Position Description
If you practice integrity, professionalism, and respect in all you do, we encourage you to begin your law enforcement career with the Walnut Creek Police Department today! We are a thriving, vibrant, and community-oriented City, committed to providing the highest level of police services to the Walnut Creek community.
To join us, start by taking your P.O.S.T. Entry Level Law Enforcement Test (Pellet-B exam), and then apply today with a T-Score of 50 or above. As a Police Officer - Trainee, the City of Walnut Creek will compensate you at an hourly rate while you attend the Police Academy as a Walnut Creek Police Department sponsored trainee. Upon graduation, you will be eligible to join the WCPD family as a sworn Police Officer with our generous salary and benefits package!
Already enrolled in a Police Academy? You're welcome to apply here, also! Read more about whether your current experience meets requirements for the Police Officer - Trainee recruitment below (under "Qualification Guidelines").
Representative Duties
Walnut Creek Police Officers serve in patrol, traffic, and investigation assignments. Fixed sectors are assigned and patrol officers are responsible for providing patrol, investigation, crime prevention, juvenile, traffic, and public assistance on their sector. Investigative and traffic personnel are available for assistance when needed.
In addition to patrol duties, officers may have special and collateral assignments such as:
- Detectives
- Motor Team
- Regional SWAT Team
- Bomb Squad
- Drone Team
- Firearms Instructor
- Defensive Tactics
- Drivers Training
- Peer Support Team
- Social Media Team
- Crime Scene Investigation
- Police Information Technology Team
New officers receive field training from an experienced Walnut Creek Police Officer prior to assuming the responsibility of a solo sector patrol officer. Police Officers at this department are scheduled to work three days per week for shifts of 12.5 hours each day.
Police Officer - Trainees are assigned to attend a P.O.S.T. certified police academy. The next two scheduled courses tentatively begin in June and November 2024. During the academy program, Police Officer-Trainees receive the academic and physical training required for appointment to the position of Police Officer. Police Officer-Trainees are temporary employees and receive Workers' Compensation, Unemployment Insurance, and paid sick leave. In addition, pursuant to the Affordable Care Act, this position is eligible to enroll in the City sponsored Kaiser High Deductible Health Plan. (Note: Employee contributions are required and differ from those applicable to Police Officers appointed to a regular sworn position).
Upon successful completion of the academy, Police Officer-Trainees are then eligible to be appointed as a Police Officer and begin serving a probationary period at the City of Walnut Creek. At the time of appointment to a regular position, new Police Officers will be informed of all City employment rights and benefits available to regular employees. Please visit the City's Human Resources website to view the Police Officer classification's salary and benefits information.
Please see the Police Officer class specification for a complete description of this classification's representative duties, requirements, working conditions, and physical requirements.
Qualifications Guidelines
The classification of Police Officer at the City of Walnut Creek requires the following two elements of Education. Candidates must meet both criteria below in order to move forward in the selection process for Police Officer - Trainee:
Education
- High school graduation (or equivalent);
- Completion of 60 semester units from a recognized college or university (up to 15 units from the police academy may be combined with other college units to meet the 60 semester units).
To qualify for this Police Officer - Trainee recruitment process, you must also meet the following requirements (a. through c.):
- Either you are interested in enrolling in a Police Academy, or you are already enrolled in a Police Academy, or you are currently a Police Officer outside of California and you do not have a California P.O.S.T waiver; and
- You are 20 years and 6 months of age at the time of applying and will be 21 years old at the time of appointment; and
- You are able to attach your P.O.S.T. Entry level Law Enforcement T-Score of 50 points or above to this application (for information on upcoming POST Pellet B exams being offered, please visit http://www.theacademy.ca.gov/tests). Your exam must have been held within 12-months of the date of the submission of your City of Walnut Creek application and the T-score letter must be dated and on agency letterhead.
Note: if you do not meet the criteria above, you may qualify for the Police Officer - Academy Graduate or Police Officer - Lateral recruitments. If you apply to the incorrect Police Officer recruitment announcement based on your experience, you may be asked to submit your application anew. If you're unsure which recruitment you're most qualified for, please email us at jobs@walnut-creek.org for guidance prior to applying.
Special Requirements
- Possession of, or ability to obtain prior to employment, a valid Class C California Driver's License and a good driving record.
- Candidate must meet City's medical standards pertaining to physical requirements prior to employment.
- Employees are assigned to shift work and rotated among various assignments.
- To learn more about the position of Police Officer, please visit the Police Officer class specification.
Supplemental Information
Applicants must apply online at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/walnutcreek/ to be eligible for consideration.
A limited number of applicants displaying the most desirable qualifications on their application (and subsequent required T-score attachment) will be invited to participate in the examination process. Candidates who show that they have relevant skills, knowledge, abilities, training, and/or education will be placed on an eligible list as a result of this examination process. This list will be valid for a period of six months. The most highly qualified candidates will be invited to a Captains' Interview.
All applicants will be notified by email as to whether or not they are invited to participate in the examination process. If you have applied to the incorrect Police Officer recruitment announcement based on your experience, you may be asked to submit your application anew. If you're unsure which recruitment you're most qualified for, please email us at jobs@walnut-creek.org for guidance prior to applying.
Applicants considered for appointment to this position will be subject to a thorough background investigation (consisting of, but not limited to, criminal history, Department of Justice and FBI fingerprinting, driving history, credit check, previous/current employment references, and personal references), pre-placement medical exam including drug screening, and a psychological exam. The City reserves the right to request a candidate to submit to a polygraph exam.
The City of Walnut Creek is committed to providing a workforce with the highest standards of integrity and honesty. Honesty and integrity will be closely evaluated throughout the background process. All information provided by applicants is required to be truthful and accurate; failure to do so may result in disqualification.
If special accommodations are necessary at any stage of the examination process, please provide the Human Resources Department with advanced notice and every attempt will be made to consider your request.
As required by law, all public employees are designated as Disaster Service Workers. As such, all City of Walnut Creek employees may be called upon to assist in the event of fire, flood, earthquake, or other natural or man-made disasters.
- This job announcement may close without notice when a sufficient number of applications have been received.
The City of Walnut Creek sponsors an alternative program to Social Security known as the Accumulation Program for Part-time and Limited-Service Employees (APPLE). If you are a temporary employee of the City, and you are not enrolled in CalPERS, you will automatically be enrolled in this program.
The Advantages for Eligible Employees include
- 5% Pre-Tax Employee Contribution (versus a 6.2% after-tax contribution to Social Security)
- 2.5% Pre-Tax Employer Matching Contribution (versus no vesting employer contribution for Social Security)
- 3.5% Guaranteed Minimum Interest Rate
- Annual Statements are Mailed Directly to Participants' Homes
- Account funds accrue tax free until retirement or may be rolled over or withdrawn (taxable) upon separation from employment
- Medicare Eligibility Contributions Continue
- APPLE Program Website Access in the Client Center at www.keenan.com.
01
Police Officer Trainees must be a minimum of 20 years and 6 months of age at the time of application and 21 years of age at the time of appointment. Are you at least 20 years and 6 months of age presently?
02
Qualification guidelines for Police Officer at the City of Walnut Creek include graduation from high school (or equivalent) and the completion of 60 semester units at a recognized college or university (equivalent to 90 quarter units). Up to 15 semester units from the police academy may be combined with other college units to meet the 60 required semester units. Please select your highest level of academic achievement. (Please note: All educational requirements will be verified.)
- I have obtained my high school diploma (or equivalent); I do not meet the educational requirement for the position of Police Officer at the City of Walnut Creek.
- I have completed 44 semester units in college, or less; I do not meet the educational requirement for the position of Police Officer at the City of Walnut Creek.
- I have completed 45 to 59 semester units (I plan to use the units that I will earn at the Police Academy to supplement the educational requirement for this position).
- I have completed 60 or more semester units in college (equivalent to at least 90 quarter units), meeting the educational requirement for the position of Police Officer at the City of Walnut Creek.
- I have obtained my Associate's Degree, meeting the educational requirement for the position of Police Officer at the City of Walnut Creek.
- I have obtained my Bachelor's Degree, meeting the educational requirement for the position of Police Officer at the City of Walnut Creek.
- I have obtained my Master's Degree, meeting the educational requirement for the position of Police Officer at the City of Walnut Creek.
03
To be eligible for consideration, all applicants must attach a valid P.O.S.T. Entry Level Law Enforcement written exam T-score of 50 or above. Please note: To be considered a valid T-score submission, the exam must have been held within 12-months of the date of the submission of your City of Walnut Creek application; and the T-score letter must be dated and on agency letterhead (Law Enforcement Academy T-Score certificates are acceptable). Have you attached a copy of your T-Score?
- Yes, I have attached a valid T-score to my application with the score of 50 or above, meeting the qualifications for this position.
- Yes, I have attached a T-score to my application, but it does not meet the requirements listed, and therefore does not meet the qualifications for this position.
- No, I did not attach a T-score to my application. My application therefore does not meet requirements for this position.
04
If invited, are you available to attend a law enforcement academy, tentatively beginning in February 2025, full-time, for approximately six months?
05
This position requires a 'good driving record'. The DMV standards set forth by the City of Walnut Creek include no DUI's or suspensions/revocations within the past five years and no more than three 'routine' violations within the past five years. Do you meet this requirement?
06
The City of Walnut Creek is committed to providing a workforce with the highest standards of integrity and honesty. Applicants considered for appointment to this position will be subject to a thorough background investigation (consisting of, but not limited to, criminal history, Department of Justice fingerprinting, DMV driving history, credit check, previous/current employment references, and personal references), pre-placement medical exam including drug screening, and a psychological exam. The City reserves the right to request a candidate to submit a polygraph exam. All applicants will be held to the highest standards of integrity and honesty. All information provided by applicants is required to be truthful and accurate; failure to do so may result in disqualification. I have read and understand the information provided above.
07
Have you ever been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony? If "Yes", please explain the incident and outcome, including dates. If, "No", write "No". Please review before responding: - A "Yes" answer does not automatically disqualify you. - Answer "No" if: 1) any conviction for which the record has been judicially ordered sealed, dismissed, expunged, or reversed on appeal; 2) any misdemeanor conviction for which probation has been successfully completed or otherwise discharged and the case has been judicially dismissed pursuant to Penal Code section 1203.4; or 3) any non-felony conviction for possession of marijuana that is two or more years old.
08
Do you have any prior work or volunteer experience with any law enforcement agency? If "Yes", please list where and in what capacity. If "No", write "No".
09
Have you served in any branch of the military? If "Yes", please share in which branch of the military, and in what capacity you served. If "No", write "No".
10
Why do you want to become a Police Officer with the City of Walnut Creek? (Please limit your response to 1-2 paragraphs.)
Required Question
Agency City of Walnut Creek
Address 1666 North Main Street
Walnut Creek, California, 94596
Website http://www.walnutcreekca.gov
