Community Service Officer (20787988)

Job Description

The City of Menlo Park is now accepting applications for Community Service Officer.

This is a journey-level class responsible for performing a variety of non-sworn law enforcement duties. Incumbents are expected to work independently and exercise judgment and initiative. Positions at this level receive only occasional instruction or assistance as new or unusual situations arise and are fully aware of the operating procedures and policies of the work unit.

THE POLICE DEPARTMENT

The Menlo Park Police Department (MPPD) is grounded in its commitment to professionalism, transparency, fairness, and service. The Department operates under a philosophy rooted in the belief that the police and the public are partners in maintaining peace, safety, and quality of life.

MPPD employees, professional staff and sworn officers alike, work to uphold the Department’s standards of excellence. Over the last few years, Menlo Park has invested significantly in developing leaders throughout the organization and championing a culture of ownership, accountability and continuous learning. Recent employee engagement surveys reveal high levels of satisfaction with the agency’s mission, work environment, and team relationships.

The Department places a high priority on its relationships with the community and provision of safety seriously and is dedicated to education and enforcement of state and local laws. The emphasis on evidence-based practices, problem-solving policing, and the responsible use of technology are important aspects of MPPD’s culture.

The Department’s operations are organized into four divisions:

• Patrol Operations Division - oversees general patrol services, Traffic and Parking, Community Service Officers (CSOs), and the Field Training Program.
• Special Operations Division - responsible for Investigations, Problem-Oriented Policing, and the School Resource Officer program. This division also handles Internal Affairs and coordinates the Community Wellness and Crisis Response Team.
• Records, Dispatch, and Property Division - manages public-facing services through Dispatch and Records, oversees property and evidence management, and ensures the maintenance and accessibility of departmental records. MPPD manages its own 24/7 Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) system for emergency and non-emergency calls.
• Internal Services Division - provides support in training, policy coordination, recruitment and hiring, public affairs, media relations, community outreach, data management, and the supervision of civilian staff not assigned to the other divisions.

A job description, including examples of typical job functions and qualifying knowledge, skills, and abilities, is available by clicking on the Job Description link.

Job PDF:

https://www.calopps.org/sites/default/files/Community%20Service%20Officer_0.pdf

Ideal Candidate

Under general supervision, the Community Service Officer performs a variety of activities in administering non-sworn law enforcement support services and programs for the City’s Police Department including crime scene investigation, parking enforcement and traffic control, evidence collection and processing, abandoned vehicle abatement, neighborhood watch and public outreach, animal control, and writing reports.

Minimum Qualifications:

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

• Equivalent to an Associate’s Degree in criminal justice, police science, or a related field.
• One year of experience performing increasingly responsible non-sworn law enforcement support duties.
• Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid California Driver’s License by time of appointment.

Benefits

The City offers an excellent benefit package consisting of:

• Health Insurance: City contribution up to $3,039 per month towards a Cafeteria Plan which can be used to purchase medical insurance and participate in a flexible spending account for health care and/or child care reimbursement
• Dental: City-paid coverage for employee and dependents
• Vision: City-paid coverage for employee and dependents
• Vacation: 88 - 176 hours of vacation leave accrual each year, depending on length of service
• Sick Leave: 96 hours of sick leave accrued each year
• Holidays: 11 official holidays; 34 hours of floating holiday time per year; 8 “Day of Reflection” hours per year in recognition of holidays of individual and community importance
• Retirement: CalPERS: For classic members 2.0% @ 60 formula. For all others, 2.0% @ 62 formula
• Deferred Compensation: Voluntary participation in City Plans.
• Life Insurance: City-paid policy equal to 1.5 times regular annual wage
• Long Term Disability: City-paid coverage
• Educational leave and tuition reimbursement
• A City-paid BayPass. The Menlo Park campus is centrally located within walking distance from Caltrain and downtown Menlo Park. This program offers employees unlimited travel for both work and personal trips on 25 Bay Area transit agencies that use the Clipper card, including CalTrain.
• A transportation allowance program provides employees with $1.50 per day when they walk, bicycle or carpool to work at least once per week.
• Employees are provided with access to an on-site gym at no cost

For additional benefit information, visit
www.menlopark.gov
and review the City of Menlo Park and SEIU Memorandum of Understanding.

Special Instructions

Please upload a resume and a cover letter indicating your interest in the position. You may attach one file only (multiple pages okay) up to 2MB.

IMPORTANT: Please be sure to fill out the required City application completely, including all relevant work experience. Applications with “See Resume” as a substitution for the work experience description and/or unclear past employment information will not be considered.

Applications will be screened according to the qualifications outlined in this announcement. Not all applications which may meet the minimum requirements will proceed to the next phase of the recruitment process. All applicants will be notified by email as to whether or not they are invited to participate further in the selection process.

Potential Interview Dates:

• The most qualified candidates will be invited to an in-person Oral Board Panel examination scheduled for Wednesday, November 18, 2026.

An Eligible List will be established as a result of this examination process and will be valid for a period of six (6) months. The list may be extended up to a maximum of two (2) years. The hiring department will review the Eligible List to determine which candidates will be invited to the department selection process.

The City of Menlo Park is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the City of Menlo Park not to discriminate against all qualified applicants or employees. We will make reasonable efforts in the selection process to accommodate persons with disabilities. Please contact Human Resources at (650) 330-6670 or
jobs@menlopark.gov
prior to the closing date for accommodation requests.

Before receiving an offer of employment, the candidate must pass a thorough background investigation, fingerprinting, psychological screening and physical examination. Candidates must be successful in all phases of the selection process.

In accordance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act, all potential employees are required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship or authorization to work in the United States. The City will not sponsor applicants for work visas.

Closing Date/Time: 11/10/2026 at 11:59pm