Police Officer (Pre-Service)

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

Benefits offered by this job

Sign-on bonus

Education pay for certifications

Career mentorship and training

Job summary

San Gabriel Police Department is seeking Pre-Service Police Officers. Candidates must meet post requirements, hold a valid California driver’s license, and have a high school diploma or equivalent.

Eligibility includes a POST certificate and clean legal record. Eligible candidates may receive an annual education pay bonus and a $15,000 sign-on/retention bonus, with staged payments during the first years of service, as the department offers training and professional development in Southern

Qualifications

• Must be at least 21 years old at appointment.
• Valid California Class C Driver’s License at appointment.
• High school diploma or equivalent at appointment.
• Valid POST Basic Certificate or POST Basic Academy Certificate.
• Must not have felony convictions.
• Must not have any misdemeanor offense reflecting lack of character, judgment, or moral turpitude.
• Vision correctable to 20/40 in both eyes.
• Legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law and California Government Code 1031(a).
• Military discharges other than “Honorable Discharge” will be evaluated case-by-case.

Responsibilities

• Under general supervision, the Police Officer performs law enforcement duties in an assigned area; protects public health, safety and welfare in accordance with laws and ordinances; carries out special assignments as necessary; and performs other related duties as assigned.
• Supports the testing and pre-employment process, including the selection steps as outlined by the department.

Skills

Oral & written communication

Character & judgment

Interpersonal tact

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

POST Basic Certificate or POST Basic Academy Certificate

California Driver's License (Class C)

Job description

THE OPPORTUNITY

The City of San Gabriel and San Gabriel Police Department (SGPD) have an opportunity for a rewarding career in public safety. We are seeking men and women of all backgrounds who have what it takes to accept this challenge to join the SGPD as a Police Officer. We offer excellent pay and benefits, career mentorship and support, professional training and development, an outstanding organization and department, a supportive community, and a great location for living and working in Southern California. Please note:

• Education Pay – Pre-Service hires may earn an additional 3% - 8% of established base salary for education certifications, pursuant to the POA MOU.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate for SGPD Pre-Service Police Officer has outstanding character, judgment, work ethic, oral and written communication skills, interpersonal tact, empathy and compassion, and a strong sense and commitment for public service. The ideal candidate also has the mental and physical attributes, perseverance, integrity, and character to be an upstanding member of the SGPD.

PRE-SERVICE CONDITIONS

To qualify and be considered for hire as a Pre-Service Police Officer, candidates must meet one of the following conditions:

• Candidate possesses a valid POST Basic Academy Certificate but has no prior service as a Police Officer with a POST law enforcement agency.
• Candidate is an active Police Officer with a POST law enforcement agency but has less than 12 months of continuous service.
• Candidate is an inactive Police Officer and (1) possesses a valid POST Basic Certificate, or (2) a valid POST Basic Academy Certificate.

SIGN-ON & RETENTION BONUS

Pre-Service Police Officer candidates who satisfactorily pass the pre-employment process and are hired as SGPD Police Officer shall be eligible for a $15,000 bonus. Bonus is paid in the following increments:

• $2,500 upon hire and appointment to Police Officer.
• $5,000 upon successful completion of 24 months of satisfactory and continuous service from date of hire as Police Officer.
• $7,500 upon successful completion of 48 months of satisfactory and continuous service from date of hire as Police Officer.

Under general supervision, the Police Officer performs law enforcement duties in an assigned area; protects public health, safety, and welfare in accordance with all applicable laws and ordinances; carries out special assignments as necessary; and performs other related duties as assigned.

Police Officer

To qualify for Pre-Service Police Officer, candidates must possess and/or meet the following:

• Be at least 21 years of age at time of appointment.
• Possess a valid California Class “C” Driver’s License at time of appointment.
• Possess a high school diploma or equivalent at time of appointment.
• Possess a valid POST Basic Certificate or valid POST Basic Academy Certificate.
• Must not have any felony convictions.
• Must not have any misdemeanor offense which reflects lack of character, lack of judgement, or moral turpitude.
• Must have vision correctable to 20/40 in both eyes.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law and pursuant to California Government Code 1031(a).
• If applicable, military discharges other than “Honorable Discharge” will be evaluated on a case‑by‑case basis and may be cause for disqualification.

TESTING & PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

Applications for Pre-Service Police Officer will be screened for minimum qualifications, detail and organization, written communications, responsiveness, quality, and completeness. The most competitive applications will be invited to the testing process. Candidates must attain a passing/qualifying score on each step in the testing process to continue. Failure to pass any step in the process is disqualifying. The testing and selection procedures for Pre-Service Police Officer are typically administered in the following order:

• Oral Appraisal Examination (structured panel interview). Candidates must attain a score of 70% or higher on the oral appraisal interview.
• Eligibility List. Candidates who successfully pass Step 1 shall be placed on the Eligibility List for Pre-Service Police Officer. Candidates on the Eligibility List may be invited to participate in the pre‑employment process. The Eligibility List for Pre-Service Police Officer is generally exhausted within 2-3 months.
• Pre-Employment Process. Candidates placing on the eligibility list may be invited to participate in the pre‑employment process. The pre‑employment process consists of the following elements:
  • POST background investigation.
  • Polygraph examination.
  • Selection interview with the department (Chief’s interview).
  • POST medical examination, including drug screen.
  • POST psychological evaluation.
• Hiring. Candidates who successfully complete and pass all pre‑employment requirements outlined in Step 3 may be hired as Police Officer.

APPLICATION FILING DEADLINE

This recruitment is scheduled to close on November 12, 2026, or when a sufficient number of qualified applications are received, whichever occurs first.

TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE

The following is the tentative schedule for this recruitment. Please prepare your schedule in advance to accommodate the anticipated recruitment schedule. Note th