Job Details

Police Officer - Current Academy Attendees and Graduates

Current Base Salary: $102,606.40 - $124,779.20 annually (+2% COLA in July 2027) In addition to a competitive salary, CalPERS Retirement and a generous benefits package this position offers opportunities for special assignments including K9, Hostage Negotiation, FTO, Traffic Motorcycle Officers, Investigations and SWAT. There are also opportunities for career advancement and department funded training opportunities.

Special 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: 5% after 5 years, 10% after 8 years, 12.5% 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. Those hired as a Trainee, will be enrolled as a Miscellaneous member of CalPERS until graduation of the academy.
• CalPERS Health Program: City pays 95% of Bay Area Kaiser rate premium for employee and eligible dependents
• Dental/Vision/EAP/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
• 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)
• Paid Parental Leave

The Position

If you are currently attending or have recently graduated from a California POST accredited Police Academy you are invited to apply for this position.

The Department

The 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 60,000 and encompasses nearly 14 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, nine Sergeants, forty-seven Officers, and other support staff. In addition, the department has two 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. Class Characteristics General supervision is provided by the Police Sergeant; responsibilities may include the indirect supervision of officers and/or support staff. This is the working level class in law enforcement, performing all duties required to effectively respond to and resolve the normal scope of peace officer situations. Incumbents may be assigned to patrol, traffic, juvenile, crime prevention or other police-related functions. This class is distinguished from uniformed civilian police-related classes by the responsibility and authority associated with designation as a sworn peace officer under the laws of the state. It is further distinguished from the Police Sergeant class in that the latter is a first-line supervisor responsible for assigned officers and other support staff.

Duties

The duties, skills, and demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with a disability to perform the essential duties, skills, and demands.

• Patrol assigned areas to ensure the security of life and property, observe situations, and deter crime by providing high visibility; respond to suspicious activities and answer emergency calls for service; enforce state, local, and federal laws and ordinances; issue verbal warnings and citations; pursue and apprehend suspects and request assistance as required.
• Investigate criminal activity and incidents as the responding officer; coordinate crime scene control and investigation, including interviews and interrogations and identification of witnesses; oversee collection and preservation of physical evidence; restore order, protect life and property, and maintain the peace at public gatherings and in conflict situations.
• Prepare and document cases, complete reports and records, and prepare and maintain other logs and records.
• Investigate traffic accidents and provide traffic and crowd control as necessary.
• Participate in special details and assignments, including K-9, traffic patrol, narcotics, investigation, and related activities; retrieve, identify, and return found property and/or evidence to owners; provide emergency aid and assistance to incapacitated persons and request additional response; provide information, directions, and other services and assistance to the public; testify in court, as subpoenaed; respond to SWAT team call-outs; may act as hostage negotiator.
• Direct, instruct, train, and supervise recruit officers in areas of traffic enforcement, radar operation, DUI enforcement, and basic traffic accident investigation.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Knowledge of:

• Basic law enforcement terminology and concepts.
• Techniques for dealing with people of all socio-economic levels under hostile and emergency situations.
• Safety practices and precautions pertaining to the work.
• Learn the principles, practices, procedures, laws and ordinances, terminology, and operation of equipment used in law enforcement and crime prevention and investigation.

Minimum Qualifications

• 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.
• Be a current POST Academy Attendee or Graduate
• Have achieved a PELLET B T-Score of 42 or better or have the degree equivalent.

Selection Process

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.

Meeting the minimum qualifications for a position does not assure that an applicant will continue in the process. All applicants will be notified as to the status of their application.

Hiring Requirements

Candidates being considered for selection will undergo a thorough background investigation, including by 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. 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.

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.