Police Officer Trainee

Summary

Police Officer Trainee

Current applicants will be considered for the Santa Rosa Junior College Basic Intensive Police Academy in January of 2027.

A Police Officer Trainee is a non-sworn full-time employee of the City and is eligible for pay and benefits. Acceptance by the Academy, which includes successfully passing the POST Entry-Level Law Enforcement Test Battery with a T-Score of 42 or better, is a condition of employment for this position.

After successful completion and graduation from the Police Academy, a Police Officer Trainee who continues to meet the employment standards of the City is eligible to be sworn in as a Police Officer and begin the Petaluma Police Department's Field Training Program.

A complete copy of the job description can be found here.

The current base salary range for Police Officer is:

$102,606.40 - $124,779.20 annually (+2% COLA in July 2027)

*** The Petaluma Police Department is a VA-approved employer, where veterans and eligible service members can participate in the GI Bill On-the-Job Training Program ***

Special Pays as a sworn Police Officer:

• Uniform Pay: 1.5% of Step 5 of Police Officer annual salary
• POST Certificate Pay: 5% for POST Intermediate Certificate, 7% for POST Advanced or Supervisory Certificates.
• Bilingual Pay: up to $200 per month
• Field Training Officer, Traffic Officer, Detective, K-9 Officer: 5% as assigned
• SWAT: 2.5% as assigned
• Shift Differential: 3% if assigned to swing shift, 5% if assigned to graveyard shift
• Longevity Pay: 5% after 5 years, 10% after 8 years, 12.5% after 15 years of service with the City

Benefits as a sworn Police Officer:

• CalPERS Retirement: 3% at 55 for "classic" members, 2.7% at 57 for new members. As a Trainee, will be enrolled as a Miscellaneous member of CalPERS
• CalPERS Health Program: City pays 95% of Bay Area Kaiser rate premium for employee and eligible dependents
• Cash in Lieu of Medical/Dental Benefits: receive 50% of Kaiser Bay Area premium and Dental premium as cash payment (with proof of other insurance for employee and eligible dependents)
• Dental/Vision/Life/LTD Insurance: paid 100% by City
• Holiday Pay: 156 hours per year
• Sick Leave: earn 96 hours per year with unlimited accrual
• Compensatory Time Off Bank: earn hours at 1.5 times actual hours worked up to 240 hours
• Vacation Time: earn 80-200 hours per year depending on years of service
• Paid Parental Leave - up to 8 weeks (or equivalent hours) of paid time for qualified family bonding
• $500 Annual Wellness Reimbursement
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program Employer

For more information regarding the benefits associated with this position, visit our website and look at the Memorandum of Understanding and Employee Benefits.

About The Police Department

Petaluma Police Department is dedicated to providing the best law enforcement services to the community and it prides itself on community involved programs. Petaluma has a population of approximately 59,000 and encompasses nearly 13 square miles situated 40 miles north of San Francisco Bay Area on U.S. 101, and 30 miles east of the Pacific Ocean. The Police Department staffing includes 84.5 full time employees, including one Chief, one Deputy Chief, four Lieutenants, one Technical Services Manager, ten Sergeants, fifty Officers, and other support staff. In addition, the department has K-9 Officers, Traffic Unit, Motorcycle Patrol, SWAT Team, Investigations Unit, and Reserve Community Service Officer Program (Volunteer). The Petaluma Police Department is proactive in Community Oriented Policing Philosophy.

Job Description

Police Officer Trainee

Current applicants will be considered for the Santa Rosa Junior College Basic Intensive Police Academy in January of 2027.

A Police Officer Trainee is a non-sworn full-time employee of the City and is eligible for pay and benefits. Acceptance by the Academy, which includes successfully passing the POST Entry-Level Law Enforcement Test Battery with a T-Score of 42 or better, is a condition of employment for this position.

After successful completion and graduation from the Police Academy, a Police Officer Trainee who continues to meet the employment standards of the City is eligible to be sworn in as a Police Officer and begin the Petaluma Police Department's Field Training Program.

A complete copy of the job description can be found here.

The current base salary range for Police Officer is:

$102,606.40 - $124,779.20 annually (+2% COLA in July 2027)

*** The Petaluma Police Department is a VA-approved employer, where veterans and eligible service members can participate in the GI Bill On-the-Job Training Program ***

Special Pays as a sworn Police Officer:

• Uniform Pay: 1.5% of Step 5 of Police Officer annual salary
• POST Certificate Pay: 5% for POST Intermediate Certificate, 7% for POST Advanced or Supervisory Certificates.
• Bilingual Pay: up to $200 per month
• Field Training Officer, Traffic Officer, Detective, K-9 Officer: 5% as assigned
• SWAT: 2.5% as assigned
• Shift Differential: 3% if assigned to swing shift, 5% if assigned to graveyard shift
• Longevity Pay: 5% after 5 years, 10% after 8 years, 12.5% after 15 years of service with the City

Benefits as a sworn Police Officer:

• CalPERS Retirement: 3% at 55 for "classic" members, 2.7% at 57 for new members. As a Trainee, will be enrolled as a Miscellaneous member of CalPERS
• CalPERS Health Program: City pays 95% of Bay Area Kaiser rate premium for employee and eligible dependents
• Cash in Lieu of Medical/Dental Benefits: receive 50% of Kaiser Bay Area premium and Dental premium as cash payment (with proof of other insurance for employee and eligible dependents)
• Dental/Vision/Life/LTD Insurance: paid 100% by City
• Holiday Pay: 156 hours per year
• Sick Leave: earn 96 hours per year with unlimited accrual
• Compensatory Time Off Bank: earn hours at 1.5 times actual hours worked up to 240 hours
• Vacation Time: earn 80-200 hours per year depending on years of service
• Paid Parental Leave - up to 8 weeks (or equivalent hours) of paid time for qualified family bonding
• $500 Annual Wellness Reimbursement
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program Employer

For more information regarding the benefits associated with this position, visit our website and look at the Memorandum of Understanding and Employee Benefits.

About The Police Department

Petaluma Police Department is dedicated to providing the best law enforcement services to the community and it prides itself on community involved programs. Petaluma has a population of approximately 59,000 and encompasses nearly 13 square miles situated 40 miles north of San Francisco Bay Area on U.S. 101, and 30 miles east of the Pacific Ocean. The Police Department staffing includes 84.5 full time employees, including one Chief, one Deputy Chief, four Lieutenants, one Technical Services Manager, ten Sergeants, fifty Officers, and other support staff. In addition, the department has K-9 Officers, Traffic Unit, Motorcycle Patrol, SWAT Team, Investigations Unit, and Reserve Community Service Officer Program (Volunteer). The Petaluma Police Department is proactive in Community Oriented Policing Philosophy.