Police Officer Lateral

Police Officer

Be amongst the brave men and women who make up the Richmond Police Department. City of Richmond Police Officers work under the philosophy of community policing, and are responsible for protecting persons and property; maintaining order; preventing crime; controlling traffic, conducting specialized administrative or investigative duties; writing reports, and performing related work as required. The current base annual salary range for a sworn Police Officer is $123,588.00 - $142,558.00. To learn more about Police Officers please go to: Join Richmond Police Department - Be the Difference. Additionally, City-paid benefits may include medical, dental, vision, paid vacation, holidays, administrative leave days, sick time, CalPERS retirement contribution, life insurance, disability insurance, tuition reimbursement, annual professional development reimbursement, four weeks of paid parental leave, and more! All benefits information can be found here.

Police Officer Lateral applicants must be currently employed as a police/peace officer in the State of California, and have satisfactorily completed, in another jurisdiction, a probation period for a peace officer classification which is comparable to Richmond's classification of Peace Officer.

Applicants who have completed the California POST Basic Police Academy, but are not currently employed and/or have not completed a probationary period must apply for the Police Officer Academy Grad (Direct) recruitment.

Police Officers, working under the philosophy of community policing, are responsible for protecting persons and property; maintaining order; preventing crime and juvenile delinquency; controlling traffic; specialized administrative or investigative duties; and writing reports.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Possess a high school diploma or equivalent;
• Be at least 21 years of age;
• Have completed thirty (30) semester or forty-five (45) quarter college units by the date of appointment. One (1) semester unit may be substituted for completion of every 40 hours of POST-certified Academy which is not college affiliated – must provide proof of academy hours;
• Possess a valid California driver's license and a satisfactory driving record;
• Have vision uncorrected 20/100 in each eye, corrected to 20/30 in each eye;
• Have normal color vision;
• Have normal hearing;
• Have no felony convictions AND
• Are currently employed as a police/peace officer in the State of California (sheriff's department, state police, highway patrol, or municipal police department) AND
• Have satisfactorily completed, in another jurisdiction, a probation period for a peace officer classification which is comparable to Richmond's classification of Peace Officer

Automatic Disqualifiers:

• Felony Convictions
• Domestic Violence Convictions
• Crimes of Moral Turpitude
• Drug Use – Within Last Three (3) Years:

1. Hallucinogens
2. Psilocybin (Mushrooms)
3. LSD
4. MDMA (Ecstasy)
5. Cocaine
6. Methamphetamine
7. Heroin

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement: The City's policy is that all persons hired on or after October 18, 2021, must be fully vaccinated, including the booster, for COVID-19. New employees will be required to provide proof of complete vaccination or have an approved medical or religious accommodation before employment may commence. If you have any questions regarding this policy, please contact Human Resources.

Application and Selection Process:

1. All applicants must submit a complete City of Richmond Employment Application online. Applicants can apply by visiting the City of Richmond employment page at Please fill out the Employment Application completely (including places of employment with complete addresses; i.e., number and street name, city and state, names of supervisors with telephone numbers, etc.), answer the Supplement Qualifications Questionnaire, and if applicable, attach required documents. Incomplete applications will be rejected.
2. Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be placed on an unranked Employment List. The Employment List is valid for four (4) months, unless extended an additional four (4) months. Placement on the employment list does not guarantee selection to proceed in the recruitment process.
3. Candidates will be selected to complete a Writing Sample (essay), participate in an oral board interview, submit a Personal History Statement (PHS), and complete a Lateral Selection Physical Agility Test, which will consist of the following two events:

• Body Rescue/Drag – Lift and drag a 165-lb. dummy across a distance of 32 feet. Two trials, maximum time allowed: 33.9 seconds.
• Obstacle Course/Agility Run – Complete an (approximately) 99-yard obstacle course containing 6"x 6" curbs and a 34" high sawhorse. Two trials, maximum time allowed: 28.9 seconds.

• The PHS will be reviewed and evaluated based on hiring requirements.
• Candidates will be selected to proceed in the hiring process, consisting of the following:

• Livescan Fingerprinting
• Polygraph Examination
• POST-Certified Background Investigation

• Select candidates may receive a conditional offer of employment upon completion and review of the background investigation report, and be scheduled for:

• Medical Evaluation
• Psychological Assessment

• Candidates who successfully pass the medical evaluation and psychological assessment will enter the final review phase of the hiring process. Candidates may be scheduled to meet with the Police Chief for an interview. The Police Chief will make the final hiring decision. Candidates who are selected for hire will receive a final offer letter from the Human Resources Management Department.

About the City of Richmond: The City of Richmond lies on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay, five miles north of Berkeley and seven miles northeast across the Bay from downtown San Francisco. A hub of multimodal transportation, many of our residents and businesses are located in Richmond because of its central location and easy access to the Amtrak/Capitol Corridor, BART, AC Transit, the ferry, and two freeways (I-80 & I-580). Residents, visitors, and employees enjoy Richmond's numerous recreational opportunities, which include 32 miles of shoreline and over 3,000 acres of shoreline parks, more segments of the Bay Trail completed than any other city, several recreational boat harbors and yacht clubs, and thousands of acres of contiguous inland regional parks and open space. The City has substantial economic resources but is still affordable compared to other Bay Area cities. Our community is welcoming, diverse, and actively engaged. Richmond is truly the City of Pride and Purpose!

Immigration Reform Control Act: In compliance with the Immigration Reform Control Act of 1986, individuals offered employment by the City of Richmond will be required to show documentation of eligibility to work in the United State as a condition of employment.

Non-Discrimination Policy: The City of Richmond is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer, and prohibits discrimination against any applicant on the basis of race, religion, citizenship, color, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability or medical condition, genetic information, marital status, reproductive health decision-making, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age (40 and over), sexual orientation, or military or veteran status or any other basis protected by law.

Disaster Service Workers: California Government Code Title I, Sections 3100 - 3109, declare all public employees to be Disaster Service Workers subject to such disaster service activities as may be assigned to them by their superiors or by law. More information can be found here.

EOE/ADA/DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE