Salary : $68,099.20 - $119,017.60 Annually
Location : 3360 Park Street, Grove City, OH
Job Type: Full-time
Job Number: 26-9912-2
Department: Police
Opening Date: 07/13/2026
Closing Date: 8/16/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

General Description and Qualifications
Integrity • Teamwork • Respect • Duty • Excellence

The Grove City Division of Police is seeking candidates for the role of Police Officer. Begin or continue your law enforcement career by joining a dynamic team of professionals tasked with serving and protecting the residents, businesses, and visitors of this growing and diverse community.

Apply with Grove City by 1) selecting the apply button below to complete your application AND 2) signing up and taking the National Testing Network (NTN) Law Enforcement Exam. Be sure to apply NTN score results to Grove City. The cost to take the exam is $65.00. If you have existing NTN Law Enforcement Exam scores that you wish to apply to Grove City, the cost is $12.00.

Your Grove City application must be received by Sunday, August 16, 2026 AND your NTN testing must be completed and scores applied to Grove City by Saturday, August 22, 2026

You must be 21 years of age or older by April 1, 2027, and you must be under 35 years of age on December 9, 2026, unless you have a previous appointment as an Ohio law enforcement officer.

Top qualified candidates based on NTN scores will be invited to the physical fitness assessment. Grove City calculates the scores from the NTN exam, using each component of the NTN and standardizing the scores based on the pool of candidates who apply with Grove City. There is no specified composite score reported by NTN that determines passing scores.

2026 GROVE CITY POLICE OFFICER SELECTION PROCESS

1. Test Announcement
2. Application with Grove City
3. Examination through NTN (this may be completed before applying to Grove City)
4. Information session (tentatively scheduled for July 29)
5. PRADCO Assessment and Online Background Questionnaire submitted
6. Physical Fitness Test (tentatively scheduled for August 22 and August 29 - attend one)
7. Online Background Questionnaire reviewed for automatic disqualifying responses
8. Background Investigation
9. Police Executive Interview
10. Certification List established for approval by Civil Service Commission
11. Conditional Offer of Employment
12. Medical and Psychological exams
13. Truth Verification Test
14. Oath of Office
15. Training Academy

Department Overview: The Grove City Division of Police is nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). As such, we are one of only 10% of the law enforcement agencies in the United States to earn this recognition.

Our Vision is to offer the highest quality of life achievable.

Our Mission is to serve and protect all by providing professional law enforcement services in partnership with the community.

Our Values are Integrity, Teamwork, Respect, Duty, and Excellence.

We manage by objectives rather than by crisis and work to develop high-quality service through innovative technology and training methods, specialized investigation, and, professional, unbiased enforcement. The men and women of the division are committed as a team to ensure the citizens and visitors to Grove City are in a safe, secure environment and to establish themselves as one of the finest agencies in Central Ohio.

Area Information: As a suburb of Ohio's capital city, Columbus, residents, and businesses enjoy an exceptional quality of life with the conveniences of metropolitan living and the comforts of a unique, small town. Our infrastructure is sound, our services unmatched.

We are pleased to bring exciting, new business opportunities, recreational offerings, and a host of wonderful community events to Grove City each year. Grove City is the only city in the State of Ohio selected three times as the Best Hometown by Ohio Magazine. Grove City is proud of its rich history and the bond residents share in the community. There is plenty to see, do and enjoy in Grove City.

Population: 44,000

The Police Officer is responsible for law enforcement and the implementation of crime prevention measures, the apprehension of criminals, and the protection of life and property. Duties include but are not limited to: responding to emergency and non-emergency calls for service as a direct service provider of police and other emergency services to the public; responding, reporting, and conducting preliminary investigations of crimes and traffic crashes.

Job Requirements
Age: 21 (by April 1, 2027) and under 35 years of age at the time of appointment (December 9, 2026), unless you have a previous appointment as a law enforcement officer.
US Citizen: Yes
High School Grad/GED: Yes
Valid OHIO State Driver's License: Yes
Ability to Read/Speak English: Yes

Residency: 60-mile radius of police headquarters (within six months of employment)

Necessary Certifications:
Possess a high school diploma or equivalent; college degree preferred but not required. The Candidate must successfully pass a written test (NTN), PRADCO review, and physical fitness test. A thorough background investigation will be completed, including but not limited to a truth verification test, drug test, and psychological and medical evaluation.

The review of any disqualifying behavior described below begins from the date of application.

Background Removal Standards Sworn Law Enforcement Officers
The review of any disqualifying behavior described below begins from the date of application. The Chief of Police may consider a waiver for any disqualifier depending on the situation.
A. Honesty/Falsification - Applicants may be removed from the selection process for any of the following reasons:

1. At any stage of the selection process, the applicant provides false, incorrect, or substantially inconsistent information.

2. At any stage of the selection process, the applicant fails to disclose or acknowledge any disqualifying behavior or activity on the part of the applicant, relative to and governed by, any of the Background Removal Standards.

3. The applicant's failure or refusal to answer or respond to oral and/or written questions during any phase of the selection process.

4. If applicable, any attempt by the applicant to distort the truth verification examination results.

5. The applicant's use or attempted use of political influence to secure employment.

B. Personal History - Applicants may be removed from the selection process for any of the following reasons:

1. A conviction of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence involving the use of force or threatened use of a deadly weapon is a permanent disqualifier under Federal laws for police officer applicants.

2. Verified or admitted physical or emotional abuse of one's spouse, ex-spouse, child, stepchild, parent, or any other relative or person with whom one lives, has a relationship or has had a relationship.

3. Non-compliance with a court order or legal contract to provide child support, alimony, or other financial responsibility as determined by the appropriate support enforcement bureau or a court of law within the preceding five (5) years.

4. Intentional violation of any protective or temporary restraining order as determined by a court of law within ten (10) years.

5. Verified or admitted sexual abuse of another.
6. A pattern of behavior that is incompatible with the Grove City Division of Police Core Values of Integrity, Respect, Teamwork, Duty, and Excellence.
C. Employment - Applicants may be removed from the selection process for any of the following reasons:

1. Two or more involuntary terminations and/or discharges from employment within the last five (5) years. This shall not include terminations resulting from a business ceasing operations or resulting from being laid off from a position of employment.

2. Discharge or resignation in lieu of discipline from any criminal justice-related employment.

D. Military History - Except as provided below in Number 3 of this Section, applicants may be removed from the selection process for any of the following reasons:

1. Dishonorable or Bad Conduct Discharge from the Military.

2. Conviction of any article of the Uniform Code of Military Justice that is equivalent to a felony or other listed disqualifying misdemeanor in this standard under the Ohio Revised Code (ORC).

3. An Other Than Honorable Discharge from the Military will be evaluated to determine whether the applicant should be removed from the selection process.

E. Traffic - Applicants may be removed from the selection process for any of the following reasons:

1. Any conviction of vehicular homicide or related offense(s).
2. OVI:
a. Conviction within the past three (3) years.
b. More than one (1) OVI conviction.

c. More than two (2) OVI convictions, if one of the convictions was as a juvenile.

3. Four (4) moving violations in the past three (3) years as an adult.

4. At the time of the application or any time during the selection process, the applicant does not possess a valid driver's license and auto insurance as required by the resident state if the applicant owns a motor vehicle.

5. One (1) or more revocation or suspension of a driver's license as an adult, in effect during the past three (3) years (unless the applicant can show that the suspension was the result of an error by the BMV, random selection, or administrative overlap).

F. Gambling - The term gambling offense includes any activity defined as gambling by a federal, state, local statute or ordinance in the jurisdiction where the activity occurred. Applicants may be removed from the selection process for any of the following reasons:

1. Conviction of a gambling offense, within the last five (5) years.

2. Admission to gambling that has resulted in an unstable financial or credit history within the last seven (7) years.

3. Conviction of or admission to engaging in the promotion of illegal gambling activity wherein the applicant gains, or attempts to gain, a financial benefit.

G. Criminal Activity - Applicants may be removed from the selection process for any of the following reasons:

1. Any theft offense(s) as an adult, within the last five (5) years, which (a) singularly or cumulatively exceeds $1,000.00; or (b) establishes a pattern of theft offenses from an employer during the course of employment.
a. exception of music or file downloads.

2. Any insurance claims or applications for welfare, workers' compensation, unemployment compensation, or other public assistance benefit program determined to be fraudulent by the body overseeing the claim, compensation, or benefit program.

3. Any admission or conviction of an offense, as an adult, defined as a felony by the federal, state, or local law of the jurisdiction where the offense occurred. An admission of a felony offense would be disqualifying unless otherwise addressed in these standards.
a. the exception of music or file downloads.

4. Any admission or conviction of an offense, as a juvenile, of one (1) violent felony as defined by the federal, state or local law of the jurisdiction where the offense occurred.

5. Any admission or conviction of a M-1 or M-2 misdemeanor offense, as an adult, as defined by the Ohio Revised Code or similar federal, state, or local law of the jurisdiction where the offense occurred in the last five (5) years will be reviewed in determining suitability for appointment (unless otherwise addressed in these standards).

6. Any admission or conviction of more than one (1) M-1 or M-2 misdemeanor offense, as a juvenile, as defined by the Ohio Revised Code or similar federal, state, or local law of the jurisdiction where the offense occurred in the last five (5) years will be reviewed in determining suitability for appointment (unless otherwise addressed in these standards) (does not include traffic or minor misdemeanors).
7. Any admission of an offense for carrying a concealed weapon within the last five (5) years if it is defined as a felony by the federal, state, or local law where the offense occurred.

H. Controlled Substances - Applicants may be removed from the selection process for any of the following reasons:

1. Any illegal or unlawful possession, use, or purchase of controlled substances within five (5) years before application or admitted use during any portion of the selection process. Exceptions include: marijuana and ADHD medications such as Adderall or similar derivatives.

2. Any use of ADHD medication within one (1) year of application, without a prescription as lawfully written by a medical professional pursuant to state law.

3. Any possession, use, or purchase of marijuana within ninety (90) days before application, except as expressly permitted pursuant to a medical recommendation under Ohio law or prescription as lawfully written by a medical professional pursuant to state law, will be reviewed in determining suitability for appointment.

4. Any possession, use, or purchase of marijuana during any portion of the selection process.

5. Any pattern of use of controlled substances, including marijuana, within the past seven (7) years.

6. Any pattern of illegal sale of controlled substances, including marijuana or prescriptive drugs.

7. Any pattern of abuse of alcohol, chemical agents/solvent-based substances, or prescriptive drugs within the past seven (7) years.

For the purpose of this standard the "use" of drugs includes, but not limited to, when an applicant smokes, puffs, ingests, tastes, injects, inhales, or otherwise tries, any illegal drug, including but not limited to,