What are the responsibilities and job description for the Police Officer Trainee position at City of Pittsburg, CA?
Position Information
The City is seeking candidates for Police Office Trainee who will be sponsored for the 26-week law enforcement academy. The Police Officer Trainee position is an outstanding opportunity for individuals with a desire to begin a career in law enforcement. The Police Officer Trainee is an entry-level, non-sworn training position in the Police Department. Incumbents are assigned to the Basic Peace Officer Academy and must satisfactorily pass all of the requirements that lead to the possession of the Basic Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Academy Certificate before becoming candidates for the sworn position of Police Officer. Police Officer Trainees are provided with medical, dental, and vision benefits while attending the academy. Assignment to Police Officer Trainee is temporary.
Ideal Candidate for Police Officer Trainee:
- Ability to learn operating procedures of a public safety department
- Ability to learn various federal, state, and local laws, codes and regulations; principles of crime prevention and suppression
- Demonstrates a high level of ethical behavior
- Great interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively with other City Departments, outside agencies, and members of the public
- Ability to act quickly and calmly in emergency conditions and situations
- Strong attention to detail to remember names, faces and information about incidents
- Demonstrates excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Excellent leadership skills; values teamwork
- Ability to operate a police vehicle, firearms, and other law enforcement equipment
- Demonstrates an understanding of community oriented policing and problem solving strategies
- Adaptive, flexible and tolerant of the continued evolution of policing
- Is culturally competent and accepting of diverse ideas, thoughts and suggestions
About the Police Department
The protection of life and property is the Police Department's highest priority. The Operations Bureau is responsible for the management of the Patrol Division and the Traffic Unit. The Patrol Division represents the largest component of the Police Department. The Support Services Bureau is responsible for the management of the Investigations Division, Property/Evidence Division, Code Enforcement Division, Records Division, School Resource Officer Program, and the Gang/Vice Team. The Support Services Bureau also provides in-service training and certified courses to ensure compliance with Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) and applicable educational mandates for all sworn and civilian police personnel.
The City of Pittsburg is a culturally rich and diverse community of over 76,000 residents and expected to grow to 90,000 in the next 20 years. Pittsburg is located in the Bay Area Region of Northern California and is perfectly situated for easy access to San Francisco, Napa Valley, Sacramento, the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and Lake Tahoe. Pittsburg City Hall is also conveniently located a short walk from the Pittsburg Center Station of the Bay Area Rapid Transit System (BART), making a commute from cities throughout the Bay Area very easy. Pittsburg has waterfront homes, a performing arts theater, a variety of seasonal events, an extensive park system, a large public-school system, and a variety of shopping centers. The recently renovated Marina is also an ideal place to visit and is located within steps of the Old Town shopping district and downtown living, with nearly 600 boat slips, a free public boat launch, fuel dock, café, bait shop, and the Pittsburg Yacht Club. Pittsburg has featured such events as the Seafood and Music Festival, car shows, movies in the park, kayaking, and fishing derbies. With its commitment to a quality community environment, Pittsburg is an ideal city in which to live, work and recreate.
Incentives for Police Officers include:
- Holiday Pay: 5.5% in lieu of holidays
- Shift Differential: 2% or 4.5% depending on shift
- Call out Pay: 4 hours minimum OT
- POST Certificate: 2.5% for Intermediate or 5% for Advanced
- Educational Degree: 2.5% for Bachelors
- Bilingual Pay: 5%
- Special Assignment Pay up to 5%
Benefits include:
- Uniform Allowance: $1000 per year
- $4,500 Tuition Reimbursement per year
- Vacation Buyback program
- Retirement Health Saving Plan
- 96% to 100% of Medical, Vision, and Dental premium paid by employer
The members of the Pittsburg Police Department are committed to improving the quality of life in this city through professionalism, excellence and trust.
Qualifications
Education: Qualified applicants must possess a high school diploma or G.E.D. equivalent.
Age Requirement: Must be at least 21 years of age at the time of appointment.
Certification: Must possess of a Basic Certificate from P.O.S.T. at the time of appointment to Police Officer.
Weight/Height: Weight must be in proportion to height.
Vision/Hearing: 20/80 vision in each eye without corrective lens, or visual acuity separately correctable to 20/40 or better. Applicants' distant binocular acuity must be at least 20/80 in both eyes with or without corrective lenses. Must have normal color vision and normal hearing acuity.
License: Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid Class C California driver's license and proof of auto liability insurance is required.
Background Investigation: Satisfactory completion of a thorough background investigation. Must have not been convicted for a crime which could have resulted in state or federal imprisonment.
Pre-Employment Testing: Successful completion of drug screen, medical, psychological, and polygraph examinations.
POST Examination: Applicants must possess or acquire a P.O.S.T. T-score of 44 or higher issued within the last twelve (12) months.
Selection Process
1. Application process: Applicants must complete an online employment application which includes a supplemental questionnaire at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/pittsburg. Employment applications will be disqualified if a resume is submitted in lieu of completing the application or if sections of the applications are left blank that relate to the minimum qualifications of the job such as education and work history. Applications will be evaluated to determine if it meets the minimum qualifications of the job. All applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase in the process. All communication regarding your application status will be sent via email only.
2. Testing process (Weighted 100%): The selection process consists of screening employment applications, supplemental questionnaire, and P.O.S.T. Entry Level Law Enforcement Test Battery (PELLETB). The names of the applicants who pass the interview are placed on an employment list from which appointments for the position of Police Officer Trainee are made. The City reserves the right to utilize alternate testing methods if deemed necessary.
Additional requirements include the successful completion of a thorough background investigation, medical, psychological, and polygraph examination. Successful candidates will attend the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff Law Enforcement Training Center in Pittsburg, CA.
IMPORTANT:
The City of Pittsburg is not offering the P.O.S.T. Entry Level Law Enforcement Test Battery (PELLETB). Please see the links below for upcoming testing dates (please note that it may take up to two weeks to receive your examination T-score):
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/post-written-tests-12025272767
Applicants must submit a P.O.S.T. T-score of 44 or higher (issued within the last twelve (12) months) from the application submittal date. The T-score may be attached to the online application or faxed to Human Resources.
CITY OF PITTSBURG
Fax: (925) 252-4138
CITY OF PITTSBURG IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Medical, Dental and Retirement benefits only during training.