Police Officer Trainee (Entry Level)

City of Lodi; Lodi (CA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Benefits

Education Allowance

Tuition Reimbursement

Retirement

Vacation & Sick Leave

Job summary

The City of Lodi is seeking an entry-level, non-sworn trainee to enter the Basic Peace Officer Academy, paid for by the City. Trainees will progress through the Field Training Program and be appointed as a sworn Officer after academy completion.

Applicants must pass the POST PELLETB exam and a physical agility test on September 26, 2026. The agency provides comprehensive benefits and opportunities within the Police Department.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Ability to learn to read maps and mapped information.
• No prior law enforcement experience required.

Responsibilities

• Learn duties, responsibilities, and skills to perform law enforcement and crime prevention work.
• Assist with community-based policing practices.

Skills

English usage

Observation

Reading maps

Quick learning

Education

High school graduation or equivalent

Job description

The City of Lodi Police Department will conduct the Physical Agility Test and the POST Entry-Level Law Enforcement Test Battery (PELLETB) written examination on the same day, Saturday, September 26, 2026.

The Physical Agility Test will be conducted at Lawrence Park - Canine Training Facility, located at 350 N. Washington St., Lodi, CA 95240.

The PELLETB test location: TBD.

Information on the POST PELLET-B examination and Physical Agility Test can be found at: https://post.ca.gov/LE-Entry-Level-Test-Battery-Applicant-FAQs

The Physical Agility Test consists of 4 components: a 99-yard obstacle course; a 165-pound body drag; a 6' wall climb; and a 500-yard run. These are timed events and successful applicants must complete all components of the test within the prescribed time period.

This is an entry-level, non-sworn training position in the Police Department. Incumbents are assigned to the Basic Peace Officer Academy, paid for by the City of Lodi Police Department, and incumbents must satisfactorily pass all of the requirements that lead to the possession of the Basic Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) Certificate. After graduation from the academy, the incumbent will be appointed as a sworn Police Officer under the supervision and control of a Police Corporal while in the Field Training Program.

Failure to successfully complete the police academy will result in termination from employment.

Physical Agility Testing: Qualified applicants will be invited to the physical agility testing portion of the examination on Saturday, September 26, 2026. Applicants must participate and pass the physical agility test in order to be invited to the written examination. The physical agility test consists of a 99-yard obstacle course, a 165 pound body drag, a 6' wall climb, and a 500-yard run. These are timed events and successful applicants must complete all components of the test within the prescribed time period.

Written Examination (POST PELLETB): Applicants who pass the Physical Agility Test will be invited to participate in the written PELLETB examination, later in the day, Saturday, September 26, 2026. Applicants who possess a T-Score of 42.0 or higher, obtained from another California Law Enforcement agency/academy in the past 12 months may submit that T-Score in lieu of taking the written examination. Applicants must obtain a T-Score of 42.0 or higher to be considered for the Police Officer Trainee (Entry Level) position.

Applicants may obtain additional information, including a guide for preparing for the written examination on the California Peace Officers and Standards Testing (POST) website: https://post.ca.gov/Peace-Officer-Candidate-Selection-Standards

Note: Applicants are precluded from taking the POST PELLETB examination more than once every 30 days.

Examples of Duties

Under close supervision and direction of instructors or Field Training Officers, will learn duties, responsibilities, and skills to perform law enforcement and crime prevention work, including community-based policing practices.

Typical Qualifications

• Knowledge of: English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation; Writing clearly, accurately, concisely, legibly, and with correct grammatical construction and spelling;
• Observing, assimilating, remembering, and recalling pertinent facts and details; Ability to learn to read maps and mapped information.

Ability To

• Interpret laws, rules and other written materials;
• Learn and apply laws relating to apprehension, arrest, and custody;
• Judge situations and personalities, and to think and act quickly in emergencies;
• Understand and follow oral and written directions;
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships.

Education And Experience

Any combination of experience and education that would likely produce the qualifying knowledge and ability. A typical combination is:

Experience

None required.

Education

High school graduation or equivalent.

License

Possession of a valid Driver’s License issued from the California Department of Motor Vehicles by date of appointment.

Age

Must be at least 21 years at the date of appointment.

Physical

Must be in excellent general health and physical condition. Ability to pass a comprehensive medical examination administered by the city.

Hearing

Normal in each ear.

Vision

20/100 correctable to 20/30; normal color perception.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move more than 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently works in outside weather conditions. The employee occasionally works near moving mechanical parts; in high, precarious places; and with explosives and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, extreme cold, extreme heat, and vibration. The employee may have exposure to blood borne pathogens, possible fights and confrontations, and contact with dissatisfied or abusive individuals. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

• FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Supplemental Information

Medical-Drug Screening

All positions may be subject to a physical or drug screen issued by a qualified medical physician assigned by the Human Resources Division. Under the requirements of the Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988, the City of Lodi has been designated as a drug-free workplace.

APPOINTMENT

At the time of appointment all candidates will be required to execute an oath of allegiance and complete Form I-9 - Employment Eligibility Verification in compliance with the Immigration and Naturalization Act. United States citizenship is not required. All new appointees are required to successfully complete a probationary period of twelve months.

NOTE: Employee Benefits stated herein are subject to change through the collective bargaining process and are not guaranteed.

Vacation

• 0-5 years - 3.08 hours per pay period
• 6-11 years - 4.62 hours per pay period
• 12-14 years - 5.24 hours per pay period
• 15-20 years - 6.16 hours per pay period
• 2l years - 6.47 hours per pay period
• 22years - 6.78 hours per pay period
• 23 year - 7.09 hours per pay period
• 24 year - 7.40 hours per pay period
• 25 years - 7.71 hours per pay period
• Maximum carryover is 2 times accrual rate per year. No cash out allowed.

Sick Leave

• 144 hours/year

Holidays

• 145 hours/year

Health Benefits

• All employees are offered medical insurance for themselves and dependent(s) through CalPERS Medical Plans. Effective January 1, 2026, City shall pay a monthly maximum towards medical premiums as follows:
• $1,051.97 per month for Employee Only
• $2,103.95 per month for Employee +1
• $2,735.14 per month for Family

• If employee selects a higher cost plan, employee will pay the difference as a payroll deduction.

• If an employee elects not to be covered by medical insurance through the City of Lodi, an additional:
• $692.81 per month for family
• $532.92 per month for employee + 1 dependent
• $305.22 per month for single

The City shall pay the full cost for the employee and their dependents dental premium for the term of this agreement. The City agrees to provide a vision care plan, equivalent to the VSP Plan B, with a $25.00 deductible for the employee and dependents: the entire premium to be paid by City. The City shall pay the full cost for the employee and their dependents chiropractic premium for the term of this agreement.

Deferred Compensation

A deferred compensation plan is available at the employee's option. The City matches up to 3% of the employee's base salary, subject to Federal Tax laws.

Educational Incentive Pay

• Bachelor's Degree: $200.00 per month
• Basic POST Certificate $50.00
• Intermediate POST Certificate 150.00
• Advanced POST Certificate $300.00 per month

The POST Incentives set forth in this clause are paid at the highest-level certificate held (i.e. they are not stackable).

Education Allowance

• Tuition Reimbursement up to $3000 per fiscal year as per City policy.

Retirement

New employees into the CalPERS retirement system are enrolled in the 2.7%@57, three-year average retirement formula. Employees hired after January 1, 2013, with less than a six-month break in CalPERS (or reciprocal agencies) are enrolled in the 3%@55, three-year average retirement formula. At present, employees will contribute towards the employee portion of their CalPERS retirement costs. If additional information is needed regarding CalPERS retirement plans/costs, please contact Human Resources.

Employees shall pay the employee portion of Retirement Benefits as follows:

Effective the pay period in which December 31, 2013 falls - 9%

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The City of Lodi is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to a policy of fair employment practices regardless of race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, sex or sexual orientation, marital status, age, mental or physical disability or perceived disability, medical condition, pregnancy, political affiliation or belief, or other unlawful discrimination.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITY ACT

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the City of Lodi provides reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities. Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations must contact the Human Resources Division upon application submittal to confirm the request.

CRIMINAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION

City of Lodi is authorized and required by the state of California to access Local, State, and/or Federal criminal history as part of the testing process. This process can be completed by initial fingerprinting and/or a full Background investigation pursuant to Penal Code 11105(b)(10), 11105.3, 13300(b)(10); Education Code 10911.5; Public Resources Code 5164) and in compliance with the City of Lodi's Fingerprinting Policy and Procedure. As a future employee or volunteer, you are required to be fingerprinted and processed through the Department of Justice and cleared before you can start. All information obtained will be kept in strict confidentiality.