Police Officer

Salary: $39.01 - $54.28 Hourly
Location : Public Safety Center - 710 South Front Street, Mankato, MN
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number:
Department: Public Safety
Division: 1421011 Police Patrol
Opening Date: 10/28/2026
Closing Date: 11/11/2026 11:59 PM Central

Description

• Candidates that are not currently eligible for licensing but expect to complete the MN POST exam by January 1, 2027, are encouraged to apply.

Minimum Qualifications of Education and Experience:

• Associate's Degree in Police Science, Law Enforcement or Criminal Justice from an accredited university, college, or vocational technical institute. (Must have completed a program requiring actual classroom instruction and training, excluding programs exclusively by correspondence, or such other education as may be considered equivalent.)
• Licensed by the Minnesota Police Officers Standards and Training (P.O.S.T) Board or be eligible to be licensed by the Minnesota P.O.S.T. Board by January 1, 2027.(both academic and skills training completed)
• Must possess a valid driver's license and be able to drive in the state of Minnesota.

What the City of Mankato offers:
2026 SALARY SCHEDULE - Police Officers starting at Entry Wage Progression
Officers starting at Entry Wage will move to the next step upon successful completion of FTO during the next compensation increase cycle (March 1, July 1, November 1)
Police Officers who receive "meets expectations" during their annual performance evaluation will move to the 1 year step.
2026

Entry Wage

Upon FTO Completion Step

1 Year Step
Base Wage + 1.75% add to base for all hours worked in lieu of time and half for holiday pay
$39.01

$40.81

$42.70
2026 Full Salary Schedule
Police Officer wage rates include base wage + 1.75% add to base for all hours worked in lieu of time and half for holiday pay.
2026EntryUpon FTO Completion1 Year2 Year3 year4 year5 year6 yearSenior StepBase Wage$38.34$40.11$41.97$43.91$45.84$47.86$49.84$51.80$53.35Base Wage + 1.75% add to base for all hours worked in lieu of time and half for holiday pay
$39.01$40.81$42.70$44.68$46.64$48.70$50.71$52.71$54.28
Wellness and Growth Benefits

• Peer Support Program
• Comprehensive officer health and wellness resiliency program (Provicta)
  • Physical, mental, nutritional, spiritual, and financial wellness
• Variety of 10-to-12-hour workdays (promote more days off)
• On-site workout facilities with on-duty use and/or 24-hour access.
• Continual training opportunities to develop successful officers.
  • In-field, online, in-person, in-house, and external development opportunities

Specialized Unit Opportunities
Detective Division, Tactical Response Team, Police Training Officer, BCA ICAC Task Force, School Resource Officer, Auxiliary Units, Drug & Veterans Court, Toward Zero Deaths, Hostage Negotiator, Predatory Offender Monitoring Team, Drug Task Force
Instructor: Taser, Firearms, Defensive Driving, Field Force, Defensive Tactics, Integrated Communications and Tactics, PepperBall, Use of Force

If you have any questions about the application process, please email Melissa Weston, Human Resources Specialist at mweston@mankatomn.gov

If you have any questions about the roles of a Mankato Police Officer, please call or email Jeremy Clifton, Director of Public Safety, at 507-387-8782 or

• The hiring process will include but is not limited to review of qualifications, departmental orientation, panel interviews, background check, fingerprinting, psychological evaluation, physical and drug screen.

Duties / Responsibilities

Get to know our department! How Mankato Police Officers Impact their community:
Mankato Police Officers are progressive problem solvers who partner with the community to build trust and to help prevent crime from occurring. Police Officers serve as the primary arm to promote safety and to protect the public. The partnership between the Mankato police and community members is critical in helping to find solutions to solve community problems.
Primary Essential Work Functions:

• Performs all duties assigned in connection with the operation of the Police Division. Actively supports, demonstrates understanding of, and participates in the Department of Public Safety Community Policing Philosophy.
• Detects and responds to law violations and hazards to public safety; inspects businesses and residential areas for signs of criminal activity.
• Identifies and utilizes progressive nuisance and crime prevention techniques. Identifies and monitors areas, whether self-identified or identified by the community, where public nuisances or criminal activities are occurring or are likely to occur.
• Conducts proactive patrol activities within assigned areas of the city, concentrating on assigned areas of responsibilities or assigned neighborhoods.
• Enforces state and federal laws and City ordinances and apprehends those suspected of committing crimes.
• Enforces laws governing the operation of motor vehicles and their operators and laws relating to bicycle and pedestrian traffic; observes and corrects hazards to motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic; assists disabled or distressed motorists; investigates motor vehicle accidents; issues citations and warnings; makes arrests.
• Promotes the Community Policing Philosophy within the department; maintains good community relations through communication and interaction with citizens and businesspeople of the community; participates and represents the City and department at various functions.
• Responds to and secures crime scenes; directs other responding units; identifies, obtains, and secures evidence.
• Provides enforcement when crimes are committed or in incidents of criminal activity and responds to and takes reports of incidents; completes follow-up investigation when possible; interviews victims, witnesses, suspects, and others.
• Prepares crime reports and assists investigator as needed. Assists prosecuting attorneys with the preparation of cases as directed; testifies in court.
• Operates automobiles for extended periods of time in all environmental conditions. Operates vehicles at high speeds and in congested traffic.
• Responds to identified problems to situations that may be perceived as problems by members of the community, whether criminal or non-criminal. Initiates appropriate responses by partnerships, including other non-public safety resources.
• Conducts preliminary investigations on non-criminal matters, and documents facts necessary to provide for appropriate responses by other non-police resources to community issues and/or nuisances as necessary to maintain public order and safety.
• Performs strenuous activities wearing body armor and other equipment in all weather conditions.

Communicates With:

• Internally - Police Commanders and Sergeants, Other Police Officers, Community Service Officers, Reserve Officers, Records and Fire Personnel, Public works staff - Streets, Parks, Infrastructure, Central Garage, Information Technology, Human Resources, Public Information, and Community Development
• Externally - General public, businesses, educational institutions, medical facilities, non-profits and not for profit entities in the area, Blue Earth County or other regional Sheriff's Departments. North Mankato, St. Peter, and other local Police Departments in Blue Earth County. MN State Patrol and Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension

Supervision:

• Non-supervisory

Other Work Functions:

• Performs physical and mental demands and work environment requirements for this position.
• Attendance during regularly scheduled work hours and outside regular hours as necessary.
• Effective and respectful communication and interactions with other employees, supervisors, individuals from other organizations, and community customers.
• Performs other related work as assigned or apparent.

Qualifications / Conditions of Employment

Conditions of Employment:

• Must maintain a primary residence within sixty (60) minutes' drive to the Public Safety Center driving under normal conditions and posted speed limits within one (1) year of employment.
• Must be a citizen of the United States or eligible to work in the US under federal requirements.
• Must possess a valid driver's license and be able to drive in the state of Minnesota. A Minnesota driver's license must be obtained within thirty (30) days of employment.
• Must satisfactorily complete a background investigation, physical examination, and drug testing.
• Must satisfactorily complete a psychological evaluation from a licensed psychologist.
• Must complete EMR training or equivalent according to MN POST board minimum selection standards (MN Rule 6700.0700) within six (6) months of employment.
• Ability to pass medical standards for self-contained breathing apparatus; and ability to wear self-contained breathing apparatus while performing work duties.
• Shall not have been convicted in any state or federal court of any felony. All applicants shall be fingerprinted, and a thorough search be made of the fingerprints through local, state, and federal fingerprint files to disclose any criminal record.
• Must meet MN P.O.S.T Board Standards of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officers (6700.0700 and 6700.1600) which prohibits use of force, misuse of officer authority, misconduct, conviction or engaged in conduct unrelated to law enforcement responsibilities and criminal history.
• Must refrain from consuming and utilizing tobacco and nicotine products on and off duty.
• Must comply with organizational and departmental policies.
• Must comply with data practices policies and standards relative to not public data. Any access to not public data should be strictly limited to accessing the data that are necessary to fulfill the employment responsibility. While data are being accessed, incumbent should take reasonable measures to ensure the not public data are not accessed by individuals without a work reason. Once the work reason to access the data is reasonably finished the not public data must be properly stored according to city policy and the Minnesota Statutes.
• This is a safety sensitive position and is prohibited from use of cannabis on and off duty and use of alcohol on duty.
• Safety Sensitive Notice. This is a safety sensitive position which requires cannabis pre-employment drug testing. Safety sensitive position means a job in which an impairment caused by drug, alcohol, or cannabis usage would threaten the health and safety of any person.

Hours of Work

Hours and days of work for this position will vary by shift assignment.
City of Mankato
2026 BENEFITS OVERVIEW
For Regular Full-Time Employees
The City of Mankato provides a comprehensive, balanced, and competitive benefits package as part of your total compensation. The City's benefits programs address both the immediate needs that you and your family may have, such as medical coverage or flexible spending accounts, and your long-term needs, such as retirement savings. The following outline of City-offered benefits serves as an overview and does not provide all provisions, limitations, and exclusions. If there is a contradiction between this and the official plan documents, the plan documents will prevail.
EMPLOYER PROVIDED BENEFITS:
Paid Vacation:
Vacation accruals, utilization, and payouts vary within each collective bargaining agreement and/or employee handbook. The following is the general overview of the vacation benefit:

• Vacation hours may be accrued to a maximum of 50 days or 400 hours.
• Hours are accrued incrementally each pay period.
• Vacation hours may be taken in 30-minute increments.
• Unused balance carries over year to year.

Years of Service - Vacation Days Per Year

0 - 5 years - 10 days
6 - 10 years - 15 days
11 - 14 years - 17 days
15 -20 years - 20 days
21 years - 21 days
22 years - 22 days
23 years - 23 days
24 years - 24 days
25 years - 25 days
26 years - 26 days
27 years - 27 days
28 years - 28 days
29 years - 29 days
30+ years - 30 days
Paid Sick Leave:

Employees earn 8 hours of sick leave per month.

11 Paid Holidays and 1 Floating Holiday:

All regular full-time employees of the City, except those who are governed by a union contract or different holiday policy, receive the following paid holidays:

1. New Year's Day

2. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

3. Presidents Day

4. Memorial Day

5. Juneteenth

6. Independence Day

7. Labor Day

8. Veterans Day

9. Thanksgiving Day

10. Friday After Thanksgiving Day

11. Christmas Day

12. Floating Holiday
Health Insurance Coverage Through Blue Cross/Blue Shield of MN:

• Health insurance plans to choose from: $5,000 HDHP with an HSA, $3,400 HDHP with an HSA, $500 CMM, $100 CMM/Traditional Plan
• Single Coverage
  • The City will contribute 95% of the premium for the IRS Minimum Embedded Deductible Plan.
  • The City will contribute 100% of the premium for the alternative High-Deductible plan.
  • For all other single coverage plan options, the City will co