Additionally, City-paid benefits may include medical, dental, vision, paid vacation, holidays, administrative leave days, sick time, CalPERS retirement contribution, life insurance, disability insurance, tuition reimbursement, annual professional development reimbursement, one week of paid parental leave, and more! All benefits information can be foundhere. 

A Police Officer Trainee attends a California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST)-Certified Police Academy full-time. Upon successful completion of the POST Academy, trainees are eligible for immediate appointment to the position of Police Officer.

Officers, working under the philosophy of community policing, are responsible for protecting persons and property; maintaining order; preventing crime and juvenile delinquency; controlling traffic; specialized administrative or investigative duties; and writing reports.

• Possess a high school diploma or equivalent;
• Be at least 21 years of age;
• Have completed the equivalent of ten (10) semester or fifteen (15) quarter units at a college or university OR completion of basic and advanced training in the armed forces and receipt of an honorable discharge with a copy of the DD214 (must provide proof);
• Have no felony convictions;
• Possess a T-Score from the POST Entry-Level Law Enforcement Test Battery (PELLET-B) of 48 or above*, obtained within 12 months of application OR current attendance at a CA POST-affiliated Police Academy (must provide proof)
• Possess a valid California driver’s license and a satisfactory driving record;
• Have vision uncorrected 20/100 in each eye, corrected to 20/30 in each eye;
• Have normal color vision;
• Have normal hearing.

*NOTE: Applicants must provide a copy of a valid T-Score of 48 or above from the POST PELLET-B, taken within 12 months of application. Applicants may contact The Academy, South Bay Regional Public Safety Training Center (www.theacademy.ca.gov), or other local agencies or training academies to determine if they are administering the PELLET-B. Additional information may be obtained by visiting the CA POST website at www.post.ca.gov

Automatic Disqualifiers:

• Felony Convictions
• Domestic Violence Convictions
• Crimes of Moral Turpitude
• Drug Use – Within Last Three (3) Years:
  • Hallucinogens
  • Psilocybin (Mushrooms)
  • LSD
  • MDMA (Ecstasy)
  • Cocaine
  • Methamphetamine
  • Heroin

Application and Selection Process  

1. All applicants must submit a complete City of Richmond Employment Application online. Applicants can apply by visiting the City of Richmond employment page at www.ci.richmond.ca.us. Please fill out the Employment Application completely (including places of employment with complete addresses; i.e., number and street name, city and state, names of supervisors with telephone numbers, etc.), answer the Supplement Qualifications Questionnaire, and if applicable, attach required documents. Incomplete applications will be rejected. 
   
2. Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be placed on an unranked Employment List. The Employment List is valid for four (4) months, unless extended an additional four (4) months. ** Placement on the employment list does not guarantee selection to proceed in the recruitment process. **
   
3. Candidates will be selected to complete a Writing Sample (essay), participate in an oral board interview, submit a Personal History Statement (PHS), and complete a Physical Agility Test, mirroring the California POST Work Sample Test Battery (WSTB) **:
   • Solid Fence Climb and Chain Link Fence Climb (Two Trials)
     1. Maximum time allowed – Solid: 15.1 seconds, Chain: 19.3 seconds
   • Body Rescue/Drag (Two trials)
     1. Maximum time allowed: 28.9 seconds
   • Obstacle Course/Agility Run (Two Trials)
     1. Maximum time allowed: 33.9 seconds
   • 500 Yard Run (One Trial)
     1. Maximum time allowed: 199.9 seconds (3 minutes 33 seconds)

** The Physical Agility Test will be waived for candidates who provide proof of successful completion of the POST Work Sample Test Battery, provided by a POST accredited agency, with a minimum passing score of 384, within 6 months of application **

4. The PHS will be reviewed and evaluated based on hiring requirements.
5. Candidates will be selected to proceed in the hiring process, consisting of the
following:

• Livescan Fingerprinting
• Polygraph Examination
• POST-Certified Background Investigation

6. Select candidates may receive a conditional offer of employment upon completion
and review of the background investigation report, and be scheduled for:

• Medical Evaluation
• Psychological Assessment

7. Candidates who successfully pass the medical evaluation and psychological
assessment will enter the final review phase of the hiring process. Candidates may
be scheduled to meet with the Police Chief for an interview.
 
8. The Police Chief will make the final hiring decision. Candidates who are selected for
hire will receive a final offer letter from the Human Resources Management
Department.
 California Government Code Title I, Sections 3100 - 3109, declare all public employees to be Disaster Service Workers subject to such disaster service activities as may be assigned to them by their superiors or by law. More information can be found here.Analyst: J.SomeraRevised 1/2024