Police Cadet

Police Cadet PositionThe Gaithersburg Police Department is currently seeking highly motivated candidates who are at least 18 years old or who will be 18 years old at the time of hire. We are looking for candidates who are interested in a future career as a Gaithersburg Police Officer to be considered for the position of Police Cadet. The Police Cadet Program serves to identify and select qualified individuals contemplating a career in the field of law enforcement and provide them with career orientation and first-hand experience to better prepare them to be a Gaithersburg Police Officer when they reach the minimum age requirements. However, a Cadet position is not a guarantee that the individual will be hired as a City Police Officer Candidate. Cadets perform a variety of hands-on administrative, technical, and other tasks supporting the functions, services, and operations of the Gaithersburg Police Department while gaining insight and awareness into a law enforcement career and various phases of law enforcement. Cadets have an opportunity to work directly with, assist, and observe sworn and civilian personnel to experience the challenges and personal rewards of a police career. Candidates should exhibit good character, sound judgment, honesty, reliability, and integrity that blend together with a philosophy for community-oriented policing, and a strong desire to serve the citizens of Gaithersburg.$18.78 per hour. Be at least 18 years old (at the time of hire). May work up to 20 hours per week (evening, weekend, and holiday work may be required). Eligible for up to $5,250 in tuition reimbursement per year of GPD Cadet employment. Reimbursement will occur after successful completion of the Police Officer field training program.As a Police Cadet, you will:Learn and receive instruction on the City of Gaithersburg Police Department's organization, chain of command, and rules, regulations, and procedures.Participate in classroom and field training to learn law enforcement principles, departmental procedures, and community policing strategies.Observe and assist during patrol operations, traffic control, and community engagement activities.Shadow officers during calls for service, investigations, and special assignments for learning purposes.Provide administrative, technical, or other clerical tasks in support of department functions and services when not attending ride-alongs; work may include, but is not limited to, routine office assistance such as filing, copying, faxing, and scanning documents; answering a multi-line telephone; providing assistance or routine information to callers or visitors to the Police Department; performing data entry tasks; maintaining police related records; conducting research; and preparing reports.Report all contact with law enforcement officers.Participate in special training programs as assigned.To apply for the Police Cadet position, you must:Be at least 18 years old (at the time of hire).Have the ability to lawfully become employed in the United States.Possess a valid driver's license and good overall driving record.Be in excellent physical and mental condition as determined by comprehensive examinations.Be able to meet the established vision standards required to successfully perform police officer tasks including passing tests for color vision (including a 14-panel Ishihara Vision Test for color blindness), acuity, binocularity, stereopsis (depth perception), and other vision skills.Have graduated from an accredited high school, or possess a high school diploma recognized by the Maryland Department of Education or a General Equivalency Diploma (GED).Be of good moral character, with no felony convictions or misdemeanor convictions for which a sentence of imprisonment for one year or more could have been imposed.Not be a current user of illegal drugs.Pass a comprehensive background check.Be attending or will attend (as soon as eligible) an accredited community college, college, or university in an area of concentration that will prepare you for a law enforcement career; classes are not limited to criminal justice programs.Be able to work evenings, weekends, and holidays, as needed.Applications will be screened for employment eligibility by the City of Gaithersburg and applicants will be informed as to whether or not they are eligible to move forward in the selection process. The recruitment and selection process establishes a standing eligibility list for future Department vacancies; positions are filled based on operational needs. Direct deposit of paychecks is a condition of employment for all City of Gaithersburg employees. The City has established an alcohol-free, drug-free, and smoke-free workplace which applies to any person employed by, conducting business with, or applying for a position with the City. Each employee, as a condition of their employment, may be required to participate in pre-employment and reasonable suspicion testing. Employees classified as safety sensitive are also subject to immediate post accident and random testing.