POLICE OFFICER - FALL 2026

City of Davenport; Davenport (IA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Pension

457 retirement plan contributions

Retirement health savings plan

Flexible spending accounts

Paid time off

Employee assistance program

Life insurance

Long-term disability

Job summary

The City of Davenport Police Department is seeking motivated individuals to join a team that serves with purpose in Iowa’s largest Quad Cities community. You will perform patrols, respond to emergencies, enforce traffic laws, write detailed reports, and support investigations under supervision.

Applicants must meet residency and background requirements, with bilingual skills considered a plus. The department offers competitive benefits for full-time police officers.

Qualifications

• Must be able to pass extensive background checks and polygraph tests.
• Bilingual applicants desired.
• Ability to speak clearly and communicate well.

Responsibilities

• Patrol assigned areas to prevent crime and enforce laws; maintain visibility and assist the public.
• Respond to emergencies, secure scenes, direct traffic, and assist medical personnel when needed.
• Monitor traffic, enforce laws, issue citations, and manage detours during events or incidents.
• Prepare detailed incident reports with time, location, and involved persons using a computer.
• Stop fights and mediate disputes; apprehend suspects with appropriate force as necessary.
• Assist in investigations, interrogations, collecting evidence, and serving papers.

Skills

Communication

Bilingual

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

Definition

UPDATE: Testing has concluded for this actual job posting. You can still apply if interested and you will be notified when the next round of testing is announced, likely in early 2027. Davenport PD is a community-centered, forward-thinking department where officers serve with purpose, grow through opportunity, and make a lasting impact in Iowa’s largest Quad Cities community. It takes all kinds of people, from all kinds of backgrounds, with different interests, skill sets, and personalities to make up a great police department. It's different here, and you're gonna love it! The City of Davenport Police Department is seeking highly motivated and ethical individuals, that, under general supervision perform work of moderate difficulty in law enforcement, maintenance of order, protection of life and property, and crime prevention; and perform related work as required.

Examples Of Duties

• Patrols assigned areas for the prevention of crime and enforcement of laws and ordinances: drives vehicle or walks to cover assigned beat and make police presence evident; observes activities and environment, and keeps alert to suspicious occurrences; maintains radio contact with central communications and reports conditions in assigned beat; advises and assists public as necessary.
• Responds to emergency calls and acts to resolve emergency situations: notes location of difficulty and type of call; proceeds to scene with dispatch, observing traffic conditions and sounding siren; takes control of emergency site, directing traffic, securing scene and assisting medical personnel when injuries are involved; establishes communications between emergency scene and central communications.
• Monitors traffic conditions and enforces traffic laws: observes driving behavior and measures vehicle speed to detect violations of traffic laws; stops vehicles for traffic violations and issues citations; ensures that parking regulations are enforced, especially during snow removal, at fire hydrants and in prohibited areas; directs traffic for special events, accidents and detours.
• Writes detailed incident reports utilizing computer to make a record of events, conditions, time and persons involved: makes careful notes of all details important for future reference or prosecution; takes names and addresses of involved persons; observes time, sequence of events, measurements and weather conditions in vehicular accidents; completes forms legibly and thoroughly.
• Stops fights and attempts to mediate arguments and disputes which threaten violence: physically restrains persons involved in violent attacks or brawls; secures vicinity of persons threatening violence to self or others; talks to parties involved in home disputes in an attempt to reconcile differences.
• Apprehends and arrests suspects in crimes: takes custody of persons involved in crimes or wanted in connection with criminal activities; physically subdues resistant persons with force necessary to control them; orders detention for suspects until procedures for arraignment can be completed.
• May assist in investigation of crime scenes, interrogation of suspects, interviewing of witnesses, securing of evidence, serving of legal papers and testimony in court.

Qualifications

• 21 years of age at the time of list certification (December 9, 2026)
• High school diploma or GED
• You must be a United States Citizen at the time of the written examination

Additional Requirements

• Applicant must be able to pass an extensive background check and submit to a polygraph test. Must have ability to perform the core functions of the position
• Uncorrected vision of not less than 20-100 in each eye, corrected to 20-20 in each eye, normal color vision
• Normal hearing
• Ability to speak clearly and communicate well
• Ability to develop a facility in operating firearms
• Ability to operate motor vehicles safely
• Appointees will be required to adhere to Professional Standards set forth by the Davenport Police Department addressing the display of tattoos. Officers and employees may not appear on duty or in uniform with any visible facial, head, or neck tattoos. No tattoos will be permitted below the wrist with the exception of a single ring tattoo (one per hand). Exceptions may be granted by the Chief of Police
• Prior to receiving an offer of employment, selected applicants will be required to retake and pass the physical ability test. Failure to complete this will result in disqualification from the process or removal from the certified list
• Skill in dealing with others in a courteous and fair manner, as well as the ability to enforce laws and ordinances with firmness and tact
• Bilingual applicants desired.

Residency

Residency must be established within 20 miles of the corporate city limits of Davenport, and can include within the State of Illinois. Click on the Residency Map for further information.

Lateral Hiring Program

Full-time certified Police Officers will receive starting pay commensurate with his/her sworn and certified law enforcement experience, as well as a bank of sick and vacation leave.

Municipal Fire & Police Retirement System Of Iowa (MFPRSI)

Retirement benefits flyer.

Special Relocation Incentives:

• Home Base Iowa Community (*for veterans purchasing a home only)
• $5,000 tax credit through the State of Iowa (Payable at closing)
• $1,500 closing costs reimbursement from Scott County
• $1,500 closing costs reimbursement from City of Davenport

Iowa Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA)

Hired Police Officers will attend the sixteen (16) week police academy which commences on January 4, 2027. Employment start date would be December 21, 2026.

Knowledge and Skills

Good Knowledge Of

• The purpose of law enforcement and the criminal justice system.
• Law enforcement procedures, practices and equipment.
• Applicable city, state and federal law.

Considerable Skill In

• Obtaining valid information by interview and interrogation.
• Reacting quickly and calmly in emergency situations.
• Using physical strength to restrain, lift, carry and pursue.

Working Skill In

• Using firearms and operating motor vehicles properly and within established guidelines.
• Using good judgment in evaluation situations and making decisions.
• Observing facts and situations analytically and objectively and recording them clearly and completely.
• Expressing oneself clearly orally and in writing.
• Handling situations firmly, courteously, tactfully and impartially.
• Understanding and carrying out oral and written instructions.
• Gathering, assembling, analyzing and evaluating evidence; and drawing sound conclusions.

Benefits For Full-Time Employees

• Health insurance, including medical, dental, vision and prescription drug
• Pension
• 457 retirement plan contributions
• Retirement health savings plan contributions
• Flexible spending accounts
• Paid time off
• Employee assistance program
• Life insurance
• Long-term disability

01
Do you possess a high school diploma or GED?

• Yes
• No

02
Applicants must be a United States Citizen at the time of the written examination

• Yes
• No

03
Position requires that you are at least 21 years of age by the time we certify the hiring list. This is expected to happen on December 9, 2026

• Yes
• No

04
Are you an active (or inactive 12 months or less), certified law enforcement officer either in the State of Iowa or another State?

• Yes
• No

05
Where you referred to the Davenport Police Department by an existing Davenport Police Officer?

• Yes
• No

06
If 'Yes' to Question #5, please enter the Officer's name here. (Only 1 Officer can be listed.)

07
Please enter your Social Security Number. (This is required for the written exam)

08
Questions related to background disqualifications (9 - 18) must be answered truthfully. A polygraph will be administered to applicants to determine deceptive responses. Do you understand this?

• Yes
• No

09
Have you ever been convicted of and/or received a deferred judgment for domestic violence?

• Yes
• No

10
Have you been convicted of and/or received a deferred judgment for a felony?

• Yes
• No

11
Have you been convicted of and/or received deferred judgments for four (4) or more misdemeanors (non-traffic) within three years (36 months) prior to APPLICATION DATE?

• Yes
• No

12
Do you have one or more convictions or deferred judgments for an OWI offense within five years (60 months) prior to APPLICATION DATE? Any convictions up to and including the day of appointment will be disqualifiable. Individuals with two or more convictions or deferred judgments for an OWI offense within the last ten years will be disqualified

• Yes
• No

13
Have you ever illegally sold, delivered, distributed, or manufactured drugs as an ADULT?

• Yes
• No

14
Have you used marijuana, cannabis or THC in any form (natural or synthetic) and in any location (domestic or foreign) at least one time within ONE year (12 months) prior to APPLICATION DATE?

• Yes
• No

15
Have you used hard drugs, i.e. cocaine, (see Information Packet for list) at least one time within FIVE years (60 months) prior to APPLICATION DATE?

• Yes
• No

16
Have you used prescription drugs without a prescription at least one time within FIVE years (60 months) prior to APPLICATION DATE? (This includes, but is not limited to, Adderall, Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Percocet, Tramadol, etc.)

• Yes
• No

17
Have you ever sold/provided prescription drugs (This includes, but is not limited to, Adderall, Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Percocet, Tramadol, etc.) to another person?

• Yes
• No

18
Do you have any tattoos on the head, neck, or hands? (See info packet for info on display of tattoos). If so, these would need to be completely removed prior to testing

• Yes
• No

19
If Yes to Q. 18, please provide more detail below on placement and style so we can determine if they are outside of policy.

20
Questions 9 - 18 reflect the most common automatic disqualifiers. A list of the automatic disqualifiers is found in the Information Packet in the job posting. If you have answered yes to any questions 9 - 18 or have any other automatic disqualifiers found in the Information Packet you are not eligible to test with Davenport Police Department this year. Do you understand?

• Yes
• No
• Required Question