Salary : $72,632.64 - $91,310.88 Annually
Location : Visalia, CA
Job Type: Regular Full-Time
Job Number: 02190
Department: POLICE
Opening Date: 08/04/2026
Closing Date: 8/28/2026 5:00 PM Pacific
Max Number of Applicants: 200

Description

The City of Visalia Police Department is recruiting for the position of Police Officer Recruit to attend the College of Sequoias 165th Intenstive Basic Police Academy. Please click here to view the recruitment announcement and learn more about this exciting opportunity.
Examples of Duties

POLICE OFFICER RECRUIT
Applicants hired as a Police Officer Recruit will be sponsored by the Visalia Police Department and must attend and successfully complete the College of the Sequoias (COS) 165th Intensive Basic Police Academy scheduled to begin on February 1, 2027. The Academy is a six-month course that meets Monday through Friday from 6:00 am to 4:30 pm at the Hanford Center. Some evening and weekend class meetings are also scheduled.

Upon successful completion of the Police Academy, recruits will become sworn Visalia Police Officers and begin field training.
Qualifications / Requirements

The Visalia Police Department is seeking passionate, driven, and motivated individuals who are interested in pursuing a rewarding career in law enforcement. Ideal candidates will have uncompromising integrity, a strong work ethic, exercise good judgment and problem solving skills, and demonstrate an enthusiastic passion for law enforcement and a strong commitment to serving the community.

Police Officer Recruit requirements include:

• High school diploma, G.E.D. or equivalent.
• Possession of a valid California Driver's License.
• Must be at least 21 years of age by time of graduation from the Academy.
• Must meet all COS requirements for entrance into the Basic Police Officer Academy program.
• Upon hire, must enroll in and successfully complete the 165th COS Intensive Basic Police Officer Academy scheduled to begin in February 2027.

Click the job title below to review the job description:Police Officer Recruit

Selection Process:Application and supplemental materials will be evaluated and applicants who appear to be most qualified will be invited to participate in a job related written examination and/or interview process.

An informational meeting will be held on August 17, 2026, at 5:30 pm at the Visalia Convention Center located at 303 E. Acequia. The written exam is tentatively scheduled for September 23, 2026.Interviews are tentatively scheduled for October 8, 2026.

Successful candidates will be required to pass a law enforcement background investigation, polygraph, psychological examination and physical examination.

Apply Early!
Due to anticipated interest, the City will accept only the first 200 completed applications. The recruitment will close once 200 completed applications have been received,
which may occur before the posted closing date.
Additional Information

PHYSICAL STANDARDS
Positions in this class lift and carry people and heavy objects and are exposed to the weather.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
The City of Visalia offers a competitive total compensation package that includes:
Monthly Salary: $6,053-$7,609
CalPERS retirement program
Health, Dental and Vision Insurance
Longevity Pay
Onsite City Health and Wellness Clinic (no out of pocket expenses)
Paid Holidays, Vacation, Sick Leave and much more...

Review the Benefits tab for more information.

Salary Policies: The salary range for the job is stated on the job announcement. Candidates are normally hired at the minimum of the salary range. Salary increases are given based upon employee work performance, up to a maximum of 5% per fiscal year.

Longevity Pay: Association members are eligible for longevity pay based on all years of full-time service with the City of Visalia as a percentage of base wages at the following intervals: 2.0% at 5+ years, 10+ years, 15+ years, and 20+ years.

Bilingual pay of $900 per year, pro-rated on a pay period basis, is available to those who are eligible and qualify.

Communications Training Pay: Communications Operators certified and assigned as "Communications Training Officers" will receive $1,000 per year, prorated and paid bi-weekly as part of regular payroll.

Uniforms and Uniform Allowances: The City shall provide the necessary uniforms and safety equipment needed to perform the job. In lieu of the City providing boots, for those required to wear protective safety footwear, employees will be given an annual boot allowance of $300 for boots and related accessories (laces, insoles, etc.) paid in the pay period that includes July 1st. Group M employees of the police department shall receive a uniform allowance of $800 per year, prorated and paid bi-weekly as part of regular payroll for the maintenance of appropriate uniforms and equipment. Employees working in the following areas of the Police Department that are required to wear a uniform are eligible for uniform allowance: Dispatch, Records, CSO personnel, Property and Evidence, Crime Lab, Duty Officer personnel, Parking Enforcement, and Digital Evidence Technicians.

Holidays: Regular non-shift full-time City employees receive 11 paid holidays and one (1) floating holiday per year. In lieu of holidays, Police shift employees receive 4 hours of compensatory time off and 4 hours of regular pay in the pay period the holiday falls. In addition, shift employees receive one floating holiday in the pay period that includes January 1.

Vacation: Regular full-time employees earn 10 days per year. After 2 years, employees are eligible for 11 days; after 4 years, 14 days; after 9 years, 17 days; and after 16 years, 20 days of vacation per year. Employees are eligible for vacation usage after six (6) months of service. Employees hired from another governmental agency may be entitled to receive years-of-service credit for their vacation accrual rate for such previous employment and applies only to the government agency the employee was employed with immediately prior to employment with the City of Visalia.

Sick Leave: Regular full-time employees earn 96 hours of sick leave per year, accrued per pay period. Employees are eligible for sick leave usage after three (3) months of service.

Annual Sick Leave Buy Back: For employees covered under the Sick Leave I provision of the policy, the City will automatically cash out all sick leave hours over 480 hours at 40% of the employee's base rate of pay.

Administrative Leave: Employees classified as FLSA exempt (not eligible for overtime pay) currently receive 56 hours of administrative leave per calendar year. Any unused administrative leave hours are automatically paid out on the first paycheck in December.

Compensatory Time Off: Regular full-time employees classified as FLSA non-exempt (eligible for overtime pay) currently receive eight (8) hours compensatory time off per calendar year.

Health Insurance: The City provides employee health insurance which includes medical, dental, and vision care. Employee contribution rates are determined by employee's bargaining unit and plan selected. Health benefits are also available for an employee's dependents for an additional contribution rate. Eligibility for health insurance benefits begins on the first of the month after the date of hire. Contribution rates are reviewed for adjustment annually.

Life Insurance: The City pays the premium for a life insurance and accidental death or dismemberment policy of $30,000. A supplemental life insurance policy may be purchased and paid through payroll deduction. Eligibility for life insurance benefits begins on the first of the month after the date of hire.

Retirement: The City of Visalia is a member of the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS). New employees are covered under the 2% @ 62 plan. (Employees with previous PERS qualifying service (Classic employees) may fall under the 2% @ 60 plan.) Each pay period, the employee pays an employee contribution at the CalPERS established rate. The City pays an employer contribution towards the retirement benefit and employees are responsible for contributing 4% of the employer contribution in addition to the required employee contribution.

Social Security/FICA: City employees are not subject to regular Social Security (FICA) deductions. However, Federal law requires that the Medicare portion of the FICA is deducted.

Section 125: The City offers a voluntary Section 125 program whereby tax-free contributions are put into a trust account and are available for withdrawal with documentation of an unreimbursed healthcare or dependent care expense (i.e. premium, dependent care, medical care).

Long Term Disability: Regular full-time City employees are eligible for disability insurance (up to 2/3 of their salary) in the event they are disabled for more than ninety (90) days. LTD premium cost is paid by the employee.

Worker's Compensation: Full-time and hourly employees who sustain an occupational injury or contract occupational illnesses receive standard Worker's Compensation benefits as prescribed by law.

Other Benefits: The City also offers additional benefits such as an employee assistance program (EAP), a pre-tax deferred compensation plan, education assistance up to $1,500 per fiscal year, as well as a City-sponsored clinic staffed by clinicians 6 days per week available to all full-time employees and covered dependents. Services include general medical care and health and wellness coaching. No deductibles, co-pays, or out-of-pocket expenses.

As a potential applicant, you are about to participate in a series of events collectively called the employment process. Because the goal of the employment process is to obtain the most qualified candidates to fill City positions, examinations are administered to qualified applicants. These examinations are conducted in a variety of ways (written, oral, practical, and/or performance), yet they share a common purpose - to test applicants based upon the knowledge, skills and abilities required to perform the duties and responsibilities of the job.

The employment process occurs in several stages which are described below:

Application: Perspective employees must submit a City of Visalia application and other documents required as outlined in the announcement by the closing time specified on the final filing date. Final filing dates and times are listed on the front of each announcement. Separate original applications must be submitted for each recruitment/position applied for.

Examination: Applicants will be evaluated and applicants who clearly appear to be more qualified in terms of knowledge, skills, and abilities will be invited to take an examination or combination of examinations. Written, practical, oral, and/or performance examination scores, or a pre-determined combined examination score, will determine standing on the eligible list.

Exam Accommodations: If you are most qualified for the job, but need reasonable accommodations to take the exam, contact the Human Resources Division at least five (5) days prior to the exam. We want to work with you to design a fair and effective means by which you can demonstrate your ability to perform the essential functions of this job. Be prepared to furnish proof of the need for accommodation. Such proof should normally be a signed statement on letterhead by a professional who is qualified to make a diagnosis.

Eligible lists: Eligible lists contain names, in descending order of score, of applicants who have obtained passing scores. Eligible lists are maintained for no less than six (6) months and no more than one year unless otherwise determined by Human Resources. The City retains the authority to reestablish an eligible list for a specific job opening when deemed necessary. Separate eligible lists are established for each recruitment.

Selection: A departmental interview is conducted with the top candidates from the eligible list. The number of candidates interviewed