Lateral Entry Officer

The City of Fort Worth; Police; On-site; PLN 348,000 - 365,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Three weeks paid vacation

Fifteen days sick leave

Retirement fund

Nine paid holidays

Seven days family sick leave

Educational and Certificate incentive

Job summary

The City of Fort Worth is seeking a Lateral Entry Officer with 2–5 years of active police service in a large department or military/cederal agency. Candidates must obtain a Texas Peace Officer License (TCOLE) before graduation and may participate in required exams and background checks.

Compensation includes base pay plus longevity, education incentive, uniforms allowance, and bilingual pay. Benefits cover vacation, sick leave, holidays, health and life insurance.

Qualifications

• Must be a full-time police officer in good standing
• Active service total of 2 years with a department having at least 30 sworn officers
• Eligibility for TCOLE and intermediate certificate before academy completion

Responsibilities

• Complete background, medical, psychological, polygraph, and PAT
• Meet age, citizenship, and license requirements
• Attend Lateral Entry Officers Academy and obtain Texas license if out-of-state

Skills

Police experience

Education

High school diploma / GED with 12 college hours

Texas Peace Officer License (TCOLE)

Job description

CITY OF FORT WORTH

LATERAL ENTRY OFFICER

$7,414/monthly* or $88,976/annually* for 2-5 years’ experience

$7,784/monthly* or $93,415/annually* for 6+ years’ experience

APPLICATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED

October 2, 2026 to November 1, 2026

Requirements:

• At the time of application, each applicant must either be actively employed or have been employed in the last 180 calendar days, and in good standing as a full-time paid police officer for a municipal, county, state or federal law enforcement agencies, or a law enforcement officer in the United States Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Navy. Federal and Military law enforcement officers must comply with TCOLE eligibility and the Fort Worth Police Lateral requirements. Each application will be reviewed for consideration into the hiring process.


• By the date of hire, Applicant must have a total of 2 years of active service for one or more municipal, county, state, federal, or military police law enforcement agencies that has at least 30 sworn police officers and handles a full array of police work (i.e., respond to all types of calls for law enforcement services).


• Applicants who work or worked for an agency that has fewer than 30 sworn police officers will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.


• All current police officer applicants being considered for the Lateral Entry Officers Academy must receive a Texas Peace Officer License by TCOLE, prior to graduation (if they do not already have a Texas license at the time of application) and to be eligible for the intermediate certificate prior to completing their academy course of study. For current police officers licensed out of state – Fort Worth Police will provide the required TCOLE courses and TCOLE exam.


• Each applicant will be required to pass a background investigation, medical examination, psychological examination, polygraph examination and physical assessment test (PAT).

Citizenship: Must be a U.S. Citizen at the time of application.

Age: Applicants have not reached their 51st birthday by the date of hire.

License: Must present a valid driver’s license and possess an acceptable driving record.

Military Service: Must have never received a dishonorable discharge. A copy of your DD214-4 will be required.

Education: Must have a high school diploma, or a GED with at least 12 hours at an accredited institution of higher education.

Compensation in Addition to Base Pay

Longevity Pay: $4 per month per the number of years of service with the City of Fort Worth, up to 25 years.

Education Incentive pay: Up to $300 per month, depending on certification and/or degree held.

Uniforms: Periodic uniform maintenance allowance provided.

Bilingual pay: Up to $125 per month upon successful completion of the Language Proficiency Tests.

Benefits:

1. Three weeks paid vacation


2. Fifteen days sick leave


3. Retirement fund


4. Nine paid holidays


5. Seven days family sick leave


6. Educational and Certificate incentive pay


7. Personal paid holidays


8. Military leave


9. Health and life insurance

*Approximate Amounts

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL: 817-392-5591

Bob Bolen Public Safety Complex
505 W. Felix Street
Fort Worth, TX 76115
Email: [e-mail]
Website: joinfwpd.com

or contact:

Human Resources Department
New City Hall
100 Fort Worth Trail
Fort Worth, TX 76102
Website:http://fortworthtexas.gov/hr/

Conditions of Employment

The City of Fort Worth is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. It is the policy and practice of the City to recruit, hire, train and promote a diverse workforce without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, parental status, military service, or another non-merit factor.

The City of Fort Worth is committed to full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to participate in the job application or interview process and to perform essential job functions.

Candidates who do not meet the Education requirement, may be considered if they have more relevant work experience than the position requires. Those selected for employment will be required to pass Pre-Employment checks depending on the position requirements. Those could include, but are not limited to: criminal background check, drug screen, education verification, etc. criminal convictions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Employees are paid by direct deposit only.