Police Officer - Lateral

Salary : $82,617.60 - $99,798.40 Annually
Location : W156 N8480 Pilgrim Rd., Menomonee Falls, WI
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 202500101
Department: Police Department
Opening Date: 01/05/2026


Job Summary
The Menomonee Falls Police Department is seeking experienced police officers for an expedited lateral entry hiring process. Candidates with at least one (1) year of full-time experience as a certified law enforcement officer or those who have successfully completed the Wisconsin Basic Law Enforcement Recruit Academy are eligible to participate. Lateral entry candidates will begin the hiring process immediately upon receipt of their application and will experience an expedited process with the intent of beginning employment within weeks rather than months in a traditional process. The lateral entry program may provide accelerated salary incentives for qualified candidates. Lateral entry candidates may be credited with their prior years of service for determining initial vacation day allowance and they are credited with thirty (30) days of paid sick leave immediately upon being hired.


This position reports to the Patrol Bureau Supervisor. Responsible for performing a variety of tasks associated with police patrol, criminal and municipal law enforcement, the maintenance of order, public protection and safety, and other basic police services. Duties exist in the areas of traffic monitoring, control, and enforcement; motor vehicle crash investigation; patrol, observation, and inspection; responding to routine and emergency requests for police assistance; the investigation and reporting of law violations; other similar functions.


General tasks associated with this position are based on results of the more specific Employee Job Task Analysis.

Please refer to the document for complete details.

Job Duties

• Use patrol driving and walking techniques.
• Observe violations of laws and take appropriate action through the use of citations and arrest.
• Make high risk field contacts.
• Detect and report hazards to public safety and other conditions or situations requiring attention by other government agencies.
• Inspect licensed premises for law violations.
• Conduct field interrogations of suspicious persons.
• Operate radar or other speed detection equipment.
• Direct traffic.
• Receive emergency and non-emergency assignments from dispatcher and supervisors.
• Comprehend and utilize the Incident Command System (ICS). Assume and verbalize incident command to both dispatch and responding officers. Direct responding personnel to needed areas and the appropriate tasks to be performed.
• Conduct preliminary and follow up investigations.
• Take persons into protective custody.
• Monitor detainees held in municipal lockup.
• Transport detainees to county jail.
• Conduct surveillance to develop intelligence.
• Load, unload, and clean department weapons.
• Follow booking procedures.
• Possess and maintain the ability to provide credible testimony before the Municipal Court, the Circuit Courts or any other criminal or civil court that requires testimony, including depositions and pre-trial conferences.
• Prepare for judicial proceedings and testify in court.
• Make effective use of sources of information, including manual and computerized files.
• Identify, collect, and preserve evidence.
• Conduct searches within legal guidelines.
• Interview adult and juvenile suspects, witnesses and victims.
• Secure search warrants.
• Operate department vehicles in emergency and non-emergency fashion. Use emergency vehicle driving techniques.
• Prepare reports and make field notes.
• Receive and transmit radio messages.
• Utilize communication equipment including radios, telephones and computers.
• Confer with supervisors discussing work processes, incidents, problems and plans and receiving advice, counseling and instruction.
• Make non-enforcement public contacts.
• Deliver emergency messages to citizens.
• Inform citizens of crime prevention techniques.
• Use reasonable force to affect lawful authority.
• Use firearms and other tools and weapons to lawfully control people.

Minimum Qualifications

• Must be a US Citizen
• Education/Training/Experience
  • High school or equivalent required.
  • One of the following:
    • Associate Degree in Criminal Justice or a related field
    • 60 college level credits
  • A minimum of one (1) year of full time law enforcement experience or successful completion of the Wisconsin Basic Law Enforcement Recruit Academy
  • Wisconsin Law Enforcement certification, out of state Law Enforcement certification and/or Wisconsin certifiable.
• Physical Tasks and Environmental Conditions
  • Ability to lift/carry 25 pounds, with occasional lift/carry up to 50 pounds
  • Ability to meet physical fitness requirements including frequent bending, twisting, reaching, manual dexterity
• License
  • Eligible for Valid Wisconsin Driver's License by date of appointment
• Other
  • Must be at least 18 years of age
  • An applicant must meet the minimum requirements for Police Officer at the time they apply

Additional Requirements

Expected to be proficient in basic police skills and techniques; sufficiently familiar with routine department procedures so as to perform them correctly; adequately knowledgeable of department policy so as to comply with its intent; fully acquainted with department rules and regulations so as to abide by those requirements. Also, must be familiar with changes in criminal law and procedure, local ordinances, and department policy and other directives.

Supplemental Information
Primary Work Location
Village Hall, W156N8480 Pilgrim Road, Menomonee Falls, WI 53051
Collective Bargaining Agreement Salary Schedule (as of 03-1-26) - Inclusive of Educational Incentive
Police Officer Hourly Annually Start$39.72$82,617.601 year$44.22$91,977.602 years$45.54$94,723.203 years$47.98$99,798.40
*Note: these rates are inclusive of the $50/month education incentive awarded to employees that have earned an Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice (or related field) or 60 college credits.

Lateral Entry Process
Applicants with at least one (1) year of full time law enforcement are eligible for an expediated lateral entry process.

• The Chief of Police has discretion to select eligible applicants to participate in the expediated lateral entry process.
• The expediated lateral entry process shall consist of the following events/actions:
  • A minimum of two (2) exercises from the assessment center.
  • Combined Police and Fire Commission and Chief of Police interview.
• All top applicants and appointments are subject to the successful completion of a background investigation, psychological evaluation, physical fitness screening, hearing, vision evaluation, medical examination and drug test.

Based on the results of the process described above, the candidate may be certified by the Police and Fire Commission. Once certified, candidates are added to an unranked eligibility pool. A candidate remains eligible for eighteen (18) months from the date certified. The Chief of Police may appoint any candidate currently in the eligibility pool contingent upon successfully completing a background investigation, psychological evaluation, physical fitness screening, hearing, vision evaluation, medical examination and drug test.

Lateral Hire Recruitment Incentive
The Menomonee Falls Police Department offers a $10,000 Recruitment and Retention Incentive to lateral hires. This incentive will be paid as follows:

• $2,000 upon release from field training
• $4,000 upon completion of the probationary period (18 months),
• $4,000 upon the 3-year anniversary of employment

Re-Application Procedures

1. Any applicant not certified to the eligibility pool may reapply after six (6) months from the date of original application.
2. Any candidate certified to the eligibility list who is not appointed by the Chief of Police within 18 months of such certification may reapply under this procedure unless the applicant has been disqualified as a result of conclusive findings in the background investigation.
3. All re-applications are considered as new applications and are processed in the same manner as such.
4. Applicants may update information on their application by notifying the Police Chief's Administrative Assistant in writing of the change.

About Us

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EEOE Statement

The Village of Menomonee Falls provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.


In compliance with the American with Disabilities Act, the Village will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
EXCELLENT BENEFIT PACKAGE

• Health Insurance
• Health Expense Reimbursement Option (HERO)
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Basic Life Insurance
• Voluntary Life Insurance options including Dependent Life
• Income Continuation Insurance
• Wisconsin Retirement System Pension
• Deferred Compensation Programs
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Supplemental Worksite Benefits (Accident, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity)
• Vacation, Sick, Bereavement Leave, and Jury Duty Leave
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program
• Free Menomonee Falls Public Library card for Village employees and all immediate family members

• All uniforms and equipment furnished

Some benefits require a financial contribution by employees.