Police Officer (Lateral or Entry Level)

City-of-Lake-Oswego,-o; Lake Oswego (OR); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Sick Leave

Education Reimbursement

Shift differential

Language premium

Longevity pay

PERS retirement

Job summary

City of Lake Oswego Police Department is seeking qualified individuals to become Police Officers and join our law enforcement team. Located in Lake Oswego, the department offers assignments across Detectives, Motorcycle Officers, School Resource Officers, K9 Officers, and more, with a dedicated dispatch center and wellness resources.

To qualify, candidates must be a U.S. citizen, have no felony conviction, be at least 21, possess a high school diploma or GED, pass a thorough background check,

Qualifications

• U.S. citizen.
• No felony conviction.
• At least 21 years of age.
• High school diploma or GED.
• Vision correctable to 20/20.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Successful background investigation and post‑offer psychological and medical examination.

Responsibilities

• Patrol assigned areas on foot or in the car.
• Conduct routine and detailed investigations into criminal and civil matters.
• Enforce city and state laws and ordinances.
• Write reports and appear in court as required.
• May be assigned to detective, traffic, crime prevention or other units.
• Operate under supervision of a shift sergeant.

Skills

US Citizen

Background check

Communication skills

Education

High school diploma or GED

Job description

The City is seeking qualified individuals who are interested in becoming Police Officers to join our law enforcement team. Located in the northwestern corner of Clackamas County, on the banks of the scenic Willamette River and hugging the shore of a 405-acre lake, Lake Oswego is a community rich with art, culture, historic resources, quality schools, vibrant business districts, and an abundance of activities and events for all ages.

Working out of the newly constructed Police and City Hall facility in downtown Lake Oswego, the Department has a number of resources to provide exceptional levels of service while offering a number of opportunities to Police Officers such as Detectives, Motorcycle Officers, School Resource Officers, K9 Officers, Adult Resource Officer, and the Training Unit. Additionally, the Department has its own 911 dispatch center (LOCOM), on site Behavioral Health Specialist, Peer Support Team, Chaplain, and fitness facility. Non-sworn Community Service Officers, Evidence, Records and Administrative personnel round out the valuable support for the Department and community.

The Department has a philosophy of community-oriented policing and empowering officers to deal with problems proactively. Respect, Excellence, Trust, and Service guide our values-driven organization in our mission to cultivate an exceptional quality of life for everyone in our community. This dedication to service and collaborative City approach has garnered tremendous community and elected official support for our team and earned our department a 92% overall satisfaction rating (2023).

As part of their duties, Lake Oswego Police Officers can expect to get to know members of the business community and neighborhood residents; patrol assigned areas on foot or in the car; conduct routine and detailed investigations into criminal and civil matters; enforce state and local traffic laws; and demonstrate a service orientation with an understanding of community-oriented policing.

This is a uniformed, police position responsible for general police duties and the enforcement of laws and ordinances. An employee in this class is under the direct supervision of a shift sergeant and performs law enforcement activities which include, but are not limited to, the protection of life and property; conducts routine and detailed investigations into criminal and civil matters; locates and preserves physical evidence; enforces city and state traffic laws, and issues verbal and written warnings; performs special investigative and undercover assignments when required; writes reports and other documents; makes court appearances and gives testimony; may be assigned to the detective, traffic, crime prevention, or other related units; and may be given assignments as required by the chief of police. Incumbents in this class report to a higher professional police classification, such as sergeant, lieutenant, captain or chief of police. This position is represented by the Lake Oswego Police Officers Association (LOPOA).

To qualify, candidates must be a U.S. citizen, have no felony conviction, be at least 21 years of age, have as a minimum a high school diploma or G.E.D. equivalent, vision correctable to 20/20, a valid driver’s license, and the ability to successfully complete a thorough background investigation and post-offer psychological and medical examination, including pre-employment drug screen. This position is subject to mandatory participation in electronic funds transfer (EFT) for payment of net wages (i.e., Direct Deposit or PayCard).

For a complete list of the essential duties, knowledge, skills and abilities required, and physical and mental demands please review the complete job description at www.ci.oswego.or.us.

As a result of this process, the Department will establish an eligibility list effective for one year. This is subject to change at the discretion of the City.

If selected to continue through the process, you will be contacted with instruction for next steps.

SUMMARY OF BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION

Note: The benefits and compensation outlined below are subject to change as the LOPOA is currently negotiating a new labor agreement with the City of Lake Oswego.

LOPOA Compensation Plan

BENEFITS AVAILABLE:

• Medical Insurance choice between traditional indemnity plan or health maintenance organization (HMO)

• Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield - employees currently pay up to 7% of total medical and dental coverage not to exceed $130/month
• Kaiser Permanente - employees currently pay up to 7% of total medical and dental coverage not to exceed $115/month

• Sick Leave Upon Hire: New and lateral hires scheduled to work a forty (40) hour workweek will receive the equivalent of six (6) months (48 hours) of sick leave upon hire rather than accruing sick leave on a monthly basis. Upon completion of the six (6) months, they will accrue sick leave monthly as described in Article 26.1 of the LOPOA labor agreement.
• Education Reimbursement Program

INCENTIVE PAY AVAILABLE:

• Education and certifications at the completion of field training and DPSST basic or career officer development Academy

• 5% for two years of college-level course work or DPSST Intermediate Certificate
• 6% for two years of college-level course work and DPSST Intermediate Certificate
• 10% for a four-year degree or DPSST Advanced Certificate
• 11% for a four-year degree and DPSST Advanced Certificate
• 15% for an advanced college degree (Master’s or Doctorate Degree)

• Employees who are determined by the City to be fluent in additional languages shall receive an additional 5% of their base pay.
• Shift Differential - Employees regularly assigned to work graveyard shift shall receive an additional 5% of their base pay for all hours worked in their graveyard shift.
• Premium pay assignments - Motor Officers, Training Officers, K-9 Officers, School Resource Officers, Adult Resource Officers, Transit officers, and Detectives shall receive an additional 5% of their base pay while so assigned. Those assigned to ancillary duty assignments such as Mobile Field Force, Crisis Negotiation, or SWAT shall receive an additional 5% of their base salary when working in that capacity.
• Longevity pay for more than six (6), nine (9) and twelve (12) consecutive years of service with the Lake Oswego Police Department.

LATERAL POLICE OFFICERS

In recognition of their previous work experience, qualified lateral police officers are eligible for the following additional benefits and incentives:

Education and certification pay:

• Qualified lateral police officers will receive additional pay for college course work and/or DPSST Certification at the time of hire as described below.

• 5% for two years of college-level course work or DPSST Intermediate Certificate
• 6% for two years of college-level course work and DPSST Intermediate Certificate
• 10% for a four-year degree or DPSST Advanced Certificate
• 11% for a four-year degree and DPSST Advanced Certificate
• 15% for an advanced college degree (Master’s or Doctorate Degree)

Language premium:

• Employees who are determined by the City to be fluent in additional languages shall receive an additional 5% of their base pay.

Vacation:

• Qualified lateral police officers will be eligible to receive up to sixty (60) hours of banked vacation time.
• Qualified lateral police officers may be considered for accelerated vacation accrual rates based on their time as a sworn police officer.

Longevity Pay:

• Qualified lateral employees will be eligible for longevity pay as described in Article 8.5 of the LOPOA CBA, commensurate with their years of relevant experience in the related field.
• Qualified lateral employees will receive 3% longevity pay if they have more than six (6) years relevant experience, 4% for more than nine (9) years relevant experience, and 5% for more than twelve (12) years relevant experience.
• Qualified lateral employees will receive the longevity incentive pay upon hire as described in LOPOA CBA Article 9.3

RETIREMENT:

• Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) Member contributions are paid on your behalf by the City.

• Tier 1 & 2 PERS eligible employee contribution rate is 29.54% + 6% pick up
• OPSRP Police and Fire PERS eligible employee contribution rate is 27.34% + 6% pick up

• City maintains a 457 deferred compensation plan and contributes 3% of base salary into the employee deferred compensation account

For more detailed information on medical plans, benefits, incentives, and premiums, please review the Benefits tab on the job posting, or the full Lake Oswego Police Officers’ Association Labor Agreement: LOPOA