Police Officer - Certified

Position Description

The City of Sugar Land is inviting law enforcement professionals who are interested in a full-time position as a Police Officer – Certified to apply to join our amazing City!

Why Should You Join Our Team?
The City of Sugar Land is located on the southwest side of Houston and is one of the fastest growing communities in the state. With a population of 111,000 , Sugar Land has been repeatedly ranked as one of America’s safest cities in the past ten years. Sugar Land boasts a diverse population, entertainment venues and a vibrant business community. The Sugar Land Police Department is a CALEA accredited department of over 180 sworn officers with opportunities for specialized assignments and training.

The City of Sugar Land, a municipality with a population of 111,026, provides the highest quality of affordable services to meet the needs of its residents. And our citizens agree—the most recent Citizen Satisfaction Survey told us that 95% of our residents love calling Sugar Land home and 10% say that nothing would make their lives better than it already is, but we look to the future and work hard to make our community and the world better than we can even imagine.

We have an informal work environment but are serious about what we do. We believe that happy, diverse and talented employees add value to the City. We do our best to hire friendly, professional people who work hard and play well with others. We also promote a healthy work-life balance and personal development.

• City-subsidized Medical and Dental Insurance with a variety of plan options;
• City-paid Basic Life Insurance @ 1x your annual salary and Long-term Disability;
• Voluntary Vision, Supplemental Life Coverage (for you and your family), Aflac indemnity plans such as Accident,
• Cancer, Hospitalization and Critical Illness, Short Term Disability and pre-paid legal benefits through Legal Shield;
• 13 paid holidays;
• A generous vacation package with accruals starting on day 1 (up to 160 hours annually after 11 years of service);
• Paid sick leave accrual of 3.69 hours per pay period;
• Paid Parental Leave – up to 6 weeks;
• A robust pension plan with TMRS includes your 7% contribution with 2:1 match by the City;
• You won’t contribute to Social Security, but you can further your retirement income by contributing to a Deferred Compensation (457b) plan;
• Longevity pay for each month of service after your first 13 months of employment;
• On-site Wellness facilities and programming (mind, body spirit & financial preparedness); and
• Access to multiple mental health benefits and resources, including a robust EAP…

We follow the BLAZE Values:

Bold: We encourage each other to be bold in our ideas, decisions, and actions. We embrace innovation and take risks to drive progress.

Loyal: We are loyal to each other, the City and our Mission and Vision. We support each other to foster a cohesive and collaborative work environment. We celebrate our successes and address the challenges facing us, together.

Adaptable: We are resilient because we adapt to changing landscapes and market dynamics. We are flexible and understand the need for work-life balance. We embrace new technologies and evolving trends.

Zealous: We are committed to excellence in all endeavors. We encourage each other to strive for the highest standards of public service, quality, and performance. We hold ourselves, and each other, accountable for our words and actions.

Empowered: We are empowered with the necessary resources, opportunities, and responsibilities to excel in our roles. We seek out opportunities for development and growth, and help others do the same. We are inclusive, we embrace our differences and recognize the strength that comes from different perspectives and experiences.

We are TrailBLAZErs!

Summary of Duties

APolice Officer – Certifiedis an individual who has attended a Police Academy and is certified and licensed as a Peace Officer by TCOLE (Texas Commission on Law Enforcement) or who will be certified within 180 days of the submission of their application. This category also includes applicants who have, or are in the process of, challenging TCOLE as an Out of State or Federal applicant but do not have at least 3 years of service as a sworn peace officer with their most recent police agency that allows them to apply as a Police Officer- Lateral.

Candidates who have applied with the expectation of academy graduation and TCOLE licensure, or TCOLE licensure through Out-of-State or Federal challenges, within the specified time frame who ultimately do not complete that requirement will be discharged from the hiring process unless they meet other requirements allowing them to continue in the hiring process.

Minimum Qualifications

n addition to completion of the academy and TCOLE licensure, it is preferred that candidates also have:

• A Bachelor's Degree, or an expected graduation within 180 days of the submission of their application, from an accredited school or university with a GPA of 2.0 or higher. (The institution/program must be recognized as accredited through the U.S. Department of Education – Office of Postsecondary Education.)

• Two years active United States Armed Forces Military Experience with an Honorable Discharge or an expected discharge within 180 days of their application.

• The completion, or expected completion within 180 days, of a military obligation of at least 6 years (US Military Reservists)

• A stable job history of 5 or more years at a single employer or while owning their own business. Candidates in this category should be able to demonstrate an emphasis on personal and professional growth, successes in their employment field, and actions or organizational memberships that serve as a model to be emulated by others. This 5 years of stable job history should be within the last 7 years from the date of application.

• Starting Pay: $75,605 ($36.35 per hour)
  • Annual salary increases up to max ($102,107) in Step 10 (9 years of service as a Police Officer).
  • If applicants are extended an offer of employment and have a start date prior to their academy graduation and/or TCOLE licensure, they will be Paid as a Police Officer – Non-Certified (Recruit) ($62,130 ANNUALLY) as listed on the City website until their licensure.
  • Pay for Performance Awards up to $4,000 per Year
• Incentive pay for education
  • Associate’s Degree - $600 annually
  • Bachelor’s Degree - $1200 annually
  • Master’s Degree - $1800 annually
• Plus, Incentive pay for TCOLE Certificates
  • TCOLE Intermediate Certificate - $600 annually
  • TCOLE Advanced Certificate - $1,200 annually
  • TCOLE Master Certificate - $1,800 annually
• Additional Incentive Pays
  • Field Training Officer ($1,500 annually) or Field Training Coordinator ($3,000 annually)
  • SWAT or Crisis Negotiator Assignment ($1,500 annually)
  • Longevity Pay - $4/month up to $1,200 annually after 13 months of employment
• Member – Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS) – 7% contribution with 2:1 matching funds.
• Excellent health benefits.
• Uniforms, weapons and equipment provided.
• 13 paid holidays annually,
• 80 hours paid vacation annually (up to 160 hours at 11 years with City),
• Paid sick leave accrual of 3.69 hours per pay period;
• Paid Parental Leave – up to 6 weeks;
• Fitness Incentive Program (up to 80 hours Paid Leave Annually)
• Other specialty and assignment pays are available

• A physical assessment will be administered. Applicants will be required to pass the Texas DPS 2000 meter row standard at 40%.
• A preliminary interview will be conducted with those applicants who have passed the physical assessment. This interview is pass or fail, and will consist of 3 parts:
  • getting to know the applicant
  • job knowledge questions
  • situational reasoning questions

Additional Information

CITY OF SUGAR LAND's OVERVIEW OF EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

• Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS)

• HOLIDAYS

• VACATION – Other than Public Safety

• VACATION – Public Safety

• SICK LEAVE – Other than Firefighters

• SICK LEAVE – Shift Firefighters

• SICK LEAVE INCENTIVE PROGRAM

• LONGEVITY PAY

• 125 CAFETERIA PLAN

• GROUP HEALTH & DENTAL

• VISION CARE PLAN

• AFLAC PLANS

• BASIC LIFE and AD&D

• LONG TERM DISABILITY

• SUPPLEMENTAL LIFE and AD&D

• SHORT TERM DISABILITY

• PRE-PAID LEGAL PLAN

• DEFERRED COMPENSATION

• CREDIT UNIONS

• EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE