Police Recruit

Police Recruit

To be considered as a Police Recruit, applicants must successfully pass a private written exam, physical agility test, oral interview and qualify for enrollment in a POST approved police academy. All-in-One Testing is scheduled for Saturday, October 10, 2026; apply immediately to be considered. Under direct supervision, to be trained to perform general and specialized law enforcement work, and to perform related work as assigned. Supervision is provided by Chief of Police or designee.

Essential job functions may include, but are not limited to, the following: Attends a Basic P.O.S.T. Certified Police Officer Training Academy designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the Criminal Justice System and specialized training in various laws, police procedures and techniques, first aid, and physical conditioning, participates in initial department field training and perform other duties as required. This is a non-sworn police recruit classification, specifically designated to train police officer candidates for eligibility as a sworn police officer with promotion to the position of the Police Officer contingent upon satisfactory completion of police academy training and meeting all other requirements. Police recruits shall not perform duties within the scope of active law enforcement service prior to appointment as a sworn officer.

To qualify for this classification, an individual must possess any combination of experience and education that would likely produce the required knowledge and abilities, and enable the individual to successfully perform the essential job functions of the position. A typical combination is: Education and/or Experience: High School Diploma or GED required. Must be at minimum age of 21 at the time of appointment. Must meet all of the following requirements: 1.) Be legally authorized to work in the United States by federal law; 2.) Be fingerprinted for the purposes of search of local, state, and national fingerprint files to disclose any criminal record; 3.) Of good moral character, as determined by a thorough background investigation; and 4.) Be found to be free from any physical, emotional, or mental condition, including bias against race or ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, disability, or sexual orientation, which might adversely affect the exercise of the powers of a peace officer. Must have no felony convictions and/or convictions which would restrict the ability to possess a firearm. Bilingual skills are highly desirable. Medical Standards: Applicants must be in good physical condition as determined by a medical examination, with weight in proportion to height, and consistent with P.O.S.T. guidelines for hearing and vision. Knowledge of: Proper English grammar and vocabulary. Ability to: Learn to apply the technical, legal administrative, and human principals involved in modern police work; adapt to new and varying situations involving sound judgment and mature reactions; work effectively with co-workers, supervisor, and the public; follow oral and written instructions fully and accurately; write and speak effectively, operate a motor vehicle safely.

Possession of and ability to maintain a valid Class "C" California Driver's License. Physical Demands: Ability to lift up to 150 pounds is required. Position requires prolonged sitting, standing, walking, running, jumping; reaching, twisting, turning, kneeling, bending, squatting, and stooping in the performance of daily office activities. The position also requires the ability to get from one location to another in the course of doing business; grasping, repetitive hand movement, and fine coordination in retrieving and entering data using a computer keyboard. Additionally, the position requires near and far vision in reading work related documents and using the computer, and the ability to distinguish colors and acute hearing when providing phone and personal service; drive motorized vehicles; and operate a variety of law enforcement equipment. Work Environment: Work is performed in a standard office setting and outside in sometimes tense, uncertain, and rapidly evolving circumstances. Employee may travel to different locations and may be exposed to inclement weather conditions, noise, vibration, dust, or potentially hazardous chemicals. Noise level in the work environment is usually high and the employee may be exposed to loud talking and frequent interruptions from telephones, City staff, and/or members of the public. The nature of the work also requires incumbents to drive motorized vehicles and work in heavy vehicle traffic conditions.

The duties, skills, and demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. When appropriate, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with a disability to perform the essential functions of the position. Candidates must submit an application online. Applicants will be screened for qualifications and appropriate background and only the most qualified will be invited to participate in the examination process. Successful candidates must achieve a passing score in each of the test components. Applicants will be notified by email as to the test date, time, and location. The examination process will include the following: Written Examination: The City of Alhambra administers a private written examination, which follows California POST standards, consisting of: multiple choice questions designed to measure reading, writing and reasoning ability. Applicants are given 2 hours to complete the Written Exam. Applicants must successfully pass the Written Exam with a 70% score or higher in order to proceed further in the selection process. City of Alhambra accepts PELLETB Test Scores from other agencies that illustrate a t-score of 42 or higher. Physical Agility Test: Candidates that successfully pass the written examination, will be invited to take a physical agility test, which will assess the candidate's ability to perform the physical demands of the position. Included in the physical agility test is: obstacle course, body drag, chain link fence, solid fence climb, 500 yard run, and a 1 ½ mile run that must be completed in 15 minutes or under. Oral Interview: Candidates who successfully pass the written test and physical agility test, will be invited to a panel interview. Applicants who successfully pass the interview will be placed on the employment eligibility list. Candidates will be required to pass a City administered pre-employment physical and will be required to pass a thorough background investigation, polygraph examination, psychological evaluation, and medical examination as part of the Selection Process. Candidates who do not pass any portion of the above processes, will be disqualified and removed from the eligibility list. Once backgrounds are complete, applicants will meet with the Chief of Police, prior to proceeding forward in the selection process. Applicants with legal disabilities who require special testing arrangements must contact the Human Resources Department at least five (5) business days prior to the examination date. The provisions of this bulletin do not constitute an expressed or implied contract and any provisions contained in this bulletin may be modified or revoked without notice. The City of Alhambra is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person's race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.