Career Information

Police Officer

Do you have what it takes to become a West Sacramento Police Officer?

The Position:

Becoming a West Sacramento Police Officer represents an outstanding employment opportunity for dedicated and career-minded women and men.

• The City offers a competitive salary and excellent benefits.
• The Police Department operates on an alternative work schedule of

4-10 or 9-80.

• A variety of specialized assignments are available, including Motorcycle and Traffic Unit, School Resource Officer, K-9, SWAT, Bicycle Patrol and Boat Patrol, Intelligence Investigator, Gang Investigator, Narcotics.

Qualifications:

Applicants for the position of Police Officer must meet certain minimum qualifications. Those are:

• Must be at least 21 years of age.
• Must possess a high school diploma or equivalent.
• Must possess a valid California class "C" driver's license.

Training:

Police Recruit: No experience in law enforcement is necessary for this position. Upon appointment, the Police Recruit attends a designated California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) approved Police Academy. The candidate must possess the qualifications listed above.

Police Officer, Entry Level: An applicant for the Entry-Level Police Officer position are those who are currently enrolled in or have completed a POST Basic Academy. Applicants must possess the qualifications listed above.

Police Officer, Lateral: An applicant for the Lateral Police Officer position are those who possess a current California POST Basic Certificate and have a minimum of one year experience with a California law enforcement agency.

For more information on police officer qualification and training, visit the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) web site at: http://www.post.ca.gov/newindex.htm

The Department:

The West Sacramento Police Department has a staff of 77 sworn and 39 non-sworn personnel, and operates with an annual budget of $15.7 million for Fiscal Year 2008/2009. The Department is responsible for providing a full range of law enforcement services to a diverse community of over 40,000 residents.   The Department is nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA).