Police Officer - Entry Level

Police Officer Position

Eligible for a hiring bonus!

$20,000 ($2,000 upon hire; $3,000 upon successful completion of the Field Training Program; $3,000 upon completion of second year of employment; $4,000 upon completion of third year of employment; $4,000 at the completion of fourth year of employment; and $4,000 upon completion of fifth year of employment with the city.) This specific portion of the policy is limited to the fiscal year funding availability, as determined by the City Manager.

Entry level salary: $8,440- $11,311 per month. Salary also includes an automatic 8 hrs. straight time each month due to 3/12 shift and 9.5 hrs. straight time for monthly holiday pay. This is a non-sworn training level classification requiring no prior law enforcement experience. Trainees will be sent to a basic police academy and upon successful completion of the academy, will be promoted to the sworn police officer classification.

Hiring bonus: $20,000 ($2,000 upon hire; $3,000 upon successful completion of the Field Training Program; $3,000 upon completion of second year of employment; $4,000 upon completion of third year of employment; $4,000 at the completion of fourth year of employment; and $4,000 upon completion of fifth year of employment with the city.) This specific portion of the policy is limited to the fiscal year funding availability, as determined by the City Manager.

Benefits

Retirement: The City of Scotts Valley participates in the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). State laws have established the following retirement requirements: Candidates currently enrolled in the PERS system (Classic): 3.0% @ 50, with a 9% employee contribution and 3-year average; Candidates new to the PERS system, or who have had more than a six-month break from PERS (PEPRA), and upon completion of police academy: 2.7% @ 57, with a 13.75% employee contribution (subject to change in July) and 3-year average.

Health insurance: Dental / Vision premiums paid by the City of Scotts Valley. Medical premiums paid by the City as follows:

City Contribution - Employee Only - Employee +1 - Employee +2

Monthly - $1286.26 - $22601.72 - $3370.60

Life insurance: $50,000 double indemnity policy; paid by the City of Scotts Valley.

Long-term disability: Premiums paid by the City of Scotts Valley.

Uniform allowance: Fully provided by the City of Scotts Valley, including cleaning.

Vacation: Full-time employees are eligible for 80 hours of vacation per year up to 5 years of service; 120 hours from 5 to 10 years of service; 160 hours for 10 years of service; and 168 hours for 15 or more years of service.

Holidays: Full-time employees are required to work holidays; however, officers receive 6% of base salary in lieu of holidays off. In addition, employees who work a twelve (12) hour shift on a City-recognized holiday (other than a floating holiday) will receive doubletime for the first four hours of work on the holiday, in addition to regular pay for the rest of the day worked.

Longevity pay: 2.5% @ 5 years. An additional 2.5% at the completion of 10 years. An additional 1% at 15 years.

Sick leave: Unlimited sick leave accumulation at ninety-six hours per year. The City has a sick leave buy-back incentive program.

Pre-tax deductions: The Flexible Spending Account allows employees to make pre-tax deductions for allowable medical expenses not covered by the medical plan. The Dependent Care Assistance Program allows employees to make pre-tax deductions for dependent care.

Deferred compensation: Effective January 1, 2025, the City will match up to $50.00 during the 1st and 2nd pay period of each month (up to a maximum of $100.00 per month) of an employee's contribution.

Bilingual pay: The City shall provide a monthly allowance of $200 for bilingual speaking skills, upon the recommendation of the Chief of Police.

Education incentive: Upon completion of FTO, sworn personnel are eligible for the following monthly education incentive compensation: AA/AS: $150; BA/BS: $250; MA: $300.

Other benefits include: Access to credit union, tuition reimbursement for job-related courses approved by the Chief of Police, employee membership in PORAC Union Representation, direct payroll deposit, deferred compensation plan, and retiree medical benefit.

Appointment:

Any candidate selected must pass a pre-employment medical, psychological, and polygraph exam administered by City-selected personnel before hire. Candidates must be fingerprinted and take a loyalty oath as required by the State of California at the time of hire. Appointments to regular positions are subject to an 18 month probationary period which is considered a part of the selection process. Probationary employees may be terminated without recourse during this period.

Minimum qualifications:

-High school graduation or G.E.D. certificate/equivalent.

-Proof at time of application that candidate will be 21 years old by date of hire.

-Must be U.S. citizen or must have applied for citizenship and will obtain citizenship within 3 years.

-Record free of any felony convictions.

-Must reside or be willing to relocate within a 60 minute drive to the police department.

Physical condition:

-Physical health, strength, and agility necessary to meet the physical demands of police work, as determined by a physical agility test and a medical exam based on current California's Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) guidelines.

-Applicants that have not had corrective surgery, and do not wear contact lenses or glasses must have 20/40 or better vision. Applicants wearing glasses must have 20/20 vision in each eye and 20/40 or better in worst eye without glasses. Applicants wearing hard contact lenses are not allowed unless vision is 20/40 or better in worst eye. Applicants wearing soft contact lenses must be 20/20 in each eye, 20/200 or better in each eye without lenses, and applicant must have successfully worn soft lenses for one year. Applicants that have had corrective surgery must have 20/40 vision or better without contact lenses and surgery must have been performed at least one-year prior to date of application. Depth perception, peripheral vision and color discrimination must be free of significant deficiencies and within guidelines established by POST (refer to vision standards sheet for details).

License / certificate:

-Valid California Motor Vehicle Operator's License (Class C /Class 3).

The position:

Police officers perform any combination of the following duties, depending on specific assignment: patrol the city in radio dispatched vehicles and on foot; answer calls for protection of life and property; enforcement of City, State and Federal laws; traffic law enforcement; operate radar equipment; suppress crime by interrogation of suspicious persons, observe unusual situations on patrol beat, and settle disputes and arguments. Perform traffic control, accident investigation, render emergency assistance to citizens in need of immediate help; transport prisoners; serve warrants, participate in investigations of felonies and misdemeanors; interview persons involved in crimes and accidents; document incidents utilizing computers; perform security checks of public, commercial and residential buildings; observe assigned area for suspicious activities and unsafe conditions; provide assistance to other officers and law enforcement agencies. Participate in community-based policing, familiarization between law enforcement and community residents, and collaborative problem solving.

Schedule:

All police patrol personnel currently work a 12 hour / 3-4 day work schedule.

The department:

The Scotts Valley Police Department serves a community of over 11,000 citizens. During work hours, the population may swell to over 30,000. There are 19 sworn police officers assigned to such areas as patrol, traffic enforcement, investigations, juvenile, training, and Special Response Team (SRT). The Police Department is a service oriented agency.

Application and testing process:

A