Police Officer - Lateral/Academy Graduate

Pacific Grove Police Department; Pacific Grove (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

FTO / Corporal / School Resource / Det

Education Incentive Pay up to 6.5%

POST Certificate Pay up to 5.5%

Shift Differential 2.5%

Spanish Bilingual Pay $200 monthly

Job summary

Pacific Grove Police Department is seeking qualified individuals for police officer roles. The position emphasizes professional, responsive, and courteous service, with responsibilities including responding to calls, patrolling the city, enforcing laws, and maintaining public safety.

Essential duties also involve investigations, documentation, and collaboration with other emergency services while upholding department standards and community trust.

Qualifications

• Must be at least 21 years old.
• Must be a citizen of the United States.
• Must possess a valid California Driver’s License.
• Must possess a High School diploma, a GED, or higher.
• Must be fingerprinted through local, state, and national systems for the disclosure of criminal records.
• Must be willing to work evening, night, weekend shifts.

Responsibilities

• Respond to calls for service and maintain peace and safety.
• Patrol the City and enforce laws and regulations.
• Investigate crimes and incidents; collect and process evidence.
• Complete detailed reports and required paperwork.
• Coordinate with emergency services and other law enforcement agencies.
• Testify in court as required.

Skills

Patrol duties

Public interactions

Interventions

Traffic regulation

Education

High School diploma/GED

CA POST certification/waiver

Job description

THE COMMUNITY:

The Police Department commitment to excellence, respect, professionalism, and integrity through collaborative community partnerships promotes a high quality of life in our town locals refer to as "P.G." Our town shares borders with the Del Monte Forest, the Pacific Ocean and Monterey Bay, Pebble Beach, and Monterey which boasts of a fully accessible 3.5 mile coastline, stunning pine and oak forests, scenic 18-hole municipal golf links, the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the west coast, Asilomar State Park and Beach, award-winning Natural History Museum, several municipal parks to include the coastal Recreation Trail, and a quaint downtown area. The Police Department comprises 34 full-time positions, including 23 sworn staff, serving a community of 15,522 residents.

SUMMARY:

Under basic supervision, provides professional, responsive, and courteous police services for the Pacific Grove Police Department (PGPD); responds to calls for service, maintains peace and safety in the community, and enforces laws and ordinances; basic duties include patrol, interventions, investigations, and traffic regulation.

APPLICATION & SELECTION:

Applications MUST include the following:

• Completed City of Pacific Grove Application
• Resume
• California POST-Approved Academy Graduation Certificate Attachment, OR
• Basic POST Certificate Attachment, OR,
• Basic POST Waiver Approval (for Out-of-State applicants)

PLEASE NOTE:

Applications missing any one of these components will not be accepted for consideration.

SPECIAL PAY INCENTIVES:

• FTO / Corporal / School Resource Officer / Detective Assignments 5%
• Education Incentive Pay up to 6.5%
• POST Certificate Pay up to 5.5%
• Shift Differential 2.5%
• Physical Fitness Incentive Program, awards between $441 to $1,323
• Spanish Bilingual Pay Incentive $200 monthly

This recruitment may be closed with or without notice.

Current salary posted reflects a 3% COLA effective 7/5/2026. As defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, essential functions may include any of the following representative duties, knowledge, and skills. This is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and duties performed by incumbents of this class; employees may be assigned duties which are not listed below; reasonable accommodations will be made as required. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement and is subject to change at any time by the employer.

Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Enforces state and federal laws, and City regulations; performs work according to PGPD policies to enforce laws, preserve peace, reduce fear, solve problems, and provide for a safe environment through community policing; duties will vary according to job assignment. Provides community-oriented police services, and improves and enhances the quality of life in the community; works with citizens to address the issues of safety, crime, fear of crime, and neighborhood disorder; ensures citizens are treated with courtesy and respect.
• Preserves the peace of the community through mediation, investigation, intervention, assistance, and arrest; utilizes all lawful means to improve the quality of life by recognizing and resolving problems.
• Patrols the City, looking for unusual and suspicious activities and persons; responds to emergency and non-emergency calls for service; investigates, documents, and resolves traffic incidents, crimes, dangerous and illegal activities, and citizen complaints; interrogates and communicates with victims, witnesses and suspects in cases; provides scene security for emergency services personnel.
• Responds to citizens' requests for assistance, enforces traffic regulations, detects crime, apprehends violators, and ensures public safety; applies laws and regulations fairly and consistently.
• Investigates crimes and accidents; secures and processes crime and accident scenes, and identifies and collects evidence; arrests law violators; transports and processes suspects, victims and prisoners.
• Testifies as required.
• Performs subpoena and warrant service.
• Completes detailed reports and required paperwork.
• Maintains PGPD vehicle and equipment according to Department standards.
• Assists and coordinates with other emergency services personnel, outside organizations and businesses, and federal, state, and local law enforcement organizations.
• Performs specialized functions in areas of expertise, including training, SRO/DARE, SRU, and other special enforcement, assessment, surveillance, intervention, and investigative teams.
• Maintains the integrity, professionalism, values, and goals of the Pacific Grove Police Department by ensuring that all rules and regulations are followed, and that accountability and public trust are preserved.
• Supports the relationship between the City of Pacific Grove and the general public by demonstrating courteous and cooperative behavior when interacting with citizens, visitors, and City staff; maintains confidentiality of work-related issues and City information; performs other duties as required or assigned.

Education, Training and Experience:

• Must be at least 21 years of age at the time of appointment.
• Must be a citizen of the United States at the time of appointment.
• Must possess a valid California Driver’s License at the time of appointment.
• Must possess a High School diploma, a G.E.D. certificate, and/or have attained a two-year, four-year, or advanced degree from an accredited school, college, or university.
• Must be fingerprinted through local, state, and national systems for the disclosure of criminal records.
• Must be of good moral character as determined by a thorough backgrounds investigation, including a polygraph examination.
• Must be found free of any physical, emotional or mental conditions that might adversely affect the exercise of peace officer powers.
• Must be willing to work evening, night, weekend, and hol