotaWorks.net
• College or University
• Community organization
• Job fair
• Professional association
• Saint Paul Elevate Session
• People of Color Career Fair
• Other

16


RECRUITMENT: If not indicated above, please specify where you heard about the position (e.g., specific organization/website name, City of Saint Paul employee name).
Required Question