Police Officer - Lateral

Salary: $75,159.08 - $116,041.79 Annually
Location : McHenry Municipal Center (City Hall)
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 00101
Department: Police Department
Opening Date: 10/28/2025

• Starting salary range of $75,159.08 - $92,680.23 (dependent on qualifications).

All interested applicants are required to download, complete and attach the supplemental application to their online application.

• Police Officer - Supplemental Application

Please note: When uploading supplemental attachments, all required attachments must be uploaded first before adding any additional documents.
Job Duties
Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Crime Prevention

1. PATROLS assigned area.
2. OBSERVES for criminal activity, safety hazards, traffic violations, persons needing assistance and the like.
3. BECOMES and REMAINS familiar with patrol beats, geographic locations, known offenders, neighborhood routines, potential problem areas.
4. CONDUCTS security inspections and surveys of buildings and other locations, MAKES recommendations regarding security, etc.
5. MAINTAINS liaison with community crime watch groups, school districts and other interested community groups.

Criminal Investigation and Apprehension

1. HANDLES complaints filed by citizens.
2. OBSERVES, DETECTS and INVESTIGATES violations of laws and ordinances and documents and investigates reported violations.
3. CONDUCTS interviews and interrogations of victims, witnesses, suspects, offenders and other persons.
4. CONDUCTS preliminary and follow-up investigations.
5. IDENTIFIES, COLLECTS, PROCESSES, PACKAGES and LOGS physical evidence.
6. COLLECTS information and either acts upon it, if within the scope of his/her authority, or routes it to the proper authority or agency.
7. SEARCHES persons, vehicles, places and other items.
8. IDENTIFIES and ARRESTS offenders, including subduing resistive arrestees.
9. BOOKS, GUARDS and ESCORTS prisoners.
10. PREPARES and SERVES criminal complaints, arrest warrants, search warrants and other court documents.
11. Completes accurate and thorough reports, PREPARES cases for trial.
12. APPEARS and TESTIFIES in court, at coroner's inquests, at deposition sessions and at similar proceedings.

Traffic

1. ENGAGES in traffic and parking law enforcement, including Driving Under the Influence detection and apprehension.
2. CONTROLS, REGULATES and DIRECTS traffic, vehicular and pedestrian.
3. INVESTIGATES traffic accidents, aiding the injured, including protecting the scene, controlling traffic, clearing the scene, determining the cause, and preparing reports and diagrams.
4. ASSISTS disabled motorists.

Juveniles

1. COORDINATES and CONDUCTS criminal investigation involving juvenile offenders; investigates cases involving physical and sexual child abuse, and runaways.
2. COORDINATES enforcement programs with school officials, other governmental entities, and social service agencies.
3. MAKES referrals and works with appropriate personnel and service agencies.
4. COUNSELS and ADVISES victims, families and offenders involved in juvenile child abuse cases.

Miscellaneous Order Maintenance

1. Deals with domestic disputes and other interpersonal and business conflicts.
2. OBSERVES for, RECOGNIZES and CORRECTS or REPORTS public hazards and inconveniences such as gas leaks, traffic signals out of service, traffic obstructions, and other safety hazards.
3. RESPONDS to requests for ambulance/fire service and assists as needed.
4. ADMINISTERS first aid, including CPR, to sick and injured persons.
5. INVESTIGATES incidents involving death resulting from criminal, accidental, suicidal and natural causes, including determination of the circumstances and handling/removal of the body and dealing with the relatives, friends, witnesses, etc.
6. INVESTIGATES reports of lost and found properties.
7. INVESTIGATES animal complaints, including apprehension and transport of stray or vicious animals.
8. DIRECTS and/or SUPERVISES other (civilian and public employees) at the scenes of crimes, accidents, disasters, assemblies, etc.
9. Generally, ASSISTS persons in distress.

Organizational Support

1. May PERFORM desk duties (telephone, computer terminal), assisting persons at the counter, processing and filing reports.
2. May PERFORM crime and selective enforcement analysis duties, including identifying crime patterns, trends or hazards for strategic planning and to assist with the implementation of community oriented policing concepts and projects.
3. DEVELOPS and MAINTAINS required skills and licenses/permits/certifications associated with areas of special instruction, expertise, etc. (Includes Firearms Qualification; Breath Operator Certification; C.P.R.; Evidence Technician; Accident Investigator; Juvenile Law; Criminal Investigations).
4. TRAINS new officers, and other officers/employees in areas of special skills or expertise.
5. PREPARES clear, accurate and complete reports, logs and documents on any and all activities engaged in.
6. May be called upon to PROVIDE classroom and community group presentation and instruction.

Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:

Interested candidates must meet all of the following requirements:

• Be a citizen of the United States of America
• Be at least 21 years of age at the time of application.
• Possess a valid driver's license and Social Security Card
• Have an Associate's Degree from an accredited college or university, or have completed 60 credit hours at an accredited college or university, unless:
• the applicant has served for 36 months of honorable active duty in the United States Armed Forces and has not been discharged dishonorably or under circumstances other than honorable, or
• the applicant has served for 180 days of active duty in the United States Armed Forces in combat duty recognized by the Department of Defense and has not been discharged dishonorably or under circumstances other than honorable.
• Have been previously employed and certified as a full-time law enforcement officer within 12 months of application, either in the State of Illinois or in a state that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board will approve a transfer for certification.
• Have been actively employed as a certified, full-time law enforcement officer for a minimum of 12 consecutive months with a single law enforcement agency.

Hiring Process:

All applications will be screened in order to confirm minimum qualifications are met. Qualified applications are kept on file and applicants may be selected for further consideration.

Police Commission Interview:

Applicants selected for further consideration will be invited to a mandatory oral interview with the Police Commission. Only those applicants who received an official recommend referral to proceed from the Police Commission will be advanced in the hiring process.

Professional Examinations:

Qualified applicants who have been recommended by the Police Commission may be further considered for employment but are subject to the following professional examinations in order to be considered for appointment:

• Physical Fitness Assessment (if applicable)
• Background Investigation
• Polygraph Examination
• Psychological Examination
• Medical Examination

Probationary Appointment All lateral transfer appointments to the Department shall be for a probationary period of twelve (12) months, with the Chief of Police having the discretion to extend the probationary period an additional three months. The probationary period shall commence as of the first date said individual is sworn in with the Department.

• Top Salary for Officers as of May 1, 2026 is $120,103.26 after seven years of service
• 10 Vacation days after one year
• 4 Personal days per year
• 12 Sick says per year
• 10.5 paid holidays per year
• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
• Furnished uniforms upon hire with uniform allowance thereafter
• Police pension program
• 457 deferred compensation programs
• Medical and dependent care savings accounts
• Other voluntary offerings: life insurnace for self and family, AFLAC, LTD/STS
• For additional benefit details review the FOP Collective Bargaining Agreement found on the City website

01

Have you been previously employed and certified as a full-time law enforcement officer within 12 months of application, either in the State of Illinois or in a state that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board will approve a transfer for certification?

• Yes
• No

02

Have you been actively employed as a certified, full-time law enforcement officer for a minimum of 12 consecutive months with a single law enforcement agency?

• Yes
• No

03

How did you hear about this position? (Social media, website, friend, etc.)
Required Question