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

Recruitment #2309-6311-001

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.

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 starts February 2024.

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

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.

 Benefits 

The City of Tucson and the Tucson Police Department offer a wide range of generous benefits for employees. For more information please click on the 'View Benefits' link above.

The Hiring Process:

1. Complete the City of Tucson Application by 5:00 pm on Monday, October 16, 2023. View a how-to video: 


2. Complete the Preliminary Applicant Questionnaire by 5:00 pm on Monday, October 16, 2023. View a how-to video: 


3. Invitations will be sent after October 16, 2023 to sign up for to the Oral Board Interview .

4. If you pass the Oral Board Interview you will be notified by TPD HR and will continue with the next steps.

5. Contact from TPD Backgrounds to fill out your ESoph background information.

6. Extensive Background Investigation.

7. Polygraph Examination.

8. Selection Process.

9. If you pass the Background Investigation, Polygraph Examination and Selection Process, you will be sent a conditional job offer.

10. Medical (including Drug Screen) and Psychological Examinations.

11. If you pass the Medical and Psychological Examinations, you will be sent a final job offer. 

12.  Academy starts on February 26, 2024.  

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.

Minimum Experience Qualifications: No experience required

Valid and Unrestricted Class D - Driver's License

No equivalency will be accepted for this recruitment. Applicants must have the minimum education and experience to be considered for this position.

Special Job Requirements

U.S. Citizenship

At least 21 years of age

At least two (2) years of driving experience 

No felony convictions or drug abuse

AZPOST Certified, or certified in another state with the ability to obtain AZPOST waiver 

Pre-Screen Questionnaire Instructions

After filling out your City of Tucson Application use this link to complete the Preliminary Applicant Questionnaire:

https://tpdjobs.tucsonaz.gov/recruiting_later_officer/

NOTE: 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). Failure to complete either the Application or the Preliminary Applicant Questionnaire will remove you from further consideration in this process.

 **The deadline to complete and submit the Preliminary Applicant Questionnaire is:

Monday, October 16, 2023, at 5:00 P.M.**


The Preliminary Applicant Questionnaire can be found at: https://tpdjobs.tucsonaz.gov/recruiting_later_officer/

The Preliminary Applicant Questionnaire is a fillable web form. 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. 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.

Complete honesty is of the utmost importance. 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. It is in your best interest to be 100% 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 their responses to the supplemental questions.

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

  • Oral Board Interviews will be held the week of November 6, 2023.  

Upon completion of all examination processes, the highest scoring applicants will be placed on the Civil Service Eligibility List. An applicant's ranking on the Civil Service Eligibility List will be based on their final score which will be calculated as:

  • 15% - Education and Work Experience
  • 85% - Oral Board Interview

The Civil Service Eligibility List may be used by the department with an approved vacancy to fill in the next six months. Selection will be made in accordance with Civil Service Rule III, Section 2. The list of employees eligible for consideration will remain in effect for six months after their names are provided to the hiring authorities. Examination results and current status will be communicated by email.

Veteran, Native American, or Disability preference points will be added to the final score for those who are placed on the Civil Service Eligibility List. If you qualify for preference points as outlined in your Employment Profile, you must upload your documentation as part of the application process or email it to TPD_HR@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 examinations must contact TPD_HR@tucsonaz.gov at least 48 hours prior to the particular examination.   

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 who 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 an 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/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:

  • 1.5-3.99 years of sworn law enforcement experience - $29.44/hour ($62,150.40) 
  • 4-5.99 years of sworn law enforcement experience - $30.61/hour ($63,668.80) 
  • 6-7.99 years of sworn law enforcement experience - $32.34/hour ($67,267.20) 
  • 8-10.99 years of sworn law enforcement experience - $33.63/hour ($69,950.40) 
  • 11+ years of sworn law enforcement experience - $35.31/hour ($73,444.80) 

Candidates placed on the Civil Service Eligibility List who receive a contingent offer 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

You are highly encouraged to print or save this bulletin as a PDF because it contains important testing dates and information that you will need to refer to later.  It will not be available after the closing date.

Communications throughout this process will be sent exclusively via email 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 inquiries should be directed to the individuals listed below:

Carolyn Cruse, 520-837-7755 or email: Carolyn.Cruse@tucsonaz.gov

Jennifer Urbina, 520-837-7762 or email: Jennifer.Urbina@tucsonaz.gov

Pre-employment Medical Testing Requirements

AZ POST Physical

Respirator Physical

Hep A Vaccine/Titer

Hep B Vaccine/Titer

Non-NIDA Drug Test

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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.