Police Officer Trainee
City of PetalumaSummary/Class Characteristics
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Police Officer Trainee
Important: A minimum T-Score of 42 is required. You must attach a letter verifying the T-Score to your application. If you are unable to attach the letter to your application, you must send it as an attachment to hr @ cityofpetaluma.org.Current applicants will be considered for the Santa Rosa Junior College Basic Intensive Police Academy in 2025.
A Police Officer Trainee is a non-sworn full-time employee of the City and is eligible for pay and benefits. Acceptance by the Academy, which includes successfully passing the POST Entry-Level Law Enforcement Test Battery with a T-Score of 42 or better, is a condition of employment for this position.
After successful completion and graduation from the Police Academy, a Police Officer Trainee who continues to meet the employment standards of the City is eligible to be sworn in as a Police Officer and begin the Petaluma Police Department's Field Training Program.
A complete copy of the job description can be found here.
The current base salary range for Police Officer is:
$97,656 - $118,768 annuallyScheduled Salary Increases:July 2025 - 3% COLA - $100,588 - $122,324 annuallySpecial Pays as a sworn Police Officer:- Uniform Pay: 1.5% of Step 5 of Police Officer annual salary
- POST Certificate Pay: 5% for POST Intermediate Certificate, 7% for POST Advanced or Supervisory Certificates.
- Bilingual Pay: up to $200 per month
- Field Training Officer, Traffic Officer, Detective, K-9 Officer: 5% as assigned
- SWAT: 2.5% as assigned
- Shift Differential: 3% if assigned to swing shift, 5% if assigned to graveyard shift
- Longevity Pay: 2.5% after 5 years, 5% after 8 years, 7.5% after 11 years, 10% after 15 years of service with the City
Benefits as a sworn Police Officer:- CalPERS Retirement: 3% at 55 for "classic" members, 2.7% at 57 for new members. As a Trainee, will be enrolled as a Miscellaneous member of CalPERS
- CalPERS Health Program: City pays 95% of Bay Area Kaiser rate premium for employee and eligible dependents
- Cash in Lieu of Medical/Dental Benefits: receive 50% of Kaiser Bay Area premium and Dental premium as cash payment (with proof of other insurance for employee and eligible dependents)
- Dental/Vision/Life/LTD Insurance: paid 100% by City
- Holiday Pay: 156 hours per year
- Sick Leave: earn 96 hours per year with unlimited accrual
- Compensatory Time Off Bank: earn hours at 1.5 times actual hours worked up to 240 hours
- Vacation Time: earn 80-200 hours per year depending on years of service
- Paid Parental Leave – up to 8 weeks (or equivalent hours) of paid time for qualifying family bonding
- $500 Annual Wellness Reimbursement
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program Employer
For more information regarding the benefits associated with this position, visit our website and look at the Memorandum of Understanding and Employee Benefits.
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A City that Works for Everyone
Our City has an enormous amount of civic pride which celebrates multiple approaches and points of view. When we say we are a City that Works for Everyone we mean everyone. To do that well, we’re creating a workforce that is inclusive and listens to the multitude of voices and views of our employees. Diversity is an integral part of our organizational identity. Inclusion is the way we treat and perceive our differences. Equity is treating all our employees fairly and acknowledging that everyone has value. This drives our innovation, motivation and connects us even closer to our community.
About The Police Department
Petaluma Police Department is dedicated to providing the best law enforcement services to the community and it prides itself on community involved programs. Petaluma has a population of approximately 59,000 and encompasses nearly 13 square miles situated 40 miles north of San Francisco Bay Area on U.S. 101, and 30 miles east of the Pacific Ocean. The Police Department staffing includes 84.5 full time employees, including one Chief, one Deputy Chief, four Lieutenants, one Technical Services Manager, ten Sergeants, fifty Officers, and other support staff. In addition, the department has K-9 Officers, Traffic Unit, Motorcycle Patrol, SWAT Team, Investigations Unit, and Reserve Community Service Officer Program (Volunteer). The Petaluma Police Department is proactive in Community Oriented Policing Philosophy.
Application and Testing Process
To be considered for this position, you are required to complete an application online and supplemental questionnaire. All required application materials must be received for your application to be valid.
All completed application documents will be reviewed. An application submitted without complete information will not be considered. A screening committee will evaluate the qualifications of each applicant who has met the minimum requirements for the position. The highest-ranking applicants will be invited to continue in the selection process. Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement in the process, and the decision of the screening committee is final.
Important: A minimum T-Score of 42 is required within the last 12 months. You must attach a letter verifying the T-Score to your application. If you are unable to attach the letter to your application, you must send it as an attachment to hr @ cityofpetaluma.org.
Selection Process
The selection process includes three parts. You must successfully complete each part in order to be invited to the next.
Part I: POST Entry-Level Law Enforcement Test Battery
Further information on the POST Entry-Level Law Enforcement Test Battery is available on the POST website at https://post.ca.gov/LE-Entry-Level-Test-Battery-Applicant-FAQs. The minimum passing test score is 42.
To be considered for this recruitment, you must have already taken the POST Law Enforcement Test Battery (PELLETB) and received a T-score of 42 or higher. If you do not already possess a valid T-score, please visit https://theacademy.ca.gov/tests to review upcoming test dates.
Part II: Review of Applications
All completed application documents will be reviewed. Applicants that meet the listed requirements, have provided a T-score of 42 or higher and are among the most highly qualified will be invited to the first round of oral interviews.
Part III: Oral Appraisal Interview
Applicants will be invited to the interview phase based on a review of their application materials and score on the PELLETB.
Hiring Requirements
Candidates being considered for selection will undergo a thorough background investigation, including but not limited to personal history, employment, education, military, State of California Department of Justice fingerprint search of records, DMV driving record, etc. A polygraph examination will be part of the background examination. Candidates may also be asked to complete and pass a physical agility test. Prior to appointment, candidates must also successfully complete a Police Chief interview, pre-employment medical examination, a drug screen, and a psychological evaluation. All statements made on application materials must be correct and will be subject to investigation and verification. Duties
Duties:
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; photocopy, file, index, and locate police records and related paperwork.
Clean and assist in maintenance of police officer equipment and firearms.
Perform errands for the department such as transporting information and paperwork to court and district attorney offices.
Issue bicycle licenses and assist in processing of recovered stolen bicycles.
Assist in a wide variety of other tasks in the department as assigned; provide traffic direction and control for special events.
Perform related duties as assigned.
Qualifications
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Minimum Qualifications - At the time of application you must:
- Be at least 21 years of age at the time of graduation from the Police Academy.
- Have education equivalent to completion of high school.
- Possess a valid California Driver License.
Physical Demands and Working Environment
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell. The employee must frequently lift and/or move weight up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to outside weather conditions. The employee is occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles. The employee occasionally works with use of vehicle. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.