COME BE A PART OF OUR FAMILY AND SEE WHAT MAKES FOUNTAIN VALLEY A NICE PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK!

This recruitment is open continuously. Interested and qualified candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, as the recruitment may close at any time.

To be considered for this opportunity, all candidates must take the FrontLine National exam through National Testing Network at www.NationalTestingNetwork.com or provide a P.O.S.T. PELLET B T-Score of 45 or above.

P.O.S.T. T-Scores must have been issued within the last twelve (12) months from the date when the application was submitted to the City. 

THE CITY OF FOUNTAIN VALLEY

The City of Fountain Valley is nestled in the heart of Orange County. With just under 60,000 residents, we are a mid-sized full-service City that maintains a personal touch with the community we serve. From City events like our Summerfest to staff events like our Summer Barbeque, we take pride in engaging with staff and the community. The City is only 7 miles from the beach, so opportunities abound for work-life balance.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY POLICE DEPARTMENT

The Fountain Valley Police Department's mission is to demonstrate 1) Courage to protect life and property; 2) Duty to provide the highest quality of service in a fair, impartial, and ethical manner; 3) Commitment to take a leadership role in providing public safety and quality of life in a manner that will preserve the public trust.

The Police Department is comprised of dedicated professionals including the Chief of Police, 2 Captains, 3 Lieutenants, 1 Support Services Manager, 10 Sergeants, 9 Corporals, 39 Police Officers, 8 full-time Dispatchers, and 3 part-time Dispatchers, a Crime Analyst, Record Clerks, Dispatchers, Community Services Officers, Police Services Officer, Police Cadet, and administrative staff.

Candidates selected as a Police Recruit will be placed in a California Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) approved Basic Police Recruit Academy. Subject to successful completion of the Academy and selection process, the candidate may be hired as a Police Officer and provided the applicable salary and benefits for the position.

EDUCATION:

• High School graduation or equivalent or possession of a General Education Development Test (GED) certificate is required.
• An Associate of Arts or Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university is highly desirable.

EXPERIENCE:
Previous law enforcement experience is highly desirable.

REQUIRED LICENSE/CERTIFICATION:
Possession of a valid California Class "C" driver's license.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
At least 21 years of age at the time of appointment.
 

• Legally authorized to work in the United States by federal law.
• Candidates selected for processing will be fingerprinted for purposes of search of local, state, and national fingerprint files to disclose any criminal records.
• Candidates must be of good moral character, as determined by a thorough background investigation. Candidates must be free of any felony convictions.
• Candidates must have normal hearing acuity.
• Candidates must have a vision of 20/70 uncorrected, correctable to 20/20, and normal color vision. Candidates must have height and weight in accordance with age, sex, and frame.
• Police Officers must be able to work rotating shifts, evenings, holidays, and weekends as assigned.
• Found to be free from any physical, emotional, or mental condition, including bias against race or ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, disability, or sexual orientation, which might adversely affect the exercise of the powers of a peace officer.

REQUISITE ABILITIES AND SKILLS:

• Analyze situations quickly and objectively to determine the proper course of action; and cope with situations firmly, courteously, and tactfully, and with respect for the rights of others.
• Observe accurately and remember faces, numbers, incidents, and places.
• Persuade, convince, and/or train others; advise and interpret how to apply policies, procedures, and standards to specific situations.
• Learn, understand, and interpret laws and regulations. Prepare accurate and grammatically correct written reports. Operate a computer and a variety of software.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Maintain effective working relationships with staff, employees, other officers, supervisors, City officials, and the general public.

PHYSICAL TASKS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:
Work is performed indoors and outdoors in a variety of locations including on-site work at calls and incidents, in a City vehicle, and at the Police Station. When working outdoors, may be exposed to the elements; may work under damp or dry conditions; crouch, walk, bend, reach, twist, drag, lift, and carry items weighing 45 pounds or more; prolonged sitting, standing, and grasping; run for extended times over various distances and conditions such as pursuing a running suspect through yards and over fences and walls; observe and recognize people, activities, vehicles, street signs, environmental conditions from a reasonable distance during day or night; may be exposed to dust, chemicals, solvents, grease/oil, fumes, electrical, and mechanical hazards, vehicular traffic, vibration, and noise; meet the physical requirements of the class and have mobility, vision (including the ability to distinguish colors), speaking, hearing, dexterity, and use of both hands and legs appropriate to the duties to be performed. May administer first aid and in an emergency, push, pull, drag, and move individuals and/or others weighing 150 pounds or more. May be exposed to blood or other bodily fluids or communicable diseases. Must be able to meet the physical requirements of the class and have mobility, vision, hearing, sense of smell, and dexterity levels appropriate to the duties to be performed with the ability to work irregular hours and schedules.

NOTE:
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by persons assigned to this job. They are not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required.

FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT DESIGNATION:
Non-Exempt

SELECTION PROCESS
The selection process will consist of the following:
 

1. Application Review.
2. Physical agility test.
3. Oral interview.
4. Extensive background investigation including credit check, California Department of Justice (DOJ), and Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) criminal history check (Live Scan fingerprinting).
5. Polygraph examination.
6. Psychological evaluation after a conditional job offer is given.
7. Pre-employment medical examination including drug screen.

YOU MUST SUBMIT/ATTACH ONE OF THE FOLLOWING ENTRY-LEVEL LAW ENFORCEMENT EXAMS:
 

1. P.O.S.T. PELLET B EXAM WITH A PASSING T-SCORE OF 45.
2. N.T.N. EXAM WITH A PASSING SCORE OF 70 OR GREATER IN EACH TESTING COMPONENT

P.O.S.T. T-Scores must have been issued within the last twelve (12) months from the date when the application was submitted to the City.

Re-application:
Candidates who failed any component of the City of Fountain Valley's selection process for Police Recruit will be not be eligible to re-apply for another Police Recruit selection process until six months have passed since the date they were disqualified from the selection process.

Complete application package:
Candidates must fill out the application and supplemental questions completely and provide the required documentation as applicable. Incomplete applications including references to see the resume for qualifications are incomplete and will be disqualified. Candidates are encouraged to provide accurate answers as the City will verify the qualifications of each candidate.
 
All employment offers made by the City are contingent upon establishing proof of a prospective candidate's legal authorization to work in the United States and successfully completing all components of the pre-employment process. The City of Fountain Valley is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer. Candidates with a disability who may need accommodation during the selection process must notify the Human Resources Department at least 72 hours in advance of the test date.
 
Note: The provisions of this job bulletin do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Any provisions contained within may be modified or revoked without notice.

Job posting revised 4/5/2023

CLASSIFICATION HISTORY:

Created: 5/23/2007

Revised: 2/2/2023

For more information and to submit an application, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/fountainvalley/jobs/4082929/police-recruit