Demo

Police Officer (Lateral)

CITY OF MILPITAS, CA
Milpitas, CA Full Time
POSTED ON 4/28/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 6/27/2026
Definition

THIS RECRUITMENT IS OPEN UNTIL FILLED AND MAY CLOSE AT ANY TIME. APPLY EARLY!

*** NEW! Lateral Incentive Program beginning in January 2025.***

Credit for years of service at a public agency in an equivalent qualifying eligible role, for the purposes of vacation accrual; AND a one-time, upfront balance of up to 160 hours deposited into a non-cashable leave bank based on prior years of service at a public agency. Contact the Milpitas Police Department directly for more information.

The Milpitas Police Department is a full-service department, with 128 employees (94 sworn and 34 non-sworn). The department provides public safety to 81,773 residents in a 13.63 square mile urban area. A wide variety of services include a SWAT Team, UAS Team, K-9 Unit, Police Community Relations Unit, Detective Bureau, and Traffic Safety Unit. Most officers work a 4-10 schedule. To learn more about our department, visit www.BeMilpitasPD.org .

THE POSITION

To perform law enforcement and crime prevention work; to control traffic flow and enforce State and local traffic regulations; to perform investigative work; to participate in and provide support and assistance to special department crime prevention and enforcement programs; to perform a variety of technical law enforcement tasks.

Examples of Duties

  • Patrol the City in radio-equipped vehicle; answer calls for the protection of life and property, and the enforcement of City, County, and State laws; may conduct both preliminary and follow-up investigations of disturbances, prowlers, burglaries, thefts, hold-ups, death, and other criminal incidents.
  • Patrol the City on a motorcycle or in a radar-equipped patrol unit; respond to calls related to traffic incidents and any other required emergencies; observe, monitor and control routine and unusual traffic conditions; assist and advise motorists and enforce traffic safety laws.
  • Make arrests as necessary; interview victims, complainants, and witnesses; interrogate suspects; gather and preserve evidence; testify and present evidence in court.
  • Collect and present evidence using scientific identification techniques and testify in court.
  • Contact and cooperate with other law enforcement agencies in matters relating to the apprehension of offenders and the investigation of offenses.
  • Prepare reports and arrests made, activities performed, and unusual incidents observed.
  • Stop drivers who are operating vehicles in violation of laws; issue citations and make arrests as necessary. Check buildings for physical security.
  • Check buildings for physical security.
  • Direct traffic at fire, special events, and other emergency or congested situations.
  • Maintain contact with citizens regarding potential law enforcement problems and preserve good relationships with the general public.
  • Assist in the performance of special investigative and crime prevention duties as required.
  • Transport prisoners, serve warrants and subpoenas; retrieve and request information involving arrests and subpoenas; submit reports on complaints and perform other work related to the processing of misdemeanor and felony complaints.
  • Serve warrants within the department and with outside agencies; provide functional guidance to clerical staff involved in warrant processing; keep up-to-date on laws and procedures required for processing warrants.
  • Administer first aid as necessary.


Typical Qualifications

Experience: The Lateral Police Officer position requires current law enforcement experience.

Education: Sixty (60) semester units or ninety (90) quarter units of college level studies with major course work in police science or related field. i.e. liberal arts, business, psychology, or political science.

*Please attach a copy of your degree, certificate, or transcripts demonstrating your highest level of education to your application.

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATES
• Possession of or ability to obtain and maintain an appropriate, valid California Driver’s License.
• California P.O.S.T. Basic Certificate.

*Please attach a copy of your P.O.S.T. certificate to your application.

Note: Only those candidates who have passed probation, passed FTO, and who are currently working for a law enforcement agency will be considered.

Supplemental Information

if you have questions regarding this recruitment or the lateral incentive program, please contact Lisa Beaulieu, Management Analyst, at: lbeaulieu@milpitas.gov .

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED
General supervision is provided by a Police Sergeant. Some assignments may require indirect supervision of sworn and non-sworn personnel.

SELECTION PROCESS

The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's education, training, and experience as stated in the application and responses to the Supplemental Questions. The Supplemental Questionnaire must be completed in full; responses such as “see resume” or the like will be considered incomplete applications. Applications will not be accepted after the job closing date. Candidates whose applications best match the need of the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process for Police Department positions will consist of one or more interviews, personal history statement, Department of Justice/FBI fingerprint check, polygraph examination(s), background investigation, psychological screening, and pre-employment medical examination.

Please note: The examination process (including dates) may be changed as deemed necessary by the Police Department. Meeting the minimum requirements listed in this job posting does not guarantee advancement in subsequent phases of the selection process.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Milpitas will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the Human Resources Department.

The City of Milpitas is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

City of Milpitas Benefits Page: Benefits | Milpitas, CA

*For Police Officer and Communications Dispatcher Benefits, visit: Join Our Team | Milpitas, CA

Closing Date/Time: Continuous

Salary.com Estimation for Police Officer (Lateral) in Milpitas, CA
$78,235 to $91,176
If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets

What is the career path for a Police Officer (Lateral)?

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs on the Police Officer (Lateral) career path by checking the boxes next to the positions that interest you.
Income Estimation: 
$60,982 - $71,065
Income Estimation: 
$63,211 - $86,677
Income Estimation: 
$45,833 - $56,838
Income Estimation: 
$69,185 - $95,783
Income Estimation: 
$47,543 - $64,320
Income Estimation: 
$56,220 - $78,495
Employees: Get a Salary Increase
View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

Job openings at CITY OF MILPITAS, CA

  • CITY OF MILPITAS, CA Milpitas, CA
  • Definition ***THIS RECRUITMENT IS OPEN UNTIL FILLED, AND MAY CLOSE AT ANY TIME*** APPLICATIONS ARE SCREENED ON A REGULAR BASIS WITH A FIRST REVIEW DATE OF ... more
  • 1 Day Ago

  • CITY OF MILPITAS, CA Milpitas, CA
  • Definition THIS RECRUITMENT IS OPEN UNTIL FILLED, AND MAY CLOSE AT ANY TIME. THE FIRST APPLICATION REVIEW DATE IS MARCH 12, 2026. The City of Milpitas is h... more
  • 1 Day Ago

  • CITY OF MILPITAS, CA Milpitas, CA
  • Definition THIS RECRUITMENT IS OPEN UNTIL FILLED, AND MAY CLOSE AT ANY TIME. ***APPLICATIONS ARE SCREENED ON A REGULAR BASIS *** Under direct supervision o... more
  • 1 Day Ago

  • CITY OF MILPITAS, CA Milpitas, CA
  • Definition The City of Milpitas is home to family-centered communities that embrace cultural diversity, quality schooling, and conveniently located neighbo... more
  • 1 Day Ago


Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other Police Officer (Lateral) jobs in the Milpitas, CA area that may be a better fit.

  • City of Morgan Hill Police Station, CA
  • CITY OF MORGAN HILL POLICE OFFICER TRAINEE $10,774.67 - $14,439.09 Monthly* $129,296.04 - $173,269.08 Annually* Choose Morgan Hill: The City of Morgan Hill... more
  • 1 Month Ago

  • Lensa Palo Alto, CA
  • Lensa is a career site that helps job seekers find great jobs in the US. We are not a staffing firm or agency. Lensa does not hire directly for these jobs,... more
  • 22 Days Ago

AI Assistant is available now!

Feel free to start your new journey!