Police Officer Trainee

Job Description:

Police Officer Trainee

Description

CITY EQUITY STATEMENT
The City of Westminster welcomes diverse candidates from the broadest base possible. Our goal is to find the best candidate for the job-someone who belongs, not just fits. We value life and professional experiences, recognizing equivalent combinations of knowledge skills and education.

Aligned with our city SPIRIT values, the successful candidate will have a passion and commitment to serving a diverse population of residents and must respect and uphold the principles of justice, equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging.

We encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for this role, even if you believe you have a less traditional background than described we invite you to apply.

POSITION PURPOSE / IMPORTANT APPLICATION INFORMATION

Police Officer Trainee is for non-certified applicants. Candidates who are hired will be sent to a state certified law enforcement academy. Upon successful completion of this academy, the Trainee will be promoted to entry-level police officer and must also successfully complete a 16 week field training officer program; plus, all Trainee employees must sign a work agreement with the City of Westminster at time of employment. This position is part of a progression from Trainee to Police Officer/Senior Police Officer.

The Police Officer Trainee is a safety-sensitive position that is involved with the complex and specialized activities required to maintain civil order and enforce laws and ordinances. Police Officers are responsible for the protection of life and property, detection and prevention of crime, apprehension of criminals, and enforcement of laws and ordinances in a designated specialized area or on an assigned shift.This is a safety-sensitive position.

Starting salary for Trainee is $80,745.60 annually. Upon successful completion of the academy, becoming POST certified, and after one (1) year of service (probationary period), salary increases to $86,715.20 annually.

Important dates for this recruitment are as follows:

• In-Person Written Test - Saturday, October 3, 2026 - 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
• Phone Screens - Thursday, October 8, 2026 - Times to be determined
• Oral Board Interviews - Thursday, October 15, 2026 - Times to be determined

Police Officer/Senior Police Officer Pay Scale is $80,745.60 to $119,620.80 annually.

Westminster is offering a $10,000 Hiring Bonus for ALL Newly Hired Police Officers including Trainees, Certified, and Lateral Officers: ALL Police Officer hires -Trainees, Certified and Lateral Officers will receive $5,000 upon successful completion of field training and $5,000 upon successful completion of their one-year probationary period.

The full salary range for this position is stated above. The City of Westminster has a Multilingual Stipend Program to encourage and reward benefited employees who are conversationally fluent in languages other than English. Benefited employees have the opportunity to test their language proficiency skills and qualify for a bi-weekly stipend that will vary based on the employee’s level of proficiency and usage.

ORGANIZATIONAL COMPETENCIES AND CULTURAL VALUES/GENERAL COMPETENCIES

The City's work culture encourages passionate, positive and enthusiastic employees who, along with our City Council and City Manager, are strong supporters of our mission: The City of Westminster provides high-quality core services and fosters resilience in order to promote a safe and thriving community. Westminster is a city of beautiful, safe, well-maintained neighborhoods and destinations with a vibrant, diverse economy, rich and resilient environment and a strong sense of community belonging. Our core values are embodied in our SPIRIT (Service - People - Integrity - Respect - Innovation - Teamwork).

This position supports the goals of the Police Department, which is: Enforcement and education of laws and the apprehension of those who seek to disrupt the quality of life within our community. The Department is responsible for enforcement of State Laws and Westminster Municipal Ordinances pertaining to criminal and traffic issues and to uphold the Constitution of the United States, the State of Colorado, and the Charter of the City of Westminster. The Department is primarily focused on public safety, maintaining peace and order, prevention of crime, and the apprehension of criminals.

Every employee is accountable to:

• Demonstrate a high level of customer service; encourage others to focus on the customer; foster an environment where customer service is a priority
• Communicate with customers to ensure that, where possible they are satisfied and that their needs are being addressed; solicit and evaluate customer feedback
• Act as an ambassador by understanding and fostering the organization's mission and vision
• Exhibit pride in self, the department, the city, and the community; conduct self in a professional manner
• Demonstrate integrity and build trust through credibility, reliability, commitment, loyalty, and ethical behavior
• Address difficult or contentious issues in a constructive manner
• Support/promote change; demonstrate flexibility and takes calculated risks when appropriate
• Participate in personal growth opportunities and attend trainings designed to enhance capacity to bring new skills and ideas to the job and the organization
• Work to continuously improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the service or product being delivered
• Demonstrate support for team efforts by accepting new roles and responsibilities, and helping others achieve objectives
• Value diversity; demonstrate an awareness of differences; demonstrate sensitivity and adapt behaviors and communication to accommodate these differences

GENERAL COMPETENCIES

Citywide - Every employee in this position is accountable to:

• Establish effective interpersonal relationships through honest, open communication and follow-through on commitments
• Recognize personal strengths and weaknesses and target areas for personal self-development
• Demonstrate initiative in performing job tasks
• Exhibit problem-solving skills leading to sound judgment and quality decisions
• Achieve goals, handle assigned workload and new assignments effectively; demonstrate an ability to work independently
• Communicate effectively with individuals and groups using clear and concise verbal and written communications
• Demonstrate accountability for work and take ownership in job performance
• Demonstrate concern for the accuracy and quality of work; take steps to correct mistakes and improve the overall product

Job Specific - Every employee in this position must be able to:

Physical Abilities

• Maintain personal physical fitness
• Restrain and arrest suspects
• Demonstrate proficient use of weapons
• Demonstrate proficiency with the operation of a two-way radio
• Ability to accurately enter data into a software system with 25 wpm speed
• Demonstrate application of safe driving procedures
• Perform a wide variety of physical activities due to the nature of the job

Personal Skills

• Demonstrate sound judgment, accurate observation skills and learn new information and appropriately apply it to situations
• Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills
• Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills including assertiveness, emotional self-control, adaptability, initiative, dependability, integrity, teamwork skills, and sound problem-solving techniques
• Demonstrate the ability to comply with laws, rules and regulations
• Appropriately accept advice and constructive criticism
• Demonstrate knowledge of human nature as it applies to human behavior
• Demonstrate ability to learn the local area and to locate most addresses

JOB SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS

Essential Job Functions, Duties, Responsibilities and Tasks

Must be able to act without direct supervision and to exercise independent judgment in meeting complex emergency situations

1. Responsible for effective incident evaluation, including

• Responding to calls for service
• Obtaining appropriate information at the scene
• Accurately evaluating information
• Determining priority of actions at the scene and whether it is a criminal or civil matter
• Collecting, identifying, and preserving evidence and personal property
• Gathering information through interview and interrogation techniques, and making legal admonishments

2. Responsible to arrest, detain, search, and preserve safety, including

• Approaching and detaining suspects
• Making arrests
• Restraining and subduing suspects when necessary
• Using reasonable amount of force necessary for physical arrests
• Legally searching people and property
• Applying appropriate safety precautions in hazardous and potentially dangerous situations
• Maintaining a safe position when dealing with suspects
• Maintaining an awareness of own location and location of other officers and personnel

3. Responsible to effectively communicate, both verbally and in writing, while providing appropriate public service and interaction, including

• Using appropriate oral and written communication to provide law enforcement information and explanations
• Maintaining appropriate courtesy while with the public
• Providing assistance and appropriate referrals
• Advising victims, complainants, violators, parents, etc.
• Mediating disputes
• Controlling crowds
• Presenting a neat, clean, well-groomed, professional appearance and demeanor
• Preparing effective written reports, memos, citations, activity logs, etc.
• Demonstrating effective oral communication skills with the public, other members of the department
• Demonstrating effective communication via the police radio and other portable devices

4. Responsible for patrolling, including

• Performing patrol activities in assigned area
• Observing conditions and initiating appropriate action to potential hazards and suspicious or criminal activity
• Responding to and handling a variety of calls for services
• Enforcing laws and ordinances, as well as monitoring and enforcing vehicle codes

5. Must be able to safely and proficiently use required vehicles and equipment, including

• Maintaining all equipment
• Inspecting patrol vehicle
• Inspecting all equipment
• Safely operating vehicle under routine and emergency conditions
• Using required weapons under training and emergency conditions

6. Must be able to effectively use legal and department knowledge, including:

• Demonstrating working knowledge of laws, codes, and legal procedures in all areas of law enforcement
• Testifying in civil and criminal court on behalf of the police department
• Assisting in courtroom security
• Serving summonses, subpoenas, notices, orders, and warrants of arrest
• Demonstrating working knowledge of department policies, regulations and procedures
• Maintaining current knowledge of accepted police procedures and conduct
• Keeping current on laws and relevant legal opinions
• Participating in all required training
• Adhering to an exemplary code of conduct while on or off duty in dealing with other department members as well as the City and public
• Functioning effectively within the prescribed chain of command

7. Maintains regular and punctual attendance

POSITION REQUIREMENTS/WORKING CONDITIONS/PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

Education, Experience, Skills, Formal Training, Licenses and Certifications

Required :

• Must be 21 years of age by posting closing date
• Graduation from high school or GED
• No felony convictions
• Valid driver's license and maintain a safe driving record
• Must be able to obtain First Aid and CPR certification within 12 months of employment
• Candidate must pass the academy and become conditionally POST certified to be qualified to promote to Police Officer

Preferred :

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university
• Military training (veteran friendly)
• Minimum of two years of college level training in police science, criminal justice or a related field

Any equivalent combination of education, training and experience, which would provide the required knowledge and skills, may be considered

Physical Requirements

• Work is physical in nature and requires sufficient physical stamina and strength for:
• Occasional use of sufficient physical strength, stamina, agility and ability to capture, control and arrest subjects or suspects, including those who may be bigger in stature and strength, resistive, combative, or attempting to elude custody
• Constant carrying of thirty (30) pounds around waist for up to ten hours, or the duration of a shift in standing and seated positions
• Frequent sitting in a patrol vehicle covering a designated area; occasional sitting at a desk to perform office functions and report writing; frequent standing, walking and running while chasing subjects or suspects on all types of terrain in all weather conditions
• Occasional awkward movements such as resisted twisting, bending, or lifting; occasional kneeling, climbing and balancing on fences and stairs
• Frequent firm grasping and occasional light grasping, pinching, and fine motor skills to be able to handle a weapon, evidence, and resistive detainees
• Constant near acuity and depth perception to accurately discharge a weapon and view vehicle or personal characteristics for reports or descriptions are required, as is the ability to consistently hear and communicate via phone and two-way radio systems
• Frequent lifting of up to sixty (60) pounds from ground level to waist and twenty (20) pounds from ground level to overhead to move equipment and material to and from police vehicles; occasional push/pull of up to 200 pounds or more to clear stalled vehicles from traffic or clear other hazards

WORKING CONDITIONS

Work is constantly performed outdoors and occasionally indoors with frequent exposure to extreme temperatures and all weather conditions. Work is performed year-round with occasional exposure to wet/humid conditions, loud noise, heavy traffic, and all types of hazardous situations, including threatening people, communicable diseases, hazardous materials, chemicals, etc. Due to the nature of position, periods of high activity and stress in emergency situations will exist, often after extended periods of sedentary activity, under demanding conditions, along with the handling of dangerous or hostile individuals.

Required Materials and Equipment

Vehicles, firearms, tasers, restraint devices, two-way radio, electronic devices, safety equipment, officer equipment, emergency first aid equipment, camera, speed measuring devices, breath-alcohol measuring devices and other equipment related to law enforcement; computer terminals, keyboard, printer, telephone, fax machine, photocopy machine, and other standard pieces of office equipment.

PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

• Employment as a Police Officer is conditional upon successful completion of an oral interview and/or assessment center, psychological examination, background investigation, polygraph or CVSA
• Must be able to pass a Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) background investigation and be fingerprinted for this job; a felony conviction is generally considered grounds for denial of CJIS access; outstanding arrest warrants can also lead to being disqualified from CJIS certification
• Additional testing may be required
• Pre-employment drug screen
• Pre-employment physical
• Must be legally entitled to work in the United States and provide required documentation

The City of Westminster, Colorado, is a drug free workplace and an Equal Opportunity Employer that values diversity and aims to have its workforce reflect the community.

The City of Westminster offers a comprehensive benefit package including:

• Health and Dental
• Flexible Spending
• Pension/Retirement Plans
• Term Life Insurance
• Long-term Disability
• Survivor Benefits
• Wellness Program
• Career Development Program
• Tuition Reimbursement Program
• Leave program that provides for vacation, holidays, sick leave, major illness, and on the job injury

For a more detailed overview of our General Non Exempt employee benefit package:
Benefit Package

The City of Westminster does not participate in the Social Security system. In lieu of Social Security contributions, the city contributes to a 401(a) defined contribution plan on your behalf.

401(a) Contribution Rates:
Employee Mandatory Contribution: 11.5% of your base pay. Contributions are pre-tax and fully vested.
Employer Contribution: 12% of your base pay.

Employer Contribution Vesting Schedule

• Less than 3 years - 0%
• 3 to 4 years - 60%
• 4 to 5 years - 80%
• Over 5 years - 100%
• For employees age 55 and older, the employer contributions are 100% vested

The City of Westminster provides employees with innovative and practical ways to improve their commute through two key features, EcoPass and Commute Benefits powered by Commutrics. EcoPass provides unlimited trips on RTD's core transit services and Commute Rewards allows you to record your trips and get rewards based on your commute mode.

Closing Date/Time: 9/28/2026 8:30 AM Mountain

Salary:

$80,745.60 Annually