Police Officer - Lateral ($40,000 Incentive) (20691888)

Menlo Park; Menlo Park (CA); On-site; USD 36,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance contribution

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

Vacation leave

Sick leave

Retirement plan

Uniform allowance

Access to on-site gym

Job summary

A municipal government in Menlo Park is accepting applications for lateral Police Officers who can thrive in a fast-paced law enforcement environment. Officers will engage in community-oriented policing, building ties with a diverse population while responding to citizen needs. Benefits include a $40,000 hiring incentive, health insurance, retirement plans, and more. Join a dedicated team committed to innovative solutions for community safety and well-being.

Qualifications

• Must have valid Basic POST Certificate in California.
• Experience in a California law enforcement agency is required.
• Ability to interact effectively with diverse community.

Responsibilities

• Engage in proactive community policing.
• Build relationships with the local community.
• Respond to citizen complaints and provide excellent service.

Skills

Community-oriented

Strong interpersonal skills

Cultural competence

Education

Graduation from accredited POST academy

High school diploma or equivalent

Job description

Police Officer - Lateral ($40,000 Incentive) (20691888)

The City of Menlo Park is currently accepting applications for lateral Police Officers that are motivated, well-trained professionals who can meet the challenge of a fast paced, multi-tasking law enforcement environment.

The Hiring and Retention Incentive Program pays new, eligible Police Officers who are Lateral Police Officers up to a total amount of $40,000 (See details under benefits).

The Menlo Park Police department is an operation in which the patrol officers enjoy communicating and building relationships with individuals within the community. We embrace a true community connection and commitment with participants on all sides. Rather than designating certain officers to focus on solving community problems, Menlo Park will charge all police personnel with proactive community policing responsibilities. We ask our officers to seek innovative solutions to local problems, respond to citizen complaints of violations and provide excellent customer service.

A small agency, such as the Menlo Park Police Department, will enable you to attain a breadth of experience and exposure through which to advance your career in numerous ways. We are seeking individuals who are enticed by our vision and will bring high energy, innovation, self-motivation and passion to their chosen profession.

Overall, the department has strong opportunities for specialty assignments, including:

• K9
• Investigations
• Narcotics Enforcement
• Traffic
• SWAT/HNT
• POP

Patrol teams enjoy a rotating 4/12 plan or a fixed 4/10 schedule in specialty assignments.

The City realizes the diversity of the community and therefore upon approval, the City pays officers a bilingual stipend. Officers receive a 5% incentive for achieving their Intermediate POST certificate and a 10% incentive for achieving their advanced certificate. Starting September 1, 2024, Menlo Park police officers with at least one year of local service are eligible for longevity pay based on their total years as a California peace officer.

Ideal Candidate

We are seeking well-qualified lateral Police Officers who are enthusiastic, community-oriented team players with the skills and ability to interact and deal effectively with a population that is both culturally and socio-economically diverse. We pride ourselves in our staff, individuals who exhibit excellent interpersonal skills, and a sincere desire to make a difference.

Job Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) basic academy (or California POST approved equivalent).
• Passed probation and worked at least one full year in patrol at a California law enforcement agency.
• Obtained a valid Basic POST Certificate in California.
• Graduation from high school or equivalent. (Additional education at the college level is preferred).
• POST standard physical requirements.

Applicants must include the most recent POST Certification (Basic, Intermediate, or Advanced) as an attachment to their application.

Benefits

• Health Insurance: City contribution up to $3,039 per month towards a Cafeteria Plan which can be used to purchase medical insurance and participate in a flexible spending account for health care and/or child care reimbursement.
• Dental: City-paid coverage for employee and dependents.
• Vision: City-paid coverage for employee and dependents.
• Vacation: 96‑176 hours of vacation leave accrual each year, depending on length of service.
• Sick Leave: 8 hours per month.
• Holidays: 13 holidays.
• Retirement: CalPERS Classic Members 3% @ 55; New Members 2.7% @ 57 formula.
• Uniform Allowance: $1,040 annually.
• Deferred Compensation: Voluntary participation in City Plans.
• Life Insurance: City-paid policy equal to 1.5 times regular annual wage.
• Long Term Disability: City-paid coverage.
• A City-paid Caltrain GoPass.
• A City-paid BayPass: unlimited travel for both work and personal trips on 25 Bay Area transit agencies that use the Clipper card.
• Transportation allowance: $1.50 per day when walking, bicycling or carpooling to work at least once per week.
• Access to an on-site gym at no cost.

Hiring and Retention Incentive Program for Lateral Police Officers

This incentive will be provided in the following incremental payments upon successful completion of the stated milestone:

• $10,000 upon acceptance of a final offer of employment with the City of Menlo Park (payable in the first pay period of hire).
• $10,000 upon successfully passing probation and completing one year of service.
• $5,000 upon successfully passing probation and completing two years of service.
• $5,000 upon successfully passing probation and completing three years of service.
• $10,000 upon successfully passing probation and completing four years of service.

Eligibility Criteria

For purposes of this program, a Lateral Police Officer is defined as a candidate for employment who has already completed the requirements and attained a valid Basic POST Certificate in California (i.e., an individual currently or recently employed as a full-time 830.1 peace officer appointed to an eligible POST participating agency who has satisfactorily completed both the Basic Course requirement and the employing agency’s probationary period of not less than 12 months). The candidate must be a new hire to the position of Lateral Police Officer and must not have prior work history in a sworn position with the City of Menlo Park. The candidate must begin employment with the City of Menlo Park before August 31, 2027.

Special Instructions

You must attach your POST Basic, Intermediate, or Advanced Certificate to your application. You may include other documentation, such as a resume, cover letter, or other certifications, along with your POST certificate. However, CalOpps will only accept one attachment (multiple pages okay) up to 2MB.

Applications will be reviewed for neatness, accuracy, and relevant training, education, and work experience. Only complete applications, including supplemental questionnaire responses and a POST certificate, will be reviewed and considered.

Applications will be reviewed periodically. Those qualified applicants best matching the current needs of the City will be invited to the testing process, which will consist of an oral board interview.

If successful in the testing process, candidates may be invited to subsequent phases of the selection process, including Chief/Command Staff interview, thorough background investigation, fingerprinting, polygraph examination, psychological screening and medical evaluation. Candidates must be successful in all phases of the selection process to be hired as a Police Officer.

Application Questions

1. If you have applied with other agencies for a law enforcement position, please list the full name of each agency and your current status in the application process. If you have not applied with any other agencies for a law enforcement position, please answer "N/A".
2. Why you are interested in a career with the City of Menlo Park as a Police Officer?
3. As part of the hiring process we conduct a thorough background investigation that includes fingerprinting, contacting your present employer and co-workers, former employers and co-workers, relatives, neighbors, credit bureaus, and the DMV. Please list any information that may reveal that could jeopardize your eligibility for a law enforcement position.
4. Have you ever had a driver license that has been suspended or revoked? If yes, please explain.
5. Have you ever been arrested and convicted of a misdemeanor? If yes, please provide the date(s), location(s), status, and circumstances of the arrest and conviction.
6. Have you ever been arrested and not convicted? If yes, please explain.
7. Have you ever been detained by the police? If yes, please explain.
8. Have you ever committed any serious crime that went undetected? If yes, please explain.
9. Have you ever used illegal drugs, including, but not limited to, marijuana, cocaine, crack, LSD, ecstasy, and heroin? If yes, please list each drug, how many times you used each drug, and the last time you used each one.
10. Other than for minor traffic offenses, have you ever been fined by a court? If yes, please explain.
11. Are you eligible for re-employment from each of your former employers? If no, please explain.
12. In the past two years, how many times have you been late for work?
13. In the past two years, how many sick days have you taken NOT due to illness or injury?
14. Is there anything else in your background that might eliminate you from consideration for employment as a law enforcement officer? If yes, please explain.

The City of Menlo Park is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the City of Menlo Park not to discriminate against all qualified applicants or employees. We will make reasonable efforts in the selection process to accommodate persons with disabilities. Please contact Human Resources at [e-mail] prior to the closing date for accommodation requests.

In accordance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act, all potential employees are required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship or authorization to work in the United States. The City will not sponsor applicants for work visas.