Police Officer

Police Officer

The Grand Prairie Police Department is continually seeking diverse, highly motivated, community-oriented officers with integrity, who are willing to face a variety of challenges and responsibilities. We are committed to working in partnership with the residents of our growing community to provide a safe, secure environment to enhance the quality of life for the approximate 204,000 Grand Prairie residents. Test Date: August 29, 2026. Please contact our Police Recruiting Department for more details at pdrecruiting@gptx.org. Exam Date: Saturday, August 29, 2026. Exam Time: 8:00 a.m. (check-in begins at 7:00 a.m.) central time. Location: 305 W. Warrior (South Grand Prairie High School, Early College).

Minimum Qualifications

• U.S. Citizen
• Applicants are required to have the Personal History Statement complete the day of the Civil Service Exam. Please click link for PHS. (Personal History Statement)
• Be eligible for certification from TCOLE (Texas Commission on Law Enforcement) AND
• Possess at least forty-eight (48) hours, with at least a 2.0 Grade Point Average (GPA), from a college or university accredited by a regional accrediting organization recognized by the United States Department of Education or Council for Higher Education by the time of their hire date with the Police Department, OR
• Possess at least two (2) years of experience as a regular full-time peace officer for a law enforcement agency prior to the date of the entrance examination, OR
• Possess at least two (2) years active-duty military experience in accordance with the definition of Military Service Credit listed in Section 2.1(e), with an Honorable Discharge, by the date of hire, OR
• Possess any license issued by TCOLE for a period at least two (2) years prior to the date of the examination, OR
• is currently employed as and has worked as a full-time Grand Prairie Police Department employee for the two (2) years immediately preceding the date of the entrance examination.

Police Lateral Entry Program

• The Police Lateral Entry Program is authorized as a form of seniority pay as authorized by an ordinance through the City Council and designed to attract additional qualified applicants who would not require the training time involved with an applicant who lacks previous experience. This additional recruiting tool shall involve compensating lateral entry officers for their experience based on the number of years of their prior experience. The Police Lateral program in effect at the time of hire shall be followed for placement in the pay plan.

Eligibility for Lateral Entry

• To be eligible for lateral pay, a lateral entry applicant shall have at least two (2) years continuous service as a paid, full-time certified peace officer in a law enforcement agency, including out-of-state agencies, as approved by the Chief of Police.
• The lateral applicant shall have been in a position where they had the authority to enforce laws, investigate crimes, make arrests, respond to calls for service, carry a firearm, and use discretion as part of their assigned duties.
• A lateral entry applicant shall not have more than a three (3) year break in service from the time they left the former law enforcement agency and the time they made application with the Grand Prairie Police Department.

Requested forms and deadlines:

• Form DD-214 - Applicants with military service will have 5 points added to their passing raw test score provided they submit a DD-214 reflecting an honorable discharge. Please be aware of the deadline for the DD-214. It must be attached to your application or emailed to apardue@gptx.org, no later than August 29, 2026 8:00am, we will not accept any DD-214s after that deadline
• Personal History Statement (Download PDF reader) due the day of Civil Service Entrance Exam Test

Additional Information

• Excellent compensation plus additional pay for: Shifts, Bilingual Pay, Training, Clothing allowance, Stability pay, Take home vehicle

Police Officer

The Grand Prairie Police Department is continually seeking diverse, highly motivated, community-oriented officers with integrity, who are willing to face a variety of challenges and responsibilities. We are committed to working in partnership with the residents of our growing community to provide a safe, secure environment to enhance the quality of life for the approximate 204,000 Grand Prairie residents. Test Date: August 29, 2026. Please contact our Police Recruiting Department for more details at pdrecruiting@gptx.org. Exam Date: Saturday, August 29, 2026. Exam Time: 8:00 a.m. (check-in begins at 7:00 a.m.) central time. Location: 305 W. Warrior (South Grand Prairie High School, Early College).

Minimum Qualifications

• U.S. Citizen
• Applicants are required to have the Personal History Statement complete the day of the Civil Service Exam. Please click link for PHS. (Personal History Statement)
• Be eligible for certification from TCOLE (Texas Commission on Law Enforcement) AND
• Possess at least forty-eight (48) hours, with at least a 2.0 Grade Point Average (GPA), from a college or university accredited by a regional accrediting organization recognized by the United States Department of Education or Council for Higher Education by the time of their hire date with the Police Department, OR
• Possess at least two (2) years of experience as a regular full-time peace officer for a law enforcement agency prior to the date of the entrance examination, OR
• Possess at least two (2) years active-duty military experience in accordance with the definition of Military Service Credit listed in Section 2.1(e), with an Honorable Discharge, by the date of hire, OR
• Possess any license issued by TCOLE for a period at least two (2) years prior to the date of the examination, OR
• is currently employed as and has worked as a full-time Grand Prairie Police Department employee for the two (2) years immediately preceding the date of the entrance examination.

Police Lateral Entry Program

• The Police Lateral Entry Program is authorized as a form of seniority pay as authorized by an ordinance through the City Council and designed to attract additional qualified applicants who would not require the training time involved with an applicant who lacks previous experience. This additional recruiting tool shall involve compensating lateral entry officers for their experience based on the number of years of their prior experience. The Police Lateral program in effect at the time of hire shall be followed for placement in the pay plan.

Eligibility for Lateral Entry

• To be eligible for lateral pay, a lateral entry applicant shall have at least two (2) years continuous service as a paid, full-time certified peace officer in a law enforcement agency, including out-of-state agencies, as approved by the Chief of Police.
• The lateral applicant shall have been in a position where they had the authority to enforce laws, investigate crimes, make arrests, respond to calls for service, carry a firearm, and use discretion as part of their assigned duties.
• A lateral entry applicant shall not have more than a three (3) year break in service from the time they left the former law enforcement agency and the time they made application with the Grand Prairie Police Department.

Requested forms and deadlines:

• Form DD-214 - Applicants with military service will have 5 points added to their passing raw test score provided they submit a DD-214 reflecting an honorable discharge. Please be aware of the deadline for the DD-214. It must be attached to your application or emailed to apardue@gptx.org, no later than August 29, 2026 8:00am, we will not accept any DD-214s after that deadline
• Personal History Statement (Download PDF reader) due the day of Civil Service Entrance Exam Test

Additional Information

• Excellent compensation plus additional pay for: Shifts, Bilingual Pay, Training, Clothing allowance, Stability pay, Take home vehicle

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