POLICE OFFICER

The Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission invites qualified individuals to apply for this challenging and rewarding position with the City of Milwaukee Police Department.  This unique position provides the opportunity to help Milwaukee’s citizens every day, while also focusing on the individual’s educational, physical fitness, personal and professional development.  The City of Milwaukee is dedicated to developing a diverse Police Department to serve the community’s needs.

Police Officers preserve public peace, protect life and property, work within the community to prevent crime, and enforce ordinances of the City of Milwaukee and the laws of the State of Wisconsin.

Police Officers perform duties involved in the protection of life and property, including but not limited to:

• Enforce criminal laws; identify, detain, and process wanted individuals.
• Respond to calls for service.
• Conduct investigations of suspicious persons or situations and preliminary investigations of major crimes and criminal activity.
•  Interview suspects and witnesses, and prepare appropriate investigative reports.
• Prepare and testify in court as to the facts surrounding any criminal, departmental, or civil action.
• Patrol the City of Milwaukee in a police vehicle, motorcycle, bicycle, and/or on foot as directed.
• Communicate with mentally ill persons and contact or refer additional resources as appropriate.
• Operate a police vehicle in emergency situations involving speeds in excess of posted limits, in congested traffic, and in unsafe road conditions.
• Prepare accurate and complete reports of daily activities.
• Provide assistance to the community in the areas of crime prevention.
• Enforce motor vehicle laws to promote safety and reduce accidents, expedite traffic flow, and enforce Wisconsin State Statutes.
• Attend in-service training as mandated by the State of Wisconsin, or as directed.
• Perform duties in a special assignment capacity such as Motorcycle Unit, Office of Community Outreach and Education, and Narcotics Division, as assigned.  

Reasonable accommodations requested by qualified individuals with disabilities will be made in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Required to wear a uniform and carry a department-issued firearm and assigned equipment while on duty.
• Must successfully complete a 16-month probationary period.
• Will work a 40-hour work week, with rotating off-days by assignment; will be required to work most weekends and many holidays; mandatory overtime is often required.
• After recruit training, Police Officers are typically assigned to the late (12:00 midnight to 8:00 a.m.) or early (4:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight) shift; day-shift assignments are awarded to employees with seniority.
• Must earn sixty college credits within five (5) years of hire.
• Must meet and maintain all training and certification requirements established by the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Standards Board.
• Must be able to comply with the Milwaukee Police Department Uniform Equipment and Appearances Standard Operating Procedures (available at www.city.milwaukee.gov/fpc).

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• Minimum age 20 at time of application. (Note: Must be age 21 at time of appointment.)
• United States Citizenship.
• High School Diploma or Wisconsin GED or a GED from a different state that meets Wisconsin GED standards.  A Home Education Diploma will be accepted provided the applicant can provide copies of form PI-1206 filed with the Department of Public Instruction for applicants who have completed a home school program in Wisconsin, or documentation that the education program has met the requirements of the Department of Education from the state where the home school program was completed. 
• Valid Wisconsin driver’s license, or a valid driver’s license from the state in which you reside, at the time of background investigation.
• Physically able to perform Police Officer training and job duties.
• Must successfully pass a Milwaukee Police Department Background Investigation. 

 

DISQUALIFIERS:  Your application will be rejected if any of the following are true:

• You have been convicted of a felony.
• You have been dishonorably discharged from any branch of the United States Military Service.
• You have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
• You have failed a Milwaukee Police Department background investigation within the last two years from the date of application.
• You have been discharged or resigned with charges pending from either the Milwaukee Police. Department or Milwaukee Fire Department within the last two years from the date of application.
• Applicants may also be disqualified on the basis of background standards, which are included on the application.  

• Able to read, understand, and explain Wisconsin State Statutes and City of Milwaukee ordinances.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a diverse population, in-person, via telephone, and in writing.
• Civil, courteous and customer-service oriented.
• Ability to write accurate and complete reports and accurately record information – by hand and using a computer, file records, and process paperwork.
• Ability to solve problems, and make quick and appropriate decisions in stressful situations.
• Ability to maintain self-control and to take direction from supervisors.
• Maintain a positive attitude, have good moral character, be honest, responsible and trustworthy.
• Ability to perform physical activities necessary to protect oneself and others.
• Motivated and able to complete the required educational and physical fitness programs.
• Ability to drive a motor vehicle.
• Ability to work long hours for an extended period of time.

SALARY RANGE AND BENEFITS:  The current annual starting salary is $44,923.68, with increases to a maximum of $79,856.26.  The city offers a generous benefit package that includes two weeks of paid vacation after one year of service; 12 paid days off in lieu of holidays; fifteen days paid sick leave per year; health, dental, and life insurance; and tuition and textbook reimbursement.  

SELECTION PROCESS:  The examination process may include a written test, a state-mandated physical readiness test (an information video regarding this exam is available at https://wilenet.org/html/career/physical-readiness-vid.html), an oral interview, a writing sample exercise, and background investigation.  All phases of the examination must be successfully completed in order to continue in the selection process.  Failure in any segment of the examination disqualifies an applicant.   

Qualified candidates will be notified of the time and location of the written examination, which has tentatively been scheduled to be held before the end of April.  Candidates who successfully complete the written examination will receive information about the date, time, and location of the other testing components.  

If you will be unavailable for one or more portions of the examination due to military service or training, you must provide written notification to the Fire and Police Commission, City Hall Room 706 prior to the examination.  

ELIGIBLE LIST: Candidates who successfully pass the examination process will be placed on an eligible list for Police Officer, with ranking based upon the test scores plus any applicable preference points (see below).   

PREFERENCE POINTS:  Preference points may be added to the final passing score in accordance with State Statutes and Fire and Police Commission Rules. 

• Qualified veterans will receive military preference points added to the final passing score; a DD-214 is required as proof of service.
• Preference points may be added to the final passing score, if you are a bona fide resident of the City of Milwaukee when you apply; proof of residency must be provided.  

In order to receive military veteran points, residency preference points, or education preference points,  the undeleted DD-214, proof of residency, or a unofficial transcript from an accredited institution from which you received your diploma must be provided as part of the application.  The preference points may be claimed via the online application, and the necessary supporting documentation may be uploaded to the online application, mailed to the Fire and Police Commission at Room 706A, City Hall, 200 E. Wells Street, Milwaukee, WI  53202-3554, or emailed to fpcjobs@milwaukee.gov. Supporting documentation must be received or postmarked by 4:45 p.m. on Monday, March 18, 2019. 

Pre-employment Medical Examination, Psychological evaluation and drug test:  Individuals offered employment must pass a pre-employment medical examination, psychological evaluation, and drug test as a condition of employment.  

TRAINING: 

• Must complete a paid 27-week police training course at the Police Academy. 
• After successfully completing the training course, will be assigned to a district police station for field training.

 

APPLICATION PROCESS

The application process must be completed online. The online application will be available on February 22, 2019 and accepted through March 18, 2019.  Further information may be obtained from www.milwaukee.gov/jobs or by calling (414) 286-5000.  Online applications may not be submitted after the deadline, unless extended.