OUT-OF-STATE/IN-STATE LATERAL POLICE OFFICER

Recruitment #2111-6311-001

Introduction




This position is ONLY open to individuals who are currently POST certified as a law enforcement officer in another state or who are currently AZPOST certified.

**The City of Tucson values the safety of our employees, our residents, our community, and our visitors.  In support of these values, if you are selected for this job, you must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, except when vaccination is not medically advised or violates your sincerely held religious beliefs. If you are invited to join our team, you must submit proof that you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to your initial HR representative, or you must request an exemption from your representative. New employees must either provide proof of vaccination or be granted a medical or religious exemption before working with the City of Tucson.**
The City of Tucson is seeking motivated, dedicated, adaptable, compassionate individuals interested in serving the diverse Tucson Community. The Tucson Police Department is a unique and very diverse agency, dedicated to providing outstanding law enforcement services. This is an exciting career opportunity for applicants who have a passion for protecting life and property through the enforcement of laws and ordinances.

This is an extraordinary opportunity to work for the Tucson Police Department. It is crucial that applicants be aware and consider the following job elements before submitting an application:
 
  • The probation period is 18 months.
  • Employees will be required to work rotating shifts, weekends and holidays. Overtime will be required as necessary.
Successful candidates from this testing period may be considered for any potential future funded academy classes within the next six months. However, the academy to be filled from this list is April 2022.




The Tucson Police Department was selected by The Military Times as a top agency in their "Best for Vets" 2017 Law Enforcement Jobs Review. Military times evaluated law enforcement agencies on factors including their efforts to recruit Veterans, Veteran preference points during hiring, total numbers of Veterans in the department, the generosity of pay and benefits provided to deployed Reservists, among other factors. The Tucson Police Department, along with only six other agencies, was recognized as a "Top Finisher" among the 20 departments profiled by Military Times.

For more information about the Tucson Police Department, please visit our website at https://www.tucsonaz.gov/police.



 

Tucson has been continuously inhabited for over 12,000 years and celebrates a unique diversity of cultures, architecture, and peoples.  One of the oldest towns in the United States, Tucson officially became part of the United States with the Gadsden Purchase of 1854 and served as the capital of the Arizona Territory from 1867 to 1877.  Now the 33rd largest city in the nation, Tucson maintains a strong connection to our cultural heritage as we look towards the future.

Surrounded by five mountain ranges, Tucson’s 220-plus square miles boast the natural beauty of the Sonoran Desert and an unsurpassed climate of more than 350 sunny days a year – yet is just a short drive from the cool sub-alpine meadows on Mount Lemmon.  Tucson is home to world-class outdoor recreation, a vibrant, growing city center, renowned museums, and the University of Arizona. 

Established in 1871, the Tucson Police Department is dedicated to providing professional service to, and in partnership with, nearly one million Tucson metropolitan area community members.  The Tucson Police Department enjoys a close collaborative relationship with our community and proudly incorporates community members on review boards, steering committees, and our basic and advanced training academies. 

The Department is dedicated to ensuring team members are from backgrounds as diverse as the city we serve, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation. The Department is committed to engage in cultural awareness, fighting implicit bias, and ensuring equity. 

The Tucson Police Department was honored to be selected by the Department of Justice as one of fifteen model agencies of the Advancing 21st Century Policing initiative, a recognition of our commitment to the modernization of law enforcement practices.

 

The City of Tucson and the Tucson Police Department offer a wide range of generous benefits for employees. Some of those benefits include:

City-Wide Benefits

  • Medical: Choice between a high deductible plan (HSA or HRA), or Network plan.
  • Dental: Choice between a national dental PPO and a local dental HMO.
  • Vision: Coverage for annual eye exam and glasses or contacts, plus LASIK.
  • Life: City-paid coverage for you & dependents, plus option to buy more.
  • Long-Term Disability: Income replacement of up to 60% of your base salary in the event of a qualifying disability.
  • Employee Assistance Program: Enhance your wellbeing when life doesn’t go as planned.
  • Flexible Spending: Pay for qualified health and dependent care expenses using pretax dollars.
  • Colonial Voluntary Benefits: Financial help in the event of cancer, hospitalization, accident, more.

 

Tucson Police Department Benefits

  • Continuing Education Program (CEP): Reimbursement up to $350.00, twice per year for continuing education.
  • Second Language Pay: Receive $30.00 per pay period for second language pay.
  • Certified Bilingual Commissioned Officers: Receive $85.00 per pay period.

 

Your Security and Future

  • Pension: Generous pension plans that help both civilian and public safety employees retire more comfortably.
  • Deferred Compensation: Save more toward a comfortable retirement with a 457(b) plan.
  • Training & Tuition Assistance: Pursue your dream through internal training or financial help toward a degree.
  • Back-Up Care: Care for your loved ones when your regular care is unavailable.

 

Your Peace of Mind

  • Paid Parental Leave: Six (6) weeks paid leave when you welcome a child, plus other generous leave policies for FML, Medical and USERRA.
  • Paid Time Away: New hires enjoy 37 days of paid time off in the first year, with time increasing steadily thereafter (In year one: 13 accrued days of vacation, 13 accrued days of sick leave, and 11 paid holidays).
  • Employee Discounts: Generous discounts, ranging from car rentals to computers, gifts to groceries, electronics to entertainment.
  • Social Connectedness: Forge connections with the community we serve through paid volunteerism and payroll-deducted charitable giving.

 

General Description

Protects life and property through the enforcement of criminal laws, education, crime prevention, communication, and partnerships with the community through patrolling routes, responding to emergency situations and complaints, accident investigations and hostage negotiations.

Essential Functions

Occasionally directs helpers, assistants, seasonal employees, interns, volunteers or temporary employees and may temporarily act in a higher capacity.

Performs patrol duties by traveling through designated areas, searching for suspicious, hazardous, or criminal activity, conducting field interviews with suspected offenders, and making arrests.

Responds to routine and emergency calls by contacting the reporting person and witnesses, and determining the nature of the call, and action to be taken.

Assists with crime prevention by attending public meetings, enforcing criminal and traffic laws, and identifying gang members.

Educates the community by teaching classes at schools, conducting block watch meetings, making public presentations, and answering inquiries regarding legal and safety issues.

Performs related duties by proposing, writing, and reviewing departmental policy, completing statistical reports, training officers, attending court, and participating in department/City process improvement teams.

May perform other assigned duties such as flying airplanes, conducting surveillance for ground units as requested, and instructing training classes, or off road enforcement.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Education Level & Type: High School Diploma or G.E.D.

Valid and Unrestricted Class D - Driver's License

Special Job Requirements

Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Certification (AZ POST Certified), or ability to obtain through AZPOST waiver process.

Arizona Criminal Justice Information System Network Terminal Operator Certification, or ability to obtain through AZPOST waiver process

At least two (2) years of licensed driving experience

U.S. Citizenship

At least 21 years of age

No felony convictions or drug abuse

Pre-Screen Questionnaire Instructions

The Preliminary Applicant Questionnaire is a fillable web form and can be found as a link in the supplemental questions when you apply. You must complete your application with the City of Tucson AND submit a completed Preliminary Applicant Questionnaire by the deadline to be considered for this job opening (both are required).

The deadline to submit the application and the Preliminary Applicant Questionnaire is Monday, December 13, 2021 at 5:00 PM.
CLICK THE FOLLOWING LINK TO COMPLETE THE PRELIMINARY APPLICANT QUESTIONNAIRE: https://tucsonaz.gov/apps/recruiting_later_officer

Completed Preliminary Applicant Questionnaires can only be submitted online. No other form of delivery will be accepted. You will need to type your responses into this web form document and submit into the system when prompted to do so in the supplemental question portion of the application. Please ensure you complete all the questions in the Preliminary Applicant Questionnaire. You may start and save, to complete and submit at a later time. If you utilize this save and close feature, a link will be emailed to you so you can return to where you left off. Do not return to the original link to complete the questionnaire. Doing so will require you to start over.

Please fully disclose all relevant information on the Preliminary Applicant Questionnaire. Discrepancies and omissions will be uncovered during an exhaustive background investigation and polygraph examination, so it is not in your best interest to be less than truthful. One of the fundamental requirements of working in law enforcement is the ability of an individual to adhere to and demonstrate the highest legal and ethical standards. Unfortunately, it is our experience that a number of applicants will fail due to material omissions or untruthfulness. If you are untruthful, dishonest, knowingly omit, falsify, conceal, or obscure required information during any part of the application and hiring process, you will be PERMANENTLY DISQUALIFIED from ever being employed by the Tucson Police Department in ANY capacity.

Selection Plan

Applicants who successfully complete an employment application, meet minimum qualifications, and successfully complete the Preliminary Applicant Questionnaire will be evaluated on the work experience in their employment profile and the responses to their supplemental questions.

The highest scoring applicants will then be invited to participate in an oral board interview.

  • Oral Board Interviews will be held the week of
  • Applicants invited to the Oral Board Interview will be in person as we will be conducting polygraphs and fingerprinting during this week.  

Upon completion of all examination processes, the highest scoring applicants will be placed on the Civil Service Employment List that will be used to fill vacancies occurring within the next 6 months. An applicant's ranking on the Civil Service list will be based on their final score which will be calculated as:

  • 15% of your rating for education and work experience
  • 85% of your oral board interview

Veterans, Native American, or Disability preference points will be added to the achieved score for those that are placed on the Civil Service Employment List. If you qualify for Veteran or Native American preference points as outlined in your Employment Profile, you must submit your documentation by either uploading to your application or email to Demetria.Lopez@tucsonaz.gov. Copies of DD 214s must reflect a characterization of service.   

Applicants requiring an accommodation in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act for any of the applicant evaluations must contact the individuals listed below at least 48 hours prior to the particular evaluation.   

In lieu of attending the Public Safety Academy, applicants who are currently certified as a peace officer in another state may be eligible to obtain the AZPOST certification through the waiver process. To be eligible for this process, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  1. Have previously served as a certified peace officer in Arizona, another state, or federal agency
  2. Have completed basic and advanced training that demonstrates substantial comparability to the Arizona basic course
  3. Obtain an appointment from an Arizona Law Enforcement Agency
  4. Meet all of the minimum qualifications for certification as an Arizona Peace Officer

Applicants must complete the Record of Equivalency Training Form and attach it to their application with all supporting documentation.

Applicants that are offered a position and meet the additional eligibility requirements for the waiver process, must pass the following components the AZ Post Basic assessment to maintain employment with TPD: written exam, firearms qualification, tactical driving qualification, and Peace Officer Physical Aptitude Test (POPAT).

**If a applicant cannot obtain AZPOST certification, they may be required to attend and successfully complete the Public Safety Academy to maintain employment with TPD.** 

For more information on the waiver test qualifications process and timelines, please visit the AZPOST waiver website: https://post.az.gov/certification-process/waiver-process 

All probationary employees in this classification are subject to random drug screening during their EIGHTEEN MONTH PROBATIONARY PERIOD with the Tucson Police Department.

Salary will be offered to candidates based on their years of law enforcement experience as provided below:

  • 1.5-3 years of law enforcement experience - $54,516.80
  • 4-5 years of law enforcement experience - $55,411.20
  • 6-7 years of law enforcement experience - $61,276.80
  • 8-10 years of law enforcement experience - $64,542.40
  • 11+ years of law enforcement experience - $65,728.00

The civil service list will be utilized to fill vacancies occurring within the next 6 months. Candidates placed on the Employment List must successfully pass the following:

  • An extensive background investigation, including local, state and national criminal and fingerprint checks   
  • Motor Vehicle History   
  • A polygraph examination to verify information you have supplied in the background questionnaire   
  • Pre-employment medical and psychological evaluations   
  • Candidates must also continue to maintain all physical minimum standards through the duration of this recruitment process   

 

Conclusion

CONTACTS: Communications throughout this process will be sent via email exclusively so please ensure your browser accepts emails from jobs@tucsonaz.gov and check your email account regularly. Failure to respond or follow instructions will result in disqualification.   

All email inquiries should be directed to the individuals listed below:    
Demetria Lopez, 520.837.7755 or email: Demetria.Lopez@tucsonaz.gov
Jennifer Urbina, 520.837.7762 or email: Jennifer.Urbina@tucsonaz.gov
 
You are highly encouraged to print and save this bulletin as a PDF, because it contains important testing dates and information that you will need to refer to later, as it will not be available after the closing date.

Pre-employment Medical Testing Requirements

AZ POST Physical

Respirator Physical

Hep A Vaccine/Titer

Hep B Vaccine/Titer

Non-NIDA Drug Test

**The City of Tucson values the safety of our employees, our residents, our community, and our visitors.  In support of these values, if you are selected for this job, you must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, except when vaccination is not medically advised or violates your sincerely held religious beliefs. If you are invited to join our team, you must submit proof that you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to your initial HR representative, or you must request an exemption from your representative. New employees must either provide proof of vaccination or be granted a medical or religious exemption before working with the City of Tucson.**

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To ensure accurate payroll information for tax purposes, the successful candidate will need to provide their original Social Security Card or original letter from the Social Security Administration with their social security number prior to beginning work with the City of Tucson.

The City of Tucson hires lawful workers only - US citizens or nationals and non-citizens with valid work authorization - without discrimination. Federal immigration laws require all employers to verify both the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States. In its efforts to meet the law's requirements, the City of Tucson participates in the E-Verify program established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) to aid employers in verifying the eligibility of workers.

Retired City of Tucson employees receiving benefits from the Tucson Supplemental Retirement System who are considering reemployment with the City should be aware that pursuant to Section 22-37(g) of the Tucson City Code, retirement benefits shall be suspended during the period of reemployment with the City of Tucson unless you have been separated at least twelve consecutive months before returning to work AND you return to a non-permanent employment classification. Creditable service does not accrue during any reemployment period.