California Lateral Officers:

• Must be currently employed with a California law enforcement agency
• Must possess a Basic P.O.S.T. Certificate (1 year of experience)
• Candidates who do not have a basic P.O.S.T. should follow the link for “Academy Graduates” at Neogov

Out-of-state Lateral Officers

• Must possess a valid driver’s license from state of residency. Applicants must obtain a California Class C driver’s license before being appointed to the position of Police Officer
• Must currently be employed with a state or local law enforcement agency of the United States and submit proof of current employment
• Must have at least one year of general law enforcement experience
• Submit valid (within one year) California P.O.S.T. PELLETB or National Testing Network (NTN) results

REQUIREMENTS

California Lateral Applicants

• Must be currently employed with a California law enforcement agency
• Must possess a Basic P.O.S.T. Certificate (1 year of experience) Candidates who do not have a basic P.O.S.T. should follow the link for Academy Graduates.

Step 1: Complete the Interview NOW form below

Step 2: Submit an application along with your Basic P.O.S.T. certificate. The application can be found by following the link below. Select “Police Officer (Lateral)”

Apply at Neogov

Out of State Lateral Police Officers are those police officers who are currently working for a law enforcement agency in another state. This section is for those officers who do not possess a California Basic Course waiver. Out of State Lateral Police Officers who already possess a waiver are considered California Lateral Police Officers for application purposes and should visit that section for California Lateral Officers.

*PLEASE NOTE: To become a police officer in California, all out of state lateral applicants are required to either obtain a Basic Course Waiver by undergoing an assessment process and attending a requalification course (160 hours) or attend a Basic Course (928 hours). Those who are unable to obtain a waiver will be sent to a Basic Course.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Must possess a valid driver’s license from state of residency
• Applicants must obtain a California Class C driver’s license before being appointed to the position of Police Officer
• Must currently be employed with a state or local law enforcement agency of the United States and submit proof of current employment
• Must have at least one year of general law enforcement experience
• Submit valid (within one year) California P.O.S.T. PELLETB or National Testing Network (NTN) results

HOW TO APPLY

Step 1: Complete the Interview NOW form below

Step 2: Complete ONE of the below written examinations:

PELLETB: Complete the California P.O.S.T. Reading and Writing Test (PELLETB). Pass Point is a T-Score of 48 or higher. (Results valid for 1 year.) For more information or to register go to: http://www.theacademy.ca.gov/tests (This test is preferred for those who reside in California).

OR

National Testing Network (NTN): Complete the national Testing Network Test (NTN). Pass Point scores are 65% Video, 70% Reading, and 70% Writing. (Results valid for 1 year.) For more information or to register go to https://www.nationaltestingnetwork.com/publicsafetyjobs. Applicants must submit results directly through their NTN portal to the Salinas Police Department and attach a screenshot of their results.

Step 3: Submit an application with passing written examination results. (Those missing the test results will not be invited to an interview.)

The application link will be provided after contacting Sergeant James Godwin at (831) 758-7122 or email us at Spdrecruitment@ci.salinas.ca.us.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE BASIC COURSE WAIVER PROCESS CAN BE FOUND HERE at https://post.ca.gov/basic-course-waiver-process)

For an overview of Salary and Benefits information, please go to https://joinsalinaspd.com/salary-and-benefits.

For a comprehensive view of all current Job Openings, complete Job Descriptions, Benefits Information, and the Pre-Investigative Questionnaire, go to Neo.gov. But first, please complete the form on this page so we can get in touch with you promptly! We look forward to speaking with you!

The State of California maintains hiring and retention standards for peace officers. The criteria for disqualification are found here.

The Salinas Police Department maintains a hiring standard regarding drug usage and criminal record above and beyond what is required by the state of California, which will be outlined during the application process at NEOgov. 

If you have any questions, please contact Sgt. Godwin at the Salinas Police Department at (831) 758-7122 or complete the form below to ask any questions you may have.