Police Recruit

Police Officer Trainee

Incumbents attend a California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST)-approved Basic Police Academy and successfully complete all required academic, physical, and skills-based training in preparation for appointment to the classification of Police Officer.

This is an entry-level, non-sworn trainee classification designed to prepare incumbents for a career in law enforcement. Police Officer Trainees are hired in a civilian capacity and are assigned to attend a POST-certified police academy. Advancement to the Police Officer classification is contingent upon successful academy completion, continued eligibility, and departmental approval. Failure to complete the academy or demonstrate satisfactory progress may result in separation from Town employment.

Receives direct supervision from sworn administrative and supervisory staff, as well as general supervision from Basic Police Academy personnel. This classification does not supervise others.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Attend and successfully complete a California POST-certified Basic Police Academy.
• Participate in pre-academy physical conditioning, orientation, and academic training, if required.
• Study and demonstrate understanding of California criminal law, civil law, patrol procedures, ethics, cultural competency, and community policing principles.
• Receive instruction in and demonstrate proficiency in physical fitness, arrest and control tactics, defensive driving, and the lawful use of firearms.
• Complete all classroom, physical, and scenario-based training evaluations in accordance with POST academy requirements.
• Maintain detailed and accurate written records, logs, and written assignments as part of academy coursework.
• Represent the Town of Mammoth Lakes and its Police Department in a professional, courteous, and ethical manner while engaged in all training and academy-related activities.
• Maintain regular attendance, punctuality, and active participation in all aspects of academy training and related activities.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

• General awareness of the role of law enforcement and principles of public safety.
• Interest in community service, ethical conduct, and public interaction.
• Basic principles of teamwork, customer service, and respectful interpersonal communication.
• Effective verbal and written communication, including grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• Personal responsibility, physical fitness, and preparedness for structured training environments.
• Modern office practices, procedures, methods, and equipment.

Ability to:

• Travel within California to attend an intensive-format California POST-certified Basic Police Academy, lodging at a dormitory during the week, with approximately a six (6) month absence from the Eastern Sierra.
• Successfully meet the academic, physical, and behavioral requirements of a California POST-certified Basic Police Academy.
• Read, comprehend, and apply training materials, classroom instruction, and legal concepts.
• Communicate clearly and professionally in both oral and written formats.
• Demonstrate a commitment to learning, accept feedback, and maintain professionalism under instruction.
• Accept and implement constructive feedback while maintaining professionalism.
• Exercise sound judgement, self-discipline, and emotional regulation in fast-paced or high-pressure environments.
• Work collaboratively and respectfully with colleagues, peers, instructors, and community members.

Experience and Training: Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the necessary knowledge and abilities would be:

• Education and Training: Equivalent to completion of the twelfth grade. An associate of arts degree from an accredited college with major course work in police science, criminal justice, or a related field is highly desirable.
• Ability to complete California POST-approved academy, including all physical requirements.
• No prior experience or training is required.
• Possession of a valid California Class C driver's license with an acceptable driving record, or ability to obtain within ten (10) days of hire date.
• Ability to obtain with included training a valid California Basic POST certificate.

In accordance with the minimum peace officer selection standards set forth in Government Code Sections 1029, 1031, and 1031.4, every California peace officer must be:

• Free from any disqualifications for employment, including felony convictions.
• Legally authorized to work in the United States by federal law.
• At least 21 years of age.
• Ability to complete with acceptable results a Live Scan (fingerprinting), for purposes of search of local, state, and national fingerprint files to disclose any criminal record.
• Of good moral character, as determined by a thorough background investigation.
• Found to be free from any physical, emotional, or mental condition, as determined by psychological and medical evaluations.

Tools and equipment used: Police car, police radio, radar gun, handgun and other weapons (i.e. taser, chemical weapons) as required, side handle baton, handcuffs, Breathalyzer, cellular phone, video camera, first aid equipment, surveillance equipment, tape recorders, instant cameras, 35 mm cameras, video cameras, chemical agents, personal computer including word processing software.

Physical demands: Position requires prolonged sitting, standing, walking and running on even and uneven ground, jumping, reaching, twisting, turning, kneeling, climbing, crawling, bending, squatting, and stooping in the performance of daily activities. While performing the duties of this job, finger dexterity is required to feel or operate objects, tools, or controls while grasping, gripping, or rotating. The employee will frequently be required to reach above and below shoulders with hands and arms. Faculties of vision, hearing, smell, and touch must be sufficient to effectively and safely perform duties. Frequent operation of motor vehicles and foot pedals is required. Frequent walking on even and uneven surfaces is required. The employee is required to frequently lift and/or pull or push up to 50 pounds, occasionally lift and/or pull or push up to 75 pounds and 100 pounds with assistance. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Mental demands: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in writing, orally or in diagram form and analyze and resolve problems involving a variety of situations, using standard industry and departmental processes and/or procedures. Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and articulate valid conclusions, and interpret an extensive variety of regulatory or technical instructions. Ability to maintain work pace, relate to others, advise, counsel, influence, train or give instruction, and work independently as well as in group activities. Employee is expected to regularly interact with the public calmly, including under high-stress circumstances.

Work environment: Work is performed in both office and field settings. The office work environment is typical with associated noise from office equipment, building HVAC, customers, and other employees. While performing the duties of this job in the field, the employee frequently works at high altitudes, in outside weather conditions, which may include extreme cold, windy, and other wintery conditions. The employee occasionally works near moving mechanical parts and in high, precarious places; and with explosives and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, fumes, or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, extreme cold, extreme heat, and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Position is required to drive in various conditions.

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.

All employment is conditioned on the results of any and all applicable pre-employment checks.

Total compensation includes special compensation and excellent benefits, like:

• Guaranteed 3% increase July 2027
• 6.9% in lieu of holidays off
• Eligibility for:
  • Longevity Pay up to 9% for ALL sworn law enforcement experience
  • POST Pay up to 7.5%
  • Bilingual Pay for Spanish proficiency up to 5%
  • Special Assignment Pay up to 7.5%
• Excellent Benefits!