What are the responsibilities and job description for the Police Officer - Non-Certified (Recruit) position at City of Sugar Land, TX?
Position Description
The City of Sugar Land is inviting professionals who are interested in a full-time law enforcement position as a Police Officer – Non-Certified (Recruit) 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.
WE ARE TRAILBLAZERS! Relentless in Our Pursuit of Good so that Our Employees, Residents, and Businesses Can Enjoy a Life Better than They Can Even Imagine.
Our trailblazing culture focuses on our employees, our citizens and the services we provide our community. We are a data driven and innovative full-service municipality located approximately 20 miles southwest of downtown Houston that invests in our team and offers real opportunities for career growth. We pay our non-certified Police Officer recruits a starting salary of $29.87 per hour. We also offer great benefits and perks available on your first day of employment, including: City-subsidized health benefits; life and disability insurance; a variety of voluntary benefits; a robust pension plan with TMRS to set you up for a fulfilling retirement; and a positive team-oriented culture stemming from a long-term commitment to innovation and inclusion.
Benefits At-A-Glance:
- 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…
Our City Mission: WE ARE TRAILBLAZERS! Relentless in Our Pursuit of Good so that Our Employees, Residents, and Businesses Can Enjoy a Life Better than They Can Even Imagine.
Our Employee Values: Our values ignite passion, drive, and a sense of purpose, fostering a thriving and successful organizational culture!
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
A Police Officer– Non-Certified (Recruit) is an individual who will attend and successfully complete a Basic Peace Officer Certification Course at an approved TCOLE Academy in adherence to the Academy guidelines. This individual must successfully pass the TCOLE Basic Peace Officer Certification Examination.
Minimum Qualifications
Qualified candidates must 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 must be within the last 7 years from the date of application.
Candidates who have applied with the expectation of an honorable discharge or completion of a degree program 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.
In addition, qualified candidates must be a U.S. Citizen, 21 years old, or older, must have a valid driver license with a good driving record and a stable employment record with no history of any conduct which may affect suitability for law enforcement work. Candidates must pass each step of the selection process, which includes: written test, physical fitness test, oral interview board, polygraph test, and a thorough background investigation. Candidates should be aware that sensitive or confidential aspects of their personal lives will be explored. Must successfully complete and graduate from the Police Academy and pass the Texas Police Officer Certification (TCOLE) exam. A job description for a City of Sugar Land Certified Police Officer is posted on-line. Non-smokers are preferred.
Compensation
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Starting Pay: $62,130 ($29.87 per hour)
- Recruit pay is increased to Certified Officer Pay ($75,605) upon successful completion of the academy. Recruits will continue to progress through the Police Officer pay scale once certified. Officer’s earn up to $102,107 in Step 10.
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Incentive pay for education
- Associate’s Degree - $600 annually
- Bachelor’s Degree - $1200 annually
- Master’s Degree - $1800 annually
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Plus, Incentive pay for TCOLE Certificates
- TCOLE Intermediate Certificate - $600 annually
- TCOLE Advanced Certificate - $1,200 annually
- TCOLE Master Certificate - $1,800 annually
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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
Step 1: Complete an Application
Applications will only be accepted during the specified period. Qualified candidates will be notified by e-mail that they are eligible to test and provided available testing dates to schedule. To complete an application, go to www.sugarlandtx.gov click on “Employment”, scroll to the list of open positions and select “Police Officer – Non-Certified (Recruit)”. You must complete the on-line application.
Step 2: Testing (Written Test, Physical Assessment and Preliminary Interview Panel –scheduled for same day)
- Report on the date, time and location for the written test. Passing score is 70% or higher on each section.
- Applicants who have passed the written test will be given a physical assessment will be administered after the written test. Applicants will be required to pass the Texas DPS 2000 meter row standard at 40%.
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A preliminary interview will be conducted with those applicants who have passed both the written test and 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
Step 3: Oral Review Board
After the initial interview applicants will be scheduled for an in depth interview with the Oral Review Board. This interview is pass or fail, and will consist of 3 parts (in more detail than the preliminary interview conducted at an earlier time):
1. Getting to know the applicant
2. Job knowledge questions
3. Situational reasoning questions
Step 4: Background Packet Submission and Investigation
Applicants who pass the phases of testing and interview panel will submit their completed personal history statement to the Training Unit. A background investigation will be conducted.
Step 5: Polygraph Examination
Applicants who pass the background investigation and are being considered for sworn employment will undergo a polygraph examination.
Related Time Periods and Information:
This process will remain open until positions are filled. If an applicant is rejected for any of the reasons listed in the “Rejection Criteria”, they will be required to wait the specified time to apply again.
Final Steps: Eligibility Pool, Conditional Job Offer, Medical and Psychological Testing
Candidates who pass all of the above are placed in an eligibility (applicant) pool. This is not a guarantee of employment; however, the City of Sugar Land does make job offers from the applicant pool. Subsequently, if a conditional job offer is made to a candidate by the Chief of Police, the candidate must successfully complete medical and psychological exams before a final job offer is made by the People & Culture Department.
CITY OF SUGAR LAND's OVERVIEW OF EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
- Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS)
- HOLIDAYS
firefighters will receive September 11th, Patriot Day, as a fixed holiday.
- VACATION – Other than Public Safety
3 -10 Years 15 days per year
- 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
serious injury or sickness whether on or off the job. Benefits will be offset by any payments from SS, Workers Comp and other income offsets.
- SUPPLEMENTAL LIFE and AD&D
- SHORT TERM DISABILITY
- PRE-PAID LEGAL PLAN
- DEFERRED COMPENSATION
and $6,500 for age 50 catch-up.
- CREDIT UNIONS
- EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE
Salary : $4 - $75,605