Police Officer (Recruit)

Interested in making a difference in the community? The Vallejo Police Department is seeking highly motived individuals who can demonstrate sound judgment, have superior decision-making skills, and who are eager to participate in a high level of community collaboration, strategic partnerships, and progressive problem solving. 

THE POSITION
This recruitment is a continuous recruitment and will be closed when a viable candidate pool has been identified. 

Employees in this trainee-level, non-safety assignment, will be completing a POST certified Basic Police Academy (POST Academy), or those who are currently enrolled in an academy, and as such are considered temporary, at-will employees serving at the pleasure of the hiring authority. Assignment to this classification is limited to a maximum of one year. A Police Officer (Recruit) who fails to successfully complete the academy will be terminated.

YOUR IMPACT

• Provide quality service to the citizens of Vallejo using modern 21st Century Policing methods in the department's mission to reduce crime.
• Make a difference in the community with a progressive, forward-thinking organization in an environment that embraces diversity, creativity, and respect. 

The Police Officer (Recruit) will undergo a polygraph examination, thorough background investigation, psychological assessment, medical examination, and drug tests prior to attending a POST Basic Police Academy of the City's choosing. Attendance at the academy is at the City's expense. Upon successful completion of a POST Academy, the Police Officer (Recruit) is sworn in as a peace officer in the Police Officer (Entry) class and begins an 18-month probationary period.      

YOUR TEAM
The Vallejo Police Department's mission is to provide professional law enforcement services that enhance, protect, and promote the quality of life for persons residing, visiting, or doing business in the City of Vallejo.

As an integral part of the community the Vallejo Police Department is committed to providing a highly professional, ethical and quality Police service. The proud men and women of the Department are dedicated to maintaining law and order by proactively addressing crime, protecting welfare, property, and the rights of all people. In partnership with the community, community groups and other city departments, the Vallejo Police Department continually endeavors to improve its service, making Vallejo a safe place to live, work and visit.

For more information about the Vallejo Police Department, please visit their webpage.  

ABOUT VALLEJO
The City of Vallejo is located in Solano County and has a population of approximately 121,000 residents. Vallejo is a rapidly changing, highly diverse community located midway between the cities of San Francisco and Sacramento. It is a friendly, active waterfront community that attracts innovative, hardworking people and takes great pride in its 148-year history and maritime heritage. Residents of Vallejo are situated to take advantage of the best of what the area has to offer. Golf, museums, performing arts, boutique shopping, brewpubs and a wide selection of restaurants are all available in Vallejo. Residents and visitors alike enjoy Vallejo's delightful historical downtown area, weekly downtown farmer's market, and beautifully restored Victorian homes and business facades. Vallejo is also home to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, one of America's only combination wildlife, oceanarium and theme parks.-Important responsibilities and duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
In addition to attending the POST Basic Police Academy to gain training and proficiency in law enforcement terminology, concepts, and techniques, and to gain the requisite knowledge to be eligible to perform the duties of a sworn peace officer, candidates may perform the following duties as assigned:
 

• Ride with officers to observe and learn peace officer responsibilities and techniques.
• Operate police information equipment, including computer systems, teletypes and telephones to enter and research information at the direction of an Officer or police civilian.
• Assist in processing, packaging, labeling, storing and destroying property and evidence; may provide assistance with photocopies, files, indexes and locating police records and related paperwork.
• Perform errands for the department such as transporting information and paperwork to court and district attorney offices; perform related duties as assigned.

• A High School diploma, GED, or equivalent in addition to the completion of 39 semester / 58.5 quarter units from an accredited college or university.
   
  Substitution: The 39 semester unit / 58.5 quarter unit requirement may be substituted with at least 3 years of active duty service in any branch of the U.S. military and an honorable discharge.

 OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

• Possession of a valid California driver's license
• Be 20 years old at the time of appointment, and at least 21 years of age upon POST Academy graduation
• Vision correctable to 20/20 in both eyes with normal color vision
• Must be eligible for U.S. citizenship upon academy graduation
• No felony convictions
• No misdemeanor convictions which mandate weapons prohibitions

Knowledge:
 

• Basic English grammar, composition, spelling and punctuation;
• Basic mathematics;
• Effective communication and public speaking;
• Effective problem solving techniques;
• Basic law enforcement terminology and concepts;
• Basic computer operating systems and software applications related to the work.

 
Ability to:

• Successfully complete the POST Basic Police Academy;
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing;
• Learn, understand and interpret laws and regulations;
• Learn to implement and enforce laws, policies, regulations, guidelines and orders concerning the protection of life, property and the maintenance of law, order and peace with a 21st Century Community Policing mind-set;
• Observe and accurately recall names, faces, numbers, incidents and places;
• Think and act quickly in emergency situations;
• Analyze situations and adopt effective courses of action;
• Exercise sound judgment, often under pressure;
• Understand and carry out written and oral directions;
• Write at a fast rate of speed to prepare accurate and factual written reports;
• Perform basic math computations;
• Safely operate motor vehicles;
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with co-workers, supervisors, public officials and representative of other agencies;
• Utilize computers and computer software, as required;
• Learn to meet the minimum standards of use with department-issued or approved lethal and non-lethal weapons;
• Perform in specialized assignments as required.

 The Recruitment & Selection Process

In order to be considered for the position, you must complete and submit the following: Failure to attach the required documents will result in disqualification.
 
1.  Completed City of Vallejo application
2. Completed Supplemental/Personal History Questionnaire
3.  A transcript (official or unofficial) of college units completed

1. Applicant Screening and Assessment:
Application screening will be conducted to evaluate each candidates' supplemental/personal history questionnaire responses, educational course work, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities that relate to this position that may include but are not limited to:

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications and have submitted a completed application including answering all Supplemental Questions, will be invited to participate in the testing process as outlined below: 

2. Physical Agility & Written Examination. The PELLETB written exam will be administered to candidates meeting minimum qualifications. 
The examinations will take place once every month at the end of the month. Candidates will be notified via email. 

PELLETB - The PELLETB is a multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank written examination designed to measure reading and writing ability. Applicants are given 2 ½ hours to complete the PELLETB, which contains five sections:

• Spelling (applicants select the correct spelling of a word from a list of options)

• Vocabulary (applicants select the correct meaning of a word from a list of options)

• Clarity (applicants select the sentence that is most clearly written from a pair of options)

• Reading Comprehension (applicants read a passage and answer questions about the passage’s content)

• CLOZE (applicants use contextual clues to complete a passage that contains blanks/missing words)

Please see the POST study material here.
 
If you have completed a POST Entry Level Law Enforcement Test Battery (PELLET-B) and received a T-Score of 45 or higher or you have completed a National Testing Network Law Enforcement exam with a reading score 70% or above, a written score 70% or above, and a video score of 65% or above, or have completed the Work Sample Test Battery (WSTB) and received a score of 320 or higher, you may submit these scores at the time of application. If you do not have these scores at the time of application because your scheduled testing date is after your application date, you may email your scores to Hajara.Shabbir@cityofvallejo.net once they have been sent to you.

Candidates with A PELLETB or NTN passing score along with a WSTB passing score, will move forward in the selection process.

A resume cannot be substituted for any portion of the application process (i.e., the official application and responses to the supplemental questions).

NOTE: If you have problems creating a user account, obtaining your already created account information, or submitting your online application, please contact governmentjobs.com applicant support directly at 855-524-5627. City of Vallejo staff are unable to assist with these issues.

3. Oral Panel Interview:
Oral panel interviews are weighted at 100% of a candidates score. Those whom have scored the highest will be placed on the register of eligibles and referred to the department for further consideration.

Applications are accepted and reviewed in conjunction with Police Academy admission cycles that occur three times per year.

Applicants may be chosen to attend one of the three following Police Academies:

• Contra Costa County Basic Police Academy 
• Alameda County Basic Police Academy 
• Sacramento Police Academy 

Academy selection is based on admission cycle and availability.

4. Background Investigation:
The most qualified candidates will be provided a conditional offer letter and invited to move forward in the selection process to a background investigation in accordance with applicable law, regulation and/or policy. Candidates will be required to complete and submit a State of California Personal History Statement (POST Form 2-251 Rev. 02/2013). The information that you provide in the Personal History Statement will be used in the background investigation to assist in determining your suitability for the position of Police Officer (Recruit), in accordance with POST Commission Regulation 1953. Background investigations will also include live scan fingerprinting, and polygraph examination.

Those candidates who pass the background investigation portion of the selection process may be invited to a Chief's interview. Based on a candidates suitability as determined by the background investigation and Chief's interview, a pre-placement psychological and medical examination would be the next step in the selection process.
 
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS 
The City of Vallejo is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process may contact Human Resources Department.  Please contact April Adams at (707) 648-4398 or by email at april.adams@cityofvallejo.net

Disaster Service Workers
All City of Vallejo ("City") employees are designated Disaster Service Workers ("DSW") through state law (California Government Code Section 3100-3109).  Employment with the City requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to complete all DSW- related training as assigned and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) - The City of Vallejo is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the City of Vallejo to provide equal employment opportunity for all qualified persons. All applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, or denial of medical and family care leave, or any other non-job-related factors.

Note: The provisions in this bulletin do not constitute a contract, expressed or implied, and any provisions contained in this bulletin may be modified or revoked without notice.

Salary : $32