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Police Officer Requirements / Salary / Benefits

Starting Salary: $45,684

Employment Opportunity

It is a known fact that law enforcement today is much more complex than in previous years. The Des Moines Police Department is looking for candidates who possess the following qualities:

• Good character and integrity
• Exercise initiative in their work
• Have the ability to carry a great deal of responsibility in handling difficult situations alone
• Desire and ability to adapt thinking to technological and sociological changes in today's world
• Emotional maturity, physical strength, and ability to remain calm in emotionally charged situations

They must be able to develop the social skills and ability to communicate effectively with persons of various cultural, economic, and ethnic backgrounds.

Essential Duties

Your duties will include a full range of enforcement of law and order; protection of life and property. You will be responsible for patrol of assigned areas for the prevention of crime, apprehension of criminals, and maintaining the well being of the community. Testifying in criminal and civil proceedings, providing communication, and establishing positive rapport with citizens, media, and community organizations.

Salary Range

Police Officer
Effective Date	Step 1	Step 2	Step 3	Step 4	Step 5
July 1, 2008	47,169	50,532	52,900	55,446	57,990
Senior Police Officer
Effective Date	Step 1	Step 2	Step 3	Step 4	Step 5
July 1, 2008	51,209	53,675	56,198	58,871	61,426

Employment Standards

• Education

  Graduation from high school or a GED Equivalency Certificate, plus a minimum of 15 semester hours of college, or approved business or trade school credit

• Age

  Minimum age of 21

• Weight

  It is recommended your weight should be in proportion to your height

• Health

  Excellent physical condition is required to fully perform the job of Police Officer

• Vision

  A minimum of 20/100 or better in both eyes correctable to 20/20 in both eyes with the aid of corrective lenses or contacts, normal color sense and normal field of vision

• Appearance

  Applicants must be clean cut and present a professional image

• Character

  Applicants are fingerprinted and records are checked in City, State, and National Bureaus. Before appointment, an investigation is made on the applicant's character, which must be above reproach
• Applicant must have a valid motor vehicle operator or chauffeur's license issued by the State of Iowa or the ability to acquire one prior to appointment

Driving Record

An applicant will not be considered for employment at any time if they have been convicted of the following offenses:

• Failure to stop and render aid
• Perjury or making false statement during driver's licensing procedures from any state
• Driving while intoxicated (If this is an isolated incident, the applicant may submit a written statement regarding the circumstances surrounding the incident for review.)

An applicant will not be considered for employment if:

• Driving privileges have been suspended, canceled, or revoked in the three(3) years prior to the application deadline
• Have been convicted of three(3) moving violations in the three(3) years prior to the application deadline

Good Moral Character

An applicant must be of good moral character, which means that they can be trusted and are considered by those who know them to be a person of good reputation and good standing in the community. When conduct is of a nature that, if known, would tend to discredit the applicant as a peace officer, the applicant will be disqualified from employment consideration.

The character of a person is determined by past and present behavior. Many factors are relevant in this assessment. The Department seeks applicants whose histories show good judgment, maturity, a sense of responsibility, and respect for others.

Some of the disqualifying factors are:

• Conviction of a felony. Conviction of other, less serious offenses or any offense will be evaluated based upon how recently it occurred, severity, frequency, and circumstances.
• Conviction of domestic abuse will disqualify the applicant from employment consideration.
• Conviction of assault or theft will disqualify the applicant from employment consideration
• A consistent pattern of unexplained failures to meet debt obligations.
• Giving false information on the application, during the application process, or any attempt of deception or fraud in connection with the examination process.
• History of excessive use of alcohol without successful rehabilitation.
• Current (past 12 months) or excessive use or abuse of alcohol.
• Marijuana use in the past 24 months.
• Use of other illegal drugs in the past 36 months.
• Illegal drugs, include, but are not limited to: Hashish; Hash oil; Heroin; LSD; Amphetamines; Steroids; Cocaine; Crack; Methadone; Morphine and/or opium; Acid, Microdots, Windowpane, etc.; Mescaline. Use or experimentation with drugs, other than noted above, will be evaluated.
• Use of any illegal drug or conviction of a felony or any other serious offense after becoming an applicant.
• A felony conviction or conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude. Moral turpitude can be, but is not limited to any of the following acts: income tax evasion, perjury, theft, indecent exposure, sex crimes, conspiracy to commit a crime, defrauding the government, and illegal drug sales. Various factors, however, may cause an offense, which is generally not regarded as constituting moral turpitude to be regarded as such. For example, a record of a number of convictions for criminal mischief would involve moral turpitude, whereas a single act would not.

Applicants will be subject to a background investigation. Information gained through the investigation will be used to determine if individual applicants meet these guidelines. Applicants who do not meet these guidelines will not be given further appointment consideration.

All applicants who reach the final selection stage must pass a polygraph, physical exam, drug screen, and a psychological screening. Successful completion of these requirements does not guarantee appointment as a Police Officer, however.

Examinations

• Physical Fitness

  Applicants must pass the Cooper Physical Fitness Test, which includes Push-ups, Sit-ups, Stretch and Reach, and 1.5 mile run, within the guidelines listed below. This is a pass/fail test and a passing score is required to continue on to the Written Examination.

  Performance Standards for Physical Fitness Testing
  Males	Age Groups
  Sub-Test	21-29	30-39	40-49	50-59	60+
  Sit & Reach	16.5	15.5	14.3	13.3	12.5
  Sit-Ups	38	35	29	24	19
  Push-Ups	29	24	18	13	10
  1.5 Mile Run	12:51	13:36	14:29	15:26	16:43
  Females	Age Groups
  Sub-Test	21-29	30-39	40-49	50-59	60+
  Sit & Reach	19.3	18.3	17.3	16.8	15.5
  Sit-Ups	32	25	20	14	6
  Push-Ups	15	11	9	12*	5*
  1.5 Mile Run	15:26	15:57	16:58	17:54	18:44

  *Females over age 49 may do push-ups from the knee. Normative data have not been established for these age groups.)

• Written Examination

  Applicants will be required to complete the POST test that is designed to test academic skills of reading, report writing, grammar, and math. A minimum score of 70% in each of the four areas is required, to obtain a passing score.

• Polygraph Examination

  Those applicants successfully completing the Written Examination must participate in a Polygraph Examination and a thorough Background Investigation.

• Civil Service Oral Examination

  Applicants who successfully complete the various examinations will be required to appear before the Civil Service Commission for an oral interview. The purpose of this interview is to evaluate personal characteristics, background, and interest in police work.

• Police Department Staff Interview

  Top candidates will be invited to participate in a final evaluation interview.

• Psychological Examination

  The top candidates will be invited to participate in the Psychological Examination process and an eligibility list will be established.

• Medical Examination

  Prior to appointment, the applicant must successfully complete a Medical Examination, including drug screen testing.

These guidelines will be reviewed on an annual basis and updated as necessary

Veterans Preference

Applicants claiming Veteran's Preference as provided in Chapter 400.10, Code of Iowa 1999, are required to provide a full-size certified photo copy of page 3 showing discharge and service record at the time of formal application.

Benefits

• Employee and family health insurance
• Life Insurance
• 11 paid holidays
• Paid vacation
  • Two-weeks after one year
  • Three-weeks after seven years
  • Four-weeks after twelve years
  • Five-weeks after nineteen years
• Paid sick leave - Earned at 12-days a year with no maximum accumulation
• Court appearance compensation
• Overtime compensation
• Uniforms furnished
• Retirement at age 55 plus 22 years of service equals 66 percent. Service beyond 22 years of service, each additional year will earn a two percent increase in benefit, up to a maximum of 82 percent.

Common Medical Conditions and Problems, which Very Likely will Impact an Application for Disability Retirement:

• Stomach or duodenal ulcer disease
• Inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease)
• Inguinal hernia
• Significant hearing loss
• Diabetes mellitus
• Arthritis of a major joint
• Torn meniscus (cartilage) in the knee or history of complete removal
• Torn ligaments resulting in residual instability
• Vision not meeting the Department standards
• Abnormal urinalysis with blood, sugar or protein indicating chronic disease
• Myocardial infarction (heart attack) or angina pectoris
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Overweight or underweight
• Asthma or emphysema
• Herniated disc (or history of operation for)
• Chronic or recurrent back pain
• Mental illness causing hospitalization or requiring maintenance (regular) medication
• Malignant tumors (cancer)
• Infectious diseases not adequately treated (convulsive disorder)
• Epilepsy
• Fractures with pins placed or screws left in place
• Joint replacement
• Migraine headaches

If you have any questions please contact us at:

Des Moines Regional Police Academy

433 S.E. Army Post Road
Des Moines, Iowa 50315
Phone: (515) 323-8350
Fax: (515) 256-2563
Toll Free: 1-866-282-5811
http://www.dmgov.org

This page was last updated: December 14, 2007