Police Officer Trainee I/II (Ventura Police Department)

• Applications are accepted exclusively through the City of Ventura Career Site:
• www.cityofventura.ca.gov/jobs . Submissions through other websites or methods will not be accepted.

Submit a city application and supplemental questionnaire. Applications and supplemental questions will be accepted on a continuous basis . Applications are reviewed on a weekly basis, and candidates are encouraged to apply for immediate consideration.

About the Opportunity

The City of Ventura is seeking highly motivated and dedicated individuals to join our team as a Police Officer Trainee I/II . This structured training pathway prepares candidates to become sworn police officers, with professional growth and development opportunities. Police Officer Trainees receive high-quality training and mentoring to prepare them for a career in law enforcement with the Ventura Police Department.

POSITION CLASSIFICATIONS

Police Officer Trainee I (Pre-Academy): An entry-level, non-sworn position designed for individuals preparing to attend a California POST-certified Basic Police Academy. Trainees at the level I will receive hands-on experience and departmental mentorship to prepare for academy success. Individuals will transition to Police Officer Trainee II upon commencement of the academy.

Police Officer Trainee II (Academy Ready): An entry-level, non-sworn classification for individuals who have been selected to attend a California POST-certified Basic Police Academy. Upon successful completion of the academy and all department and state-mandated requirements, Trainees will transition into a sworn Police Officer role.

Candidates may be hired at either Police Officer Trainee I or II, depending on academy availability and at the discretion of the hiring department. Those hired as a Trainee I will work in a non-sworn capacity with the Ventura Police Department before the start of the academy and progress to Trainee II upon commencement of the academy.

WHY JOIN THE VENTURA POLICE DEPARTMENT?

Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits, including a paid workout for patrol

State-of-the-art training and equipment

A supportive team environment with strong civic engagement

Coastal community with endless opportunities for career growth and advancement

Pay

Police Officer Trainee I - $43.47 Hourly | $7,534.80 Monthly

Police Officer Trainee II - $45.64 | $7,910.93 Monthly

Police Officer ( Upon successful completion of the academy and appointment as a sworn Police Officer ) – Step A $50.80 – Step E $61.75 per hour

Employee Referral Program

This position has been designated “hard to fill” and is eligible for the employee referral program. If you have been referred to apply for this position by a current City staff member, please indicate their name as the person who referred you in the supplemental question.

Benefits

Police Officer Trainee I/II: Unrepresented ( Salary Schedule "D" )

• •Medical Insurance: Up to $887 monthly towards a selection of plans.
• Employees are eligible to participate in the City’s medical insurance program. The City contributes up to the monthly maximum toward a selection of available plans. Insurance is effective the first of the second month after date of hire.

Optional Benefits : $285.00 monthly, which may be applied toward medical insurance premiums.

Dental & Vision Insurance: City-paid coverage is provided for employees and eligible dependents. Coverage is effective the first of the second month after date of hire.

Life Insurance : The City shall contribute toward payment of term life insurance benefits an amount equal to the premium cost for $10,000 of coverage. Dependent life insurance coverage of $5,000 per eligible dependent is also provided.

Retirement (CalPERS – Miscellaneous Members for Salary Schedule D):

Tier I - 2% @ 55/Single Highest Year of Compensation Period for Classic CalPERS members who worked for the City prior to December 31, 2012 and are returning to City employment. Employees make a 7% member contribution, and may be subject to compensation limits per Section 401(a)(17) of the IRC.

Tier II - 2% @ 60/3-Year Final Compensation Period for Classic CalPERS members with less than a six-month break in service from another CalPERS or CalPERS'-reciprocal agency. Employees make a 7% member contribution, and may be subject to compensation limits per Section 401(a)(17) of the IRC.

Tier III - 2% at 62/3-Year Final Compensation Period for New CalPERS members. Employees make a 7.75% member contribution, and are subject to compensation limits per Government Code Section 7522.10. Additional details regarding the City's retirement plan will be provided to candidates during the job offer process.

Social Security: CalPERS members do not participate in Social Security retirement, so there is no payroll deduction.

Medicare: Employees participate in Medicare with a 1.45% payroll deduction.

Vacation: 2 weeks per year.

Holidays: Employees in Salary Schedule "D" will receive 5.0 hours of holiday leave semi-monthly. No hours will be carried over upon reassignment to a different salary schedule.

Sick Leave: Employees in Salary Schedule "D" shall accrue at a rate of 4.0 hours semi-monthly.

Student Loan Forgiveness: The City currently qualifies as an eligible employer for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

Wellness Program: A comprehensive program is available that includes an on-site gym, paid workouts, exercise classes, a comfort therapy dog, critical incident debriefings, mandatory mental health check-ins, and more.

Professional Development: The City of Ventura is a LinkedIn Learning organization. LinkedIn Learning online classes are available with a library of more than 13,000 courses taught by real-world experts. Users can download certificates and customize learning paths that match their roles and competencies.

Upon completion of the academy and appointment as a Police Officer, candidates will be eligible for the following benefits package:

Police Officer: Represented – ( Ventura Police Officers’ Association )

Medical Insurance: Up to $1,100 monthly towards a selection of plans. Employees are eligible to participate in the City’s medical insurance program. The City contributes up to the monthly maximum toward a selection of available plans. Insurance is effective the first of the second month after date of hire.

Optional Benefits Program: $462 monthly, which may be applied toward medical insurance premiums. Cash-out option is not available.

Dental & Vision Insurance: City-paid coverage is provided for employees and eligible dependents. Coverage is effective the first of the second month after date of hire.

Deferred Compensation: The City will match an individual employee's contribution to a 457 deferred compensation plan in an amount up to $949 per year.

Life Insurance: Eligible f or a $50,000 basic term life insurance policy for each employee and dependent life insurance of $5,000 for each eligible dependent.

Retirement: Employees are covered by the CalPERS retirement system. If you are a CalPERS retiree, please contact CalPERS to discuss the impact that employment in this position would have on your pension benefit.

Tier I - 3% @ 50/Single Highest Year of Compensation Period for Classic CalPERS members who were hired prior to July 24, 2011, or who worked for the City prior to July 24, 2011 and are returning to City employment. Employees make a 4.5% member contribution and 4.5% of the employer's share, and may be subject to compensation limits per Section 401(a)(17) of the IRC. The City will contribute 4.5% of the member contribution and report the value to CalPERS as pensionable income.

Tier II - 3% @ 55/Single Highest Year of Compensation Period for employees hired on or after July 24, 2011 and prior to January 01, 2013, and for employees hired on or after January 01, 2013 who are considered Classic Ca