City of Scottsdale Police Officers are responsible for protecting life and property, preventing, deterring and investigating crime, enforcing laws and responding to citizen requests through the use of community policing strategies to engage and educate the community.

View the Police Officer Job Description

View Automatic Disqualifiers for Uniformed Positions

View Grooming Standards Policy

Applications for the positions of both Police Officer Recruit/Trainee and Police Officer Lateral/Waiver are accepted year-round.

Recruit/Trainee Hiring Process:

1. The recruitment process begins by completing an online application.
2. View personal history and medical requirements for police officers in the Arizona Peace Officer Standards section (Title 13, Ch. 4) of Arizona Administrative Code
3. Applications are reviewed for minimum qualifications: include a high school diploma or GED; applicants must be U.S. citizens and age 20 years and 6 months at the time of application.
4. Those who meet minimum qualifications may be invited to a physical fitness and written test.
5. Candidates who pass the written and physical fitness test will complete both a background questionnaire and background interview ("background investigation phase"). The background investigation phase will also include a polygraph examination, and an oral board interview.
6. Those who complete all of these background steps to satisfaction may be given a conditional job offer, after which a medical examination, psychological evaluation and drug/alcohol screenings are completed (pursuant to Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training requirements as specified in Arizona Administrative Code: R13-4-107).
7. If those steps are completed successfully, candidates will be given a final job offer - the entire process can take up to 12-weeks.

Start the Application Process

Police Officer Recruit/Trainee-Testing Dates

The Scottsdale Police Personnel & Background Investigations Unit reserves the right to change this process.

• All test dates are tentative and subject to change.
• Test dates may be cancelled on short notice.
• Invitations to test may be rescinded at any time without advance notice.

The physical demands of the position require applicants to be in good health. Individuals should consult with a medical or health professional before beginning any new exercise, nutrition, or supplementation program or if any personal health questions arise after reviewing the contents of this guide.

The physical fitness assessment consists of a 1.0 mile run, push-ups and sit-ups. Candidates are expected to be able to complete:

• a minimum of 15 push-ups (no time limit)
• 25 sit-ups (1 minute)
• complete the 1.0 mile run in under 10:00 minutes without stopping or walking any portion

The overall fitness test encompasses use of a level floor and outdoor running track. For safety reasons, the use of all forms of music devices is prohibited during the testing process.

Candidates are encouraged to review the test protocols. Questions concerning this portion of the selection process should be directed to the Police Personnel Unit at 480-312-1943.

The Scottsdale Police Personnel Unit reserves the right to change this process.

Police Officer Recruit/Trainee candidates who successfully complete the entire selection/hiring process, will be required to attend the academy. For information on Arizona police academies visit the State of Arizona Peace Officer Training Academies information page.

Candidates are given an Entry Level Police Officer Examination. This test consists of approximately 170 questions and applicants are allotted just over two hours to complete this exam. The Entry Level Police Officer Examination evaluates the candidate's:

• Accuracy of observation
• Short term memory
• Reading comprehension
• Written communication

Test dates may be cancelled on short notice. Invitations to the tests may be rescinded at any time without advance notice.

Vision:

• Visual acuity of:
• 20/20 or better uncorrected;
• 20/20 or better, corrected by spectacles or hard contact lenses, if uncorrected acuity is 20/80 or better. The applicant shall demonstrate satisfactory adaptation to the contact lenses; or
• 20/20 or better, corrected by soft contact lenses, if the uncorrected acuity is 20/200 or better.
• Vision capable of distinguishing basic color groups against a favorable background.
• Peripheral vision:
• That does not reveal scotoma or quadrantanopia; or
• In which vision perimeter testing is intact at 170 degrees.

Hearing

Uncorrected hearing with no loss greater than 25 db in the 500, 1000, 2000, or 3000 hertz frequencies as measured by an audiometer.

A complete list of AZ P.O.S.T. Medical Requirements and hiring standards can be found by visiting the AZ P.O.S.T. website or viewing Arizona Administrative Code R13-4-107

Those candidates who make it through the entire process are hired as Police Officer Trainees and paid entry-level salary while attending an 24-26 week police academy. Upon satisfactory completion of the academy, the trainee is sworn in as a fully certified Police Officer, and begins approximately twenty weeks of field training.

Trainees serve an 18-month probationary period from the date of hire.

The Scottsdale Police Department hires qualified candidates who are currently State of Arizona certified police officers. Candidates must meet the minimum requirements of the position and complete a police officer lateral/waiver application.

The selection process is similar to that for new recruits, and includes a background investigation, oral board interview, physical test, as well as a medical examination, psychological evaluation and drug/alcohol screening but does not include a written examination.

The Scottsdale Police Department hires qualified candidates who are currently out-of-state certified police officers. Potential waiver candidates must be successful in all phases of the police officer hiring process outlined above (background investigation, oral board interview, physical test, medical examination, psychological evaluation and drug/alcohol screening) and meet the following criteria to be considered for a waiver position:

• Candidates must have graduated from a state approved basic Police Officer training academy; AND, Candidates must have at least one year of post academy experience as a certified peace officer.
• Candidates must have at least one year of post academy experience as a certified peace officer in municipal policing within the United States, or U.S. Territories, within the last 3 years.
• Candidates not accepted for the waiver process or those who do not successfully complete the waiver process are required to attend and pass the basic police academy.

Out-of-state waiver candidates should plan on a minimum of two visits to Arizona (at candidate's expense) to complete the background investigation phase including physical fitness test, and conditional testing process.