Police Sergeant

Salary : $146,764.80 - $165,193.60 Annually
Location : Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 2026-017
Department: Public Safety
Opening Date: 11/05/2026
Closing Date: 12/11/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Description
Police Sergeant

Salary $70.56 - $79.42 per hour DOE plus excellent benefitsImportant Deadlines:
December 11, 2026 (5 p.m.): Application Deadline

January 25-29, 2027: Testing (Tentative)

The Carmel-by-the-Sea Police Department is accepting applications from qualified internal and external candidates for an upcoming Police Sergeant vacancy. The testing process is tentatively scheduled for January 25-29, 2027. The deadline for all applications is Friday, December 11, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.

The Police Sergeant is a working, first-line supervisor and a key member of the Department's leadership team. Sergeants are responsible for leading patrol personnel, supervising field operations and critical incidents, developing and evaluating employees, maintaining accountability and professional standards, supporting Department initiatives, and building strong relationships with the Carmel-by-the-Sea community and regional public-safety partners.
Desired Leadership Competencies
The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Leadership - Leads by example, establishes clear expectations, accepts responsibility, and holds employees accountable.
• Judgment & Decision-Making: Makes timely, thoughtful, and defensible decisions, particularly during critical incidents and rapidly evolving situations.
• Employee Development & Coaching: Develops personnel through mentoring, training, feedback, recognition, and appropriate corrective action.
• Communication: Communicates clearly and professionally, both orally and in writing, and actively listens to employees and community members.
• Building Community Trust: Develops meaningful relationships with residents, businesses, community organizations, and regional partners.
• Ethics & Integrity: Demonstrates honesty, fairness, courage, accountability, and adherence to law, policy, and Department values.
• Conflict Management: Effectively addresses workplace, community, and operational conflict.
• Problem Solving & Initiative - Identifies problems, develops practical solutions, and takes appropriate action without unnecessary direction.
• Teamwork: Builds effective working relationships and contributes to a cooperative Department culture.
• Operational Readiness: Demonstrates command presence, sound tactical judgment, and the ability to supervise field operations, emergencies, and critical incidents. Possesses a strong understanding of criminal investigations, investigative priorities, applicable laws, evidence preservation, and appropriate allocation of resources. Demonstrates the ability to direct personnel, coordinate complex investigations, and effectively manage evolving incidents.
• Report Writing and Administrative Readiness: Communicates effectively in verbal and written form; prioritizes and manages multiple assignments within established timelines; prepares clear, accurate, and professional documentation; and demonstrates an understanding of supervisory administrative responsibilities, including applicable Peace Officers' Bill of Rights (POBOR) requirements.

Completed City employment application

• Current résumé identifying relevant assignments, leadership experience, training, and significant workplace accomplishments
• Letter of interest describing the candidate's qualifications, leadership philosophy, and experience building community trust.
• Two professional letters of recommendation, preferably from current or former law enforcement supervisors or command-level personnel
• Copy of the candidate's Intermediate POST Certificate or higher
• Copies of relevant leadership or supervisory training certificates

POST Supervisory Courses/Training: The selected candidate must have successfully completed, or successfully complete within the time required by California POST, the POST-certified Supervisory Course/Training.

Selection Process
Qualified applicants will participate in:

1. Written Examination:A multiple-choice examination evaluating law enforcement knowledge, supervisory principles, policy application, and critical decision-making, along with a written exercise assessing report writing, analytical skills, organization, and supervisory communication.
2. Oral-Board Panel: Structured panel evaluating leadership, judgment, communication, supervisory decision-making, critical-incident management, employee development, ethics, and community engagement.
3. Background and employment-history review: Review appropriate to the candidate's employment status and applicable City requirements.
4. Chief of Police Interview: Final interview of eligible candidates.

Candidates will be evaluated on leadership, judgment, communication, ethical decision-making, critical-incident management, employee development, accountability, policy knowledge, community engagement, and readiness to serve as a first-line supervisor.

Advancement through the selection process is competitive. The City reserves the right to determine the number of candidates advancing to each phase based on qualifications, examination performance, and operational needs.
Study Materials
Candidates should be familiar with the current versions of:

• Carmel-by-the-Sea Police Department Policy Manual
• Police Sergeant job description
• Lincoln on Leadership: Executive Strategies for Tough Times by Donald T. Phillips (1993).
  
  • Candidates should focus on the book's leadership principles, including communication, building trust, empowering employees, accountability, decision-making, and leading through adversity.
• Applicable Carmel-by-the-Sea Municipal Code provisions
• Applicable California laws and POST requirements
• Incident Command System principles
• Monterey County law-enforcement protocols related to critical incident response, including active-shooter incidents, officer-involved shootings, pursuits, mutual aid, and major incident command. Candidates should understand supervisory responsibilities, incident coordination, and operational decision-making.
• California POST Supervisory Course Topics and Objectives
• Final Report of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing, including its six pillars and recommendations concerning building trust and legitimacy, community policing, accountability, officer training, technology, and officer wellness
• Department mission, values, organizational structure, and current operational priorities
• After Action Report on 2026 Car Week

All candidates will receive equal access to the identified study materials. A final study list, including applicable policy and protocol versions, will be provided before the examination.

Use of Artificial Intelligence: Candidates may use artificial intelligence tools for study, research, and preparation. Application materials and responses during the examination process must accurately reflect the candidate's own experience, knowledge, judgment, and abilities. Unauthorized use of AI or other outside assistance during an examination or assessment is prohibited.

Candidates successfully completing the competitive examination process may be placed on a Police Sergeant eligibility list for consideration for the current vacancy and future vacancies during the life of the list (12 months).

Typical Qualifications
Applicants must:

• Have at least five years of full-time experience as an active, sworn police officer, including substantial patrol and field experience.
• Possess a valid California POST Intermediate Certificate or higher.
• Demonstrate prior leadership experience. Formal supervisory experience is desirable.
• Demonstrate experience building community trust through engagement, relationship-building, problem-solving, transparency, and partnerships with residents, businesses, and community organizations.
• Have no sustained disciplinary findings within the preceding five (5) years involving misconduct that would reasonably call into question the candidate's integrity, judgment, leadership ability, or suitability to serve in a supervisory capacity.
• Possess a valid California driver's license.
• Be willing and able to work nights, weekends, holidays, overtime, call-back assignments, and varying shifts.
• Successfully complete all phases of the selection process and any required background review.

Education: Completion of two (2) years of college (60 semester or 90 quarter units) from an accredited college or university.
Acceptable Substitution for Education Requirement:

Qualifying military service may be substituted for the education requirement. To qualify, an applicant must:

• Have completed at least four (4) years of active-duty service in the United States Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, or Coast Guard; and
• Have been honorably discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions, as documented by a DD Form 214 or other acceptable military service documentation.
• Applicants currently serving in the military who have completed at least four (4) years of active-duty service may also qualify, subject to verification of service and good standing.

Supplemental Information

HOW TO APPLY
To be considered for this career opportunity, you must submit a complete online application at and the following:

• Current résumé identifying relevant assignments, leadership experience, training, and significant workplace accomplishments
• Letter of interest describing the candidate's qualifications, leadership philosophy, and experience building community trust.
• Two professional letters of recommendation, preferably from current or former law enforcement supervisors or command-level personnel
• Copy of the candidate's Intermediate POST Certificate or higher
• Copies of relevant leadership or supervisory training certificates

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a complete online application. Incomplete applications and/or supplemental questionnaire will be rejected. Applications will be screened in relation to the criteria in this job announcement. Applicants with the most relevant qualification will be invited to interview.

City of Carmel-by-the-Sea offers a complete benefits package to full-time employees including: health care, Flexible Spending Account (FSA), dental and vision care, life insurance, long-term disability insurance (optional, employee paid), CalPERS pension, holidays, vacation, sick leave, deferred compensation plans, and more!

To learn more about the benefits, please review the