Police Officer Recruit

Salary : $85,126.45 Annually
Location : Sacramento, CA
Job Type: Limited Term / Benefit Qualified
Job Number: 009123-26-PD-11
Department: Police
Opening Date: 07/16/2026
Closing Date: 7/31/2026 11:59 PM Pacific


THE POSITION
You must have taken and passed the Police Officer Recruit examination for further consideration. To take the examination, click here
Please Note: a candidate must successfully pass a thorough background investigation, including a criminal history check for job-related convictions, fingerprinting, polygraph test, psychological test, credit check, and a drug use history to be considered for this position.

Applicants applying to this posting will be hired as a Police Officer Recruit and must successfully complete a twenty-four (24) week P.O.S.T. Basic Course Police Academy. Upon satisfactory graduation from a P.O.S.T. Basic Course Police Academy, a Police Officer Recruit meeting the requirements of the Police Officer classification shall be advanced to the career classification of Police Officer. For more information regarding the Police Officer or Community Service Officer II positions, please visit the following links:

Police Officer Classification Specification:

Community Service Officer II:

Under close supervision, Police Officer Recruits participate in a basic law enforcement training program, at the Sacramento Police Academy. Police Officer Recruits gain an understanding of police procedures, law enforcement techniques, first aid, and acquire physical and emotional skills needed to successfully complete the police academy and may perform non-sworn, non-hazardous duties in support of a variety of police operations.


DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
The Police Officer Recruit is a non-career developmental classification used to recruit and train qualified candidates to learn the duties of a Police Officer or Community Service Officer II in the Sacramento Police Department. Incumbents of this class undergo a formal, comprehensive training program in a State of California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) Basic Police Academy conducted by the Sacramento Police Department to prepare for performing duties in support of police operations. Incumbents are expected to demonstrate satisfactory proficiency in the required physical agility testing component prior to and during the academy. On-going physical training will be a required skill set for any successful incumbent.


Upon satisfactory graduation from a P.O.S.T. Basic Course Police Academy, a Police Officer Recruit meeting the requirements of the Police Officer classification shall be advanced to the career classification of Police Officer. Incumbents promoted to CSO II at time of completion of the POST Basic Police Academy, are expected to attend accredited college level courses in order to satisfy the minimum qualification requirements of the Police Officer classification within their limited-term appointment.

Employees shall not be classified as Police Officer Recruit for more than one year from the date of hire unless the employee was unsuccessful in an Academy and the employee is invited to participate in an additional academy. Advancement to Police Officer or Community Service Officer II is dependent upon satisfactory job performance. Failure to graduate from the Police Academy and/or failure to meet satisfactory progress within the prescribed training period will be cause for termination.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED
Immediate supervision is provided by higher-level sworn or civilian personnel.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Learn and apply knowledge of the Sacramento Police Department's organization, chain of command, and rules and regulations.
• Learn, identify and emulate principles and techniques that promote community service, crime prevention, and appropriate behavior.
• Learn and apply knowledge of enforcement and procedural aspects of criminal law and the legal obligations inherent in enforcement of those laws.
• Learn and apply knowledge of proficient application of the rules of evidence. Receive training in and practice effective and professional communications through written, oral, and mechanical media.
• Learn to recognize vehicle violations, locating the violations in the Vehicle Code, and under supervision, safely and professionally contact the violator.
• Participate and assist in applying basic criminal investigation processes and techniques, including the identification, collection, and preservation of evidence, courtroom testimony, and witness interrogation.
• Learn and practice physical fitness and defense techniques programs.
• Learn and practice first-aid, including Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation techniques.
• Other related duties may also be performed; not all duties listed are necessarily performed by each individual holding this classification. Duties may include, but are not limited to, assisting in routine investigations; assisting in preparing non-injury police reports; assisting in responding to fire alarms, street hazards and found property calls; assisting in traffic and non-violent crowd control duties; as directed transporting citizens, personnel and equipment.

QUALIFICATIONS
Ability to:

• Acquire, through training, knowledge of modern approved principles, practices, and procedures of police work, state laws, City ordinances, first-aid, the geography of the City, and the location of important buildings.
• Write clearly, accurately, concisely, legibly, and with correct English grammatical construction and spelling.
• Read and interpret complex technical documents in English. Understand and carry out oral and written instructions.
• Observe, assimilate, remember, record, and recall pertinent facts and details. Read maps and mapped information.
• Apply selected knowledge (i.e., laws, statutes, court decisions, department policies, criminal investigation theories, etc.) in collecting, organizing, and analyzing a variety of information in order to decide on an appropriate and reasonable course of action.
• Analyze problems and have the potential to rationally and calmly take effective action in emergency and stress situations.
• Plan and effectively present material orally to diverse groups. Deal courteously but firmly with the general public.
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with co-workers and other City employees.
• Undergo strenuous physical conditioning.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

Education:

High school diploma or G.E.D. equivalent

Experience:

No experience required.

SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS
Age:

Must be at least 18 years of age by the time of appointment.


Driver License:

Possession of a valid California Class C Driver License at the time of appointment.
Respiratory Protective Equipment:

Work in this class requires wearing respiratory protective equipment at times. When assigned to such work, facial hair must be shaven when it interferes with the safe fitting of respiratory protective equipment.
Felony Convictions:

Free of felony convictions under California Government Code Section 1029.
Background :

Must pass a background investigation, which includes a criminal history check for job-related convictions, fingerprinting, polygraph test, credit check, and drug use history.
Medical/Drug Test/Psychological Test:

Must pass a medical examination, drug test, and psychological test.
Continued Education:

Eligible to enroll in an accredited college or university.

This is a developmental classification designed to attract and retain persons with the desire and potential to be appointed to the Police Officer classification and who are working to satisfy the minimum qualification requirements of the Police Officer classification. Failure to make satisfactory progress may be cause for termination.
Physical Requirements:

The position requires sitting, standing, walking, running, reaching, twisting, turning, kneeling, bending, squatting, and crouching in the performance of daily activities. The position also requires grasping, repetitive hand movement, and fine coordination in the preparation of reports and using a computer keyboard; hearing and speaking are required for interacting with the public and others and to hear sirens. Additionally, the position requires depth perception, near, far, night, peripheral, and color vision in viewing crime scenes or evidence. May be required to walk on uneven and slippery surfaces. Must be able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
Environmental Conditions:

Incumbents work outdoors in all weather conditions, around loud siren noise, moving vehicles, and around animals; exposed to controlled temperature conditions in an office environment and unpredictable work conditions, including but not limited to, physical threats, verbal abuse, and stressful situations when in the field. This position may require working around chemicals, blood, and other potential toxic exposures.

THE SELECTION PROCEDURE


Please note, the City of Sacramento's preferred method of communication with applicants is via e-mail. As such, please ensure you verify the e-mail address on your application, and check your e-mail frequently, including your spam and junk folders. All e-mail notifications can also be accessed through the governmentjobs.com applicant inbox.


1. Application: (Pass/Fail) - All applicants must complete and submit online a City of Sacramento employment application by the final filing deadline;

• Employment applications must be submitted online; paper applications will not be accepted.
• Employment applications will be considered incomplete and will be disqualified:
  • If applicants do not list current and past job-related experience in the duties area of the "Work Experience" section. Note: Qualifying experience is based on 40 hours per week (pro-rated if less than 40 hours/week).
  • If "see resume" is noted in the "Work Experience" section; a resume will not substitute for the information required in the "Work Experience" section.
• Position/job titles will not be considered in determining eligibility for meeting the minimum qualifications for this position.
• Supplemental documents such as resume, cover letter, and proof of certification are highly preferred and recommended at the time of application submission. Documents should be submitted to the City of Sacramento Employment Office as attachment(s) via online with the employment application, emailed to If submitting via email, please include your name on your documents.
• Applicants are responsible for attaching proof of certification, and/or license to each position for which they apply. Proof of certification and/or license will be required at time of appointment.
• Optional - send a valid and legible copy of your previous result letter to the City of Sacramento Human Resources (refer to Test Exemption section below).
• If you are currently on an active Eligible (PASS) List for the Police Officer Recruit position, it is unnecessary to reapply and/or retake the Entry Level Law Enforcement Exam for this position. Each Eligible (PASS) List is active for two (2) years from the date it is established.

2. Supplemental Questionnaire: (Pass/Fail) - In addition to the City of Sacramento employment application, all applicants must complete and submit online responses to the supplemental questionnaire to the City of Sacramento Employment Office by the final filing deadline;

• Responses to the supplemental questionnaire must be submitted online; paper questionnaire will not be accepted.
• Incomplete supplemental questionnaire will not pass the review process; omitted information cannot be considered or assumed.
• A resume will not substitute for the information required in the supplemental questionnaire.

3. Online Exam: (Pass/Fail)- Candidates must have taken and passed the online examination with a score of 70% for further consideration. Only applicants who have successfully passed the City of Sacramento's Entry Level Law Enforcement Examination will be referred to the department after the final filing deadline. The online examination will be job related and may include, but not limited to, the knowledge and abilities as outlined above. Candidates can access the examination at any time by visiting the City of Sacramento's Examination's website:


4. Eligibility : Candidates who pass the online examination will be placed on the eligible list. Candidate's eligibility expires two years from the date of notification of a passing score for the City of Sacramento's Entry Level Law Enforcement Examination. Candidates can take the examination at any time to maintain eligibility.

• If you are currently on an active eligible list for the Police Officer Recruit or the Community Service Officer I classification, it is unnecessary to retake the examination.
• The eligible list is effective two years from the date of passing the examination for the Police Officer Recruit or the Community Service Officer I.

TEST EXEMPTION - If you have previously taken one of the following exams within two years of the final filing date and earned a passing score as listed below, you may be considered exempt from the Entry Level Law Enforcement Exam. To receive consideration for exemption, you must have:

• Earned a T-Score of 45 or higher on the P.O.S.T. Certified Entry Level Law Enforcement Test Battery (PELLETB) exam
• Received a passing score on the City of Sacramento's Entry Level Law Enforcement Exam
• Have selected yes to the Online Examination, Proof of Examination, and Test Exemption from the City Of Sacramento's Entry Level Law Enforcement Examination supplemental questions included in this job posting.

To receive consideration for exemption using the P.O.S.T PELLETB exam, submit your result to the City of Sacramento Human Resources Department by the final filing date using one of the following methods:

• Attach your valid result letter to your online application;
• Email it to View email address on click.appcast.io and include Police Recruit 009123-26-PD-11 in the Subject Line.

To receive consideration for exemption using the City of Sacramento's Entry Level Law Enforcement Exam, applicants will have needed to select yes to the Online Examination, Proof of Examination, and Test Exemption from the City Of Sacramento's Entry Level Law Enforcement Examination supplemental questions included in this job posting. The City of Sacramento's Human Resources Department will verify applicant's eligibility at the time of the final filing deadline of this job posting. Applicants who request consideration for the exemption and are not in a reachable rank, will be notified by Human Resources.

Per City of Sacramento Human Resources Department requirements to receive consideration for test exemption:

• For P.O.S.T. PELLETB:
  • The result letter must be issued on agency letter head OR by email with the agency logo
  • The test date must be clearly visible on the result letter
  • The applicant's first and last name must be listed
  • The result letter must be a legible, clear copy
  • PELLETB results must list the reading, writing and total T-scores

For a list of Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Police Officer Recruit Exam and Test Exemption, please visit:


5. Oral Interview: (100%) - The oral interview will consist of job-related questions. The Oral Interview is administered by the Sacramento Police Department.


6. Physical Ability Test: (Pass/Fail) - Applicants who pass the oral interview test will be required to pass the physical ability test. The Physical Ability Test is administered by the Sacramento Police Department.
7. Background Process: If considered for appointment, candidates must pass a background investigation, which includes a criminal history check, fingerprinting, polygraph test, psychological test, credit check, and drug use history.


QUESTIONS
If you have specific questions regarding the Police Officer Recruit position, hiring process, Police Academy, etc.:

• Go to the Sacramento Police Department website at
• Send an email to
• Call the Police Recruiting Office at View phone number on click.appcast.io.

For questions concerning this job announcement and the application process:

• Visit the City of Sacramento Human Resources Department website at
• Send an email to
• Call the Human Resources Department at View phone number on click.appcast.io.

Bilingual Pay
Did you know that the City offers bilingual pay? That's right, most labor agreements offer the option of providing employees with bilingual pay if the department deems it to be operationally necessary.

Pension Reform Act
The City of Sacramento is covered by the California Public Employees' Retirement System, and as such, must adhere to the California Public Employee's Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) of 2013. Please note that the provisions within this act may affect or impact an applicant's eligibility and/or selection for open vacancies at the City of Sacramento.


Equal Opportunity Employer
The City of Sacramento is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Additional Information
Civil Service Rules:


Union Contracts:
Salary Schedule:
01



APPLICATION : I understand my application must meet the minimum qualifications for consideration of employment with the City of Sacramento. The experience I list in the duties area of the "Work Experience" section of the employment application will be used to determine if I meet the minimum qualifications as stated on the job announcement. A resume, responses to the supplemental questions requiring a narrative response, employment history listed elsewhere in the application or attachments will not substitute for the information required in the "Work Experience" section of the employment application. Position/job titles will not be considered in determining eligibility for meeting the minimum qualifications for this position. Note: Qualifying experience is based on full-time experience (40 hours per week). Qualifying experience is calculated to the full-time equivalent (pro-rated if less than 40 hours/week).Please refer to the City of Sacramento's Applicant Resources Page for Screening Instructions:

• Yes

02



ONLINE EXAM FOR POLICE OFFICER RECRUIT : I understand I must pass, or have passed, a City of Sacramento online examination for the Police Recruit or Community Service Officer I classification by the final filing deadline and be in the top three ranks of the eligible list for consideration of employment with the City of Sacramento. If you do not have access to a computer, a list of Sacramento Public Library locations that may offer computer lab resources can be found by copying and pasting the following URL into a web browser: refer to the City of Sacramento's Applicant Resource Page for a link to complete the examination if you have not taken and/or passed the examination in the past year of the final filing date.

• Yes

03



PROOF OF EXAMINATION - P.O.S.T. PELLETB : I understand that I must submit the result of a P.O.S.T. PELLETB to the City of Sacramento Employment Office by the final filing deadline for consideration for test exemption.
You may attach the result letter for the P.O.S.T. PELLETB Exam electronically to your application or e-mail them to View email address on click.appcast.io. If submitting via email, please include your name on your documents and the job number in the subject line.

• Yes

04



EXAMINATION CONFIRMATION FOR POLICE OFFICER RECRUIT AND COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICER I : I understand that I must have passed the examination for this classification within the past two (2) years of the final filing date, to be exempt from re-taking the examination.

• Yes

05



EXEMPTION REQUEST FROM THE CITY OF SACRAMENTO'S ENTRY LEVEL LAW ENFORCMENT EXAMINATION : I have reviewed the "Test Exemption" section of the Police Officer Recruit job announcement and would like to receive consideration for exemption.

• Yes
• No

06


I understand that I must pass a thorough background investigation, including a criminal history check for job-related convictions, fingerprinting, polygraph test, credit check, and a drug use history to be considered for this position.

• Yes

07


I have a High School Diploma or G.E.D. equivalent.

• Yes
• No

08


I understand I must be 18 years old or older by time of appointment.

• Yes
• No

09


I understand that candidates must be free of felony convictions under California Government Code 1029. Conviction of a misdemeanor is not necessarily a bar to employment, each case is considered separately based on job requirements.

• Yes

10



SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE : The answers to the questions below will be reviewed by the hiring department along with the information provided in your employment application. Therefore, your answers must be consistent with your employment application information (especially in the "Education" and "Work Experience" sections), must be unambiguous, and must contain sufficient but concise detail and organization. A resume will not be accepted in lieu of completing this Supplemental Questionnaire. Lack of clarity, incomplete or inconsistent information, and/or disorganized presentation may negatively affect the hiring department's review of your Supplemental Questionnaire. I understand and agree to the above instructions.

• Yes

11


I understand the following:• Cheating on the City of Sacramento's Entry Level Law Enforcement Exam is not acceptable and doing so may result in me being disqualified to move forward in the hiring process.• As part of the polygraph test I may be asked about any dishonest behavior, including but not limited to cheating or receiving assistance in taking the examination, during the City of Sacramento's Entry Level Law Enforcement Exam.

• Yes

12


I understand that candidates considered for appointment must pass a medical examination, a drug test, and a psychological test.

• Yes

13


I understand that a current/valid California Class C Driver License is required at the time of appointment. I will be able to meet this requirement.

• Yes

14


I have the ability to speak, read, and/or write a language other than English.

• Yes
• No

15


If "Yes" on #14, list the language(s) you speak, read, and/or write.
16


Please best describe your contact with SacPD and how you came to apply for the Police Recruit position. Please check all that apply.

• I know or recently met a department employee that provided information on the department and application process.
• I have attended a Hiring Workshop.
• I have attended #SacPDStrong Boot camps.
• I met recruiters at a career fair.
• I met recruiters at a college class presentation
• I met recruiters tabling on a college campus.
• I met recruiters at a military career event
• I obtained information about SacPD directly from the military.
• I met recruiters at a tabling location other than mentioned above.
• I contacted recruiters via phone.
• I contacted recruiters via email.
• I learned of SacPD via Social Media.
• I visited website.
• I saw an online advertisement.
• I saw a billboard.
• None of these. I applied directly through ww.governmentjobs.com
• Other

17


Have you ever applied to any other Law Enforcement agencies? If yes, what departments? Please write "N/A" if not applicable.
18


Have you seen any of the Sacramento Police Department Recruitment advertising exp. Rap Video, Billboards, Recruitment cards? If yes, which one(s)? Please write "N/A" if not applicable.
19


If you met recruiters at a career fair, which one? Please write "N/A" if not applicable.
20


If you met recruiters at a class presentation, which school/which instructor? Please write "N/A" if not applicable.
21


If you met recruiters at a tabling event (school or other), which location? Please write "N/A" if not applicable.
22


If you learned of SacPD or contacted recruiters via social media, which platform? (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter). Please write "N/A" if not applicable.
23


I understand the Sacramento Police Department expects me to thoroughly complete the Sacramento Police Recruitment Survey.To complete the survey, please copy and past the following URL into a web browser:

• Yes

Required Question