Police Officer (Certified)

POSITION SUMMARY

The City of Fort Lauderdale employees possess a passion for public service demonstrated by a high degree of enthusiasm, self-reliance, and job proficiency. They effectively convey the vision and mission of the organization and provide excellent service and satisfaction to our internal and external customers.

The Fort Lauderdale Police Department is now offering a Sign-on Bonus for Certified Police Officers. Candidates who successfully complete the selection process and are hired by the agency will receive a one-time payment of $5,000 upon successful completion of State Officer Certification Exam.
**Florida State Certified Police Officers will receive their sign-on bonus upon hire. **

The City of Fort Lauderdale's Police Officers are responsible for maintaining peace and safety, protecting life and property, and promoting community engagement and trust. Fort Lauderdale Police Officers serve a highly diverse multicultural community.

This job classification is included within the bargaining unit represented by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and therefore is subject to the terms and conditions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the City of Fort Lauderdale and the FOP.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR SUBMITTING ON-LINE APPLICATION

Failure to submit ALL of the required documents will result in your application being incomplete and not processed.
1. POLICE OFFICER CERTIFICATION (FDLE; FEDERAL OR CURRENT STATE POLICE OFFICER CERTIFICATION WITH COPY OF ACADEMY CURRICULUM)
2. PRE-JOB OFFER QUESTIONNAIRE - ( CLICK HERE FOR LINK TO PJQ )
3. DD214 MILITARY RELEASE FORM - MEMBER 4 COPY (if applicable)
4. CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE VETERAN'S PREFERENCE CLAIM FORM (if applicable) ( J-204 )
5. PHYSICAL AGILITY TEST ( PAT )*

6. DRIVING HISTORY

*FOR OUT OF STATE APPLICANTS- Proof of successful completion of PAT is not required with the application, however candidates must successfully complete all of these exams prior to the date of hire.

POLICE OFFICER TESTING PROCESS
In addition to the minimum requirements, each applicant will be required to successfully complete the following testing requirements:

• PHYSICAL AGILITY TEST ( PAT )*
• BASICS ABILITY TEST ( BAT )
  • Former Florida-certified or out-of-state-certified officers may qualify for an exemption from the basic abilities test and basic recruit training program by completing the Equivalency of Training process.
• ORAL BOARD INTERVIEW
• POLYGRAPH EXAMINATION
• COMPREHENSIVE BACKGROUND CHECK
• PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION
• MEDICAL/PHYSICAL EXAMINATION

Note: An eligible veteran who enters an open-competitive examination shall receive preference points added to the total passing score earned in the examination as provided for in the Florida Statutes. To obtain veteran's preference, candidates MUST submit a copy of separation papers and the City of Fort Lauderdale's veteran's preference claim form ( J-204 ) at time of application.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

NOTE: The duties of this position will include all of those duties set forth in the official job description.

JOB REQUIREMENTS & WORK ENVIRONMENT

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO BE A CERTIFIED POLICE OFFICER

1. Be a United States citizen (U.S. born or naturalized).
2. Have a U.S. high school education, General Education Development (GED) or equivalent, which includes United States Armed Forces Institute (USAFI) tests. Equivalence of Non-U.S. education must be approved by the State of Florida's Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission (If a degree was acquired in a country other than the United States, evidence of equivalence from a recognized agency must be provided.)
3. Be at least 19 years of age.

4. Possess a valid Florida driver's license or obtain within 30 days of appointment.

5. Must meet one of the requirements below:

• Possess a valid Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Police Officer Certification.
  • Must provide copy of certification
• Possess a certification from another Federal or State Law Enforcement Agency and worked as a full-time Police Officer for at least one (1) year (excluding police academy training hours) - Must provide State certification and academy training curriculum.
• Completed an Equivalency of Academy Training program approved by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. - Must provide copy of certification.

6 . Shall be non-user of tobacco products which include, but may not be limited to cigarettes, e-cigarettes or vapor cigarettes, cigars, pipes, smokeless tobacco of any kind at all times (whether on or off duty).
7. Must be able to successfully complete all City of Fort Lauderdale required pre-employment examination requirements

For more detailed information regarding our requirements, CLICK HERE

GENERAL INFORMATION FOR POLICE OFFICER APPLICANTS

WORKWEEK
Average workweek is forty (40) hours with overtime or compensatory time off (at time-and-one-half) for hours in excess of forty (40) hours in a standard workweek. After one (1) year of service with the City, a Police Officer may request preference for shift assignment once each calendar year. Such assignments are based upon departmental seniority and your preference.

EQUIPMENT
All uniforms and required equipment are furnished by the department with the exception of the service weapon, shoes, handcuffs, and whistle.

BENEFITS:
Retirement
Police Officers are eligible for normal retirement after twenty-four (24) years of service computed at 3.38% percent per year up to a maximum of 81%. The retirement plan is supported by the City and is contributory on the part of the employee, who is required to contribute ten percent (10%) of his/her (pre-tax) gross salary. Post retirement pay step benefit of three percent (3%) every three years, starting after the third year of retirement.

Vacation - Sick Leave - Hospitalization
Vacation is accrued at a rate of 120.12 hrs. per year; also eligible for ten (10) paid holidays

There is also sick leave benefit (with options to convert sick leave to vacation or cash.)

The Union will provide and administer a comprehensive group health and dental plan for all members of the Bargaining Unit.

Tuition Refund
After one (1) year of service with the City, a Police Officer may participate in the Tuition Refund program for partial or full reimbursement of tuition for job-related college course work (based on grades).

Say "Hello" to the City of Fort Lauderdale and Say "Goodbye" to Your Student Loan!
That's right! Under the U.S. Department of Education's Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, the remaining balance on your student loan may be forgiven after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments while working full-time at the City of Fort Lauderdale! Please visit www.fortlauderdale.gov/PublicServiceLoanForgiveness for more information or to see if you qualify.

The City of Fort Lauderdale Police Department is one of the finest in the country, and as such, employs the best qualified applicants. During the examination process, emphasis is placed on a candidate's CHARACTER. Indications of your honesty and integrity begin with the submission of your application. All information provided on your application, and all other forms submitted for processing, must be true, accurate, and without omission, as well as in all other stages of the testing process. This is a critical component of the process in determining if the "Moral Character" of a candidate is appropriate for employment as a Police Officer. We will verify the information through various sources, including an intensive background investigation and a comprehensive polygraph examination.

As public servants, employees may be required to work immediately before, during, and/or after an emergency. All employees must be available and able to work assigned shifts as determined by their Department Heads.

HOW TO APPLY/ VETERAN INFORMATION

An eligible veteran who enters an open-competitive examination shall receive preference points added to the total passing score earned in the examination as provided for in the Florida Statutes. To obtain veteran's preference, candidates MUST submit a copy of separation papers and the City of Fort Lauderdale's veteran's preference claim form ( J-204 ) at time of application.

The City of Fort Lauderdale is AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY (EEO) AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER . All applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender (including identity or expression), marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability or any other protected classification as defined by applicable law (except as limited by Personnel Rules, Collective Bargaining Agreements, or bona fide occupational qualifications)



The City of Fort Lauderdale offers a comprehensive benefits package to all regular full-time employees including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and short-term disability insurance.

Click here for an overview of employment informationincluding our benefits package.

Say "Hello" to the City of Fort Lauderdale and Say "Goodbye" to Your Student Loan!Under the U.S. Department of Education's Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, the remaining balance on your student loan may be forgiven after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments while working full-time at the City of Fort Lauderdale! Click here for more information or to see if you qualify.

Closing Date/Time: 3/29/2025 11:59 PM Eastern

• 

• City of Fort Lauderdale

• (954) 828-5300

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