Police Officer Lateral

City of Palo Alto
Palo Alto, California United States  View Map
Posted: Jul 25, 2025
  • Salary: $125,153.60 - $161,740.80 Annually USD
  • Full Time
  • Public Safety
  • Job Description

    Description

    LOOKING FOR EXPERIENCED POLICE OFFICER LATERALS!

    Continue your career in law enforcement by joining the Palo Alto Police Department and make a difference in the Palo Alto Community!

    We are looking for men and women from all backgrounds who welcome a challenge, and who will uphold our mission statement, "To proudly protect and serve the public with respect and integrity." To those who accept this challenge, we offer great pay and benefits, ample opportunities for specialty assignments and advancement, outstanding training, and the privilege to serve the community of Palo Alto.

    The Palo Alto Police Department is dedicated to providing the highest level of police services to our community. Objectivity, integrity, equality, justice and honor are our guiding values in executing our duties and obligations, while ensuring the continuation of excellent customer service.

    Learn more about our exceptional Palo Alto Police Department - PAPD

    Ideal Candidate:
    Palo Alto is looking for dynamic, community oriented individuals with a progressive team oriented approach. The ideal candidate will have a sense of service, dedication, and
    commitment to providing quality customer service. We are looking for community oriented individuals with strong ethics and a commitment to integrity.

    Essential Duties

    Essential and other important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
    • Patrols an assigned area for the prevention and detection of crime and the enforcement of laws, regulations and ordinances.
    • Responds as dispatched to scenes of disorder, disaster, or crime to take appropriate action.
    • Investigates and reports crimes, accidents, offenses, and damage to property.
    • Makes arrests.
    • Prepares cases and evidence for trial and appears in court as witness.
    • Participates in community relations activity.
    • Processes and serves warrants and subpoenas, compiles identification data, performs related tasks as required, not inconsistent with the attainment of departmental goals.
    Follow the link to view entire job description - Police Officer.

    Minimum Qualifications

    • Minimum of 21 years of age
    • Completion of a California POST certified police academy Regular Basic Course
    • Possess a California POST Basic Certificate
    • Must have worked as a Police officer within the last three years.
    Special Requirements:
    • Possession of a valid California Driver's License at time of appointment.
    • Pre-employment: ability to pass drug and alcohol test; candidates must not have been convicted by any state or by the federal government of a crime, the punishment for which could have been imprisonment in a federal penitentiary or a state prison.
    • Weight in proportion to height.
    • Visual rating correctable to 20/30 in both eyes. Possess normal color vision.
    • If military veteran, discharges other than honorable will be evaluated on an individual basis.
    • Satisfactory results on appropriate written, medical, background and psychiatric examinations.
    • Citizenship: must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident alien or have applied for citizenship.


    Supplemental Information

    Our online application system is provided by NeoGov . If you have problems while applying online, please contact NeoGov's Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627 between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday.

    The City of Palo Alto is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

    For more details visit our Careers Page.
    Learn more about our Memorandum of Agreements (MOAs) between the City and its bargaining units, by clicking HERE.

    Closing Date/Time: Continuous
  • ABOUT THE COMPANY

    • City of Palo Alto
    • City of Palo Alto

    The Community


    The birthplace of Silicon Valley, Palo Alto, is a community of approximately 68,000 residents and nearly 100,000 jobs. Located on the mid-Peninsula between San Francisco and San Jose, Palo Alto is recognized worldwide as a leader in cutting-edge technology, medicine, and green innovation. The community's treelined streets and historic buildings reflect its California heritage, and, at the same time, many world-class businesses maintain or started offices here, such as Stanford Health Care and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Amazon, Broadcom, Hewlett-Packard, Houzz, Rivian, SAP and SAP Ariba, Tesla, and Varian Medical Systems. Numerous start-ups are also at home in Palo Alto, arguably making it the start-up capital of the world. Stanford University is foundational to the history and prestige of Palo Alto, reflected in the community's dedication to lifelong learning. Stanford's cultural and educational offerings are integral to the vibrancy and charm of Palo Alto, while the City's exceptional K-12 school district ranks among the top public-school systems in the country. With more than 50% of adult residents holding a graduate degree or higher, Palo Alto is frequently listed as one of the most educated cities in the nation. Palo Alto boasts a genuine sense of community and an active citizenry with strong environmental values. Beautiful neighborhoods are complemented by vibrant commercial corridors and a bustling economy featuring premium shopping and dining options. Excellent healthcare facilities, performing arts, and diverse recreational opportunities are some of the community's incredibly desirable and cherished amenities. To learn more, visit https://www.paloalto.gov/Departments/City-Manager/Latest-News

    City Government

    Palo Alto is a full-service charter city with a council-manager form of government. The seven-member City Council is elected at large, and the City Council annually selects the Mayor and Vice Mayor from among its members. The Mayor and City Council appoint the City Manager, City Attorney, City Clerk, and City Auditor. The City Manager is responsible for the strategic direction and day-to-day operations of the City. Palo Alto is organized into 15 departments/offices with 1,093.10 authorized positions in FY 2025. There is also a FY 2025 capital budget of $316.2 million. Palo Alto owns and operates its own utilities, including electricity (carbon-neutral), gas, water, wastewater, and an expanding fiber network. This dynamic municipal environment ensures an ever-engaging platform for unique problem-solving and advances new initiatives, including sustainability, broadband, and effective service delivery. Community assets also include five libraries, 36 parks, five community centers, a museum and zoo, youth centers, a general aviation airport, an 18-hole golf course, a regional water treatment plant, and wildland open space preserves at the San Francisco Bay and in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains offering 41 miles of walking/biking trails in addition to its police, fire, and ambulance services. Palo Alto has long been a leader in sustainability, and the City's ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals are part of what sets it apart. Since the City's first Climate Protection Plan was passed in 2007, Palo Alto has set goals that exceed State and Federal targets. Today, the City's goal to reduce emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2030 (the "80x30" goal) and achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 guides sustainability efforts. An award-winning City, Palo Alto is recognized nationally as innovative and well-managed. City services and performance also receive impressive marks from community members in the Palo Alto Community Survey.

    Many of those ratings put City programs and services in the highest percentiles among the hundreds of benchmark cities. Palo Alto makes decisions through comprehensive processes and proactively seeks to involve its extremely informed, educated, and engaged residents. Projects are naturally a cooperative effort among the City Council, Boards, Commissions, Committees, engaged residents, neighborhoods, businesses, property owners, and staff.

    Join an Award Winning Team 

    Palo Alto is an award-winning City recognized nationwide as innovative and well-managed. Palo Alto is one of a small number of California cities with a AAA bond rating. Recently, Palo Alto became one of the most livable cities in the U.S. by Livability.com. It's the only city to receive the Platinum Beacon Award in sustainability best practices by California’s Institute for Local Government. We offer a variety of career paths that relate to building and improving communities. The City has fourteen departments employing 1,000 full-time staff. Police officers, fire fighters, paramedics, and building inspectors keep us safe. Engineers and public works staff build and re-build the physical infrastructure. City planners help envision and shape future community growth. Recreation, arts and library professionals enhance community life. Utilities provides electric, gas, water, sewer and other services. Internal services departments help manage, staff, and protect the City.

    Want to learn more about our benefits? Learn more by reviewing our "Benefits at a Glance Booklet."

    Contact Us

    Phone: 650-329-2376   

    Email: Recruit@paloalto.gov   

    Location: City Hall, 1st Floor | 250 Hamilton Ave 94301 | View Map

    Show more

MORE JOBS

  • As-Needed Instructor/Lifeguard

    • Santa Clara, California
    • City of Santa Clara, CA
    • May 22, 2025
    • Full Time
    • Education and Training
    • Public Safety
  • Sheriff's 911 Call Dispatcher

    • Sacramento, California
    • Sacramento County, CA
    • Jun 01, 2025
    • Customer Service
    • Dispatch and Telecommunications
    • Emergency Management
    • Public Safety
  • Police Corporal (20525642)

    • 610 Foster City Blvd, Foster City, California
    • CITY OF FOSTER CITY
    • Aug 21, 2024
    • Full Time
    • Education and Training
    • Public Safety
  • Lecture Pool for Department of Philosophy AY 25-26

    • Hayward, California
    • Cal State University (CSU) East Bay
    • Jun 14, 2025
    • Education and Training
    • Parks and Recreation
  • Preschool Aide (20595942)

    • Burlingame, California
    • CITY OF BURLINGAME, CA
    • Mar 12, 2025
    • Part Time
    • Education and Training
  • Deputy Sheriff II (Laterals From Other Public Agencies)

    • Nevada City, California
    • Nevada County, CA
    • Jan 02, 2025
    • Full Time
    • Public Safety
    • Other
Show More
Apply Now Please mention you found this employment opportunity on the CareersInGovernment.com Job Board.
Please mention you found this employment opportunity on the CareersInGovernment.com Job Board.