Recruitment
We are looking for people from all backgrounds who welcome a challenge, and who will uphold our mission statement, "To proudly protect and serve the public with respect and integrity." To those who accept this challenge, we offer great pay and benefits, ample opportunities for specialty assignments and advancement, outstanding training, and the privilege to serve the community of Palo Alto.
Join our team, we are hiring!
Apply Now.
Prior to applying with us, be sure to check out our Disqualification Policy(PDF, 67KB) to ensure you meet the minimum requirements for employment.
Hiring Process: Police Officer Positions
- POST Reading Comprehension Exam & POST Physical Agility Test (WSTB): Prior to applying, all applicants should complete both of these California Peace Officer Standards & Training (POST) examinations. They are administered at the South Bay Regional Public Safety Consortium at 560 Bailey Avenue in San Jose. You may register for the examinations online by visiting The Academy's website. We accept T-scores and physical agility test results from all California agencies, as long as they are the same as the tests given at the South Bay Regional Public Safety Consortium and they are no more than a year old. Please contact the South Bay Regional Public Safety Consortium directly for questions about these examinations. (Note: lateral applicants and recent academy graduates need not complete these tests)
- Complete and submit application
- Oral Interview Panel
- Oral Interview with Personnel & Training Unit lieutenant
- Background Investigation (includes a polygraph examination)
- Interview with Police Chief
- Psychological Examination
- Medical Examination (includes drug/alcohol screening)
Hiring Process: Public Safety Dispatcher Positions
For Public Safety Dispatcher I: Applicants who meet the minimum job requirements will be provided a link to take a mandatory CritiCall test. CritiCall is an online test that may be completed at your home, business, or other location. A computer with speakers and Internet access is required. Utilization of a familiar keyboard (keyboard with 10-key pad or laptop keyboard) is highly recommended to use during CritiCall test. The test takes approximately 1.5-2 hours to complete. Applicants will have two (2) opportunities to successfully pass the CritiCall test. Applicants who are unsuccessful will be disqualified from the selection process.
For Public Safety Dispatcher II (Lateral): Applicants who have one year of public safety or fire dispatch experience within the previous five years are eligible to apply for a lateral position. Lateral candidates are not required to take the CritiCall test or a POST entry level test. Candidates who have scores from previous CritiCall or POST entry level tests should include the score on their application.
Hiring Process Steps
- Application and CritiCall test (lateral candidates are not required to take the CritiCall test)
- Oral Interview Panel
- Sit-along
- Background Investigation (includes a polygraph examination)
- Interview with the Division Coordinator and Police Chief
- Psychological Examination
- Medical Examination (includes drug/alcohol screening)
Salary & Benefits: Police Officer Positions
- Make $55.32 to $71.32 hourly as a Police Officer
- 5% additional pay for each of the following: bilingual certification, night differential, Field Training Officer (with or without a police trainee),K-9 officer, and traffic motorcycle officer
- 5% additional pay for Intermediate POST certificate and 5% additional pay for Advanced POST certificate (certificates are earned based on years of service and level of education)
- 3% retention pay for ten years of law enforcement service; 6% retention pay for fifteen years of law enforcement service. At the discretion of the Police Chief, up to five years of full-time law enforcement service at another police agency may be counted towards these totals.
- Patrol work schedule: rotating 4/11 plan (11-hour shifts; four days on-duty, then four days off-duty)
- Optional on-duty workout hour
- All uniforms and equipment provided, including free ongoing dry cleaning of uniforms
- Top-quality health coverage for you and your dependents (maximum monthly City contribution of $2,260 in 2023)
- Fully-paid dental and vision coverage
- Fully-paid life insurance equal to annual salary
- Up to 100 hours of holiday annually
- Two to five weeks of vacation annually, based on years of service
- 3%@55 PERS retirement for Classic Safety (2.7%@57 PERS retirement for all other safety)
- Generous retirement health coverage for you and your dependents, based on years of service
Salary & Benefits: Public Safety Dispatcher Positions
- Make $45.55 to $55.93 hourly as a Public Safety dispatcher
- Top-quality health coverage for you and your dependents (maximum monthly City contribution of $2,180 in 2020)
- Fully-paid dental and vision coverage
- Fully-paid life insurance equal to annual salary
- Twelve paid holidays annually, plus one floating day of reflection
- Two to five weeks of vacation annually, based on years of service
- 2%@60 PERS retirement for Classic employees (2%@62 PERS retirement for all others)
- Generous retirement health coverage for you and your dependents, based on years of service
Complete a career interest form to receive notifications as recruitments open up.