Police Officer Qualifications
888/547-5951
pdjobs@opkansas.org
All individuals interested in becoming an Overland Park police officer must meet specific minimal eligibility requirements.
Applications received from individuals who do not meet the minimal eligibility requirements will not be given further consideration; they will receive notification that they do not meet the requirements.
Minimal eligibility requirements
- Must be a United States citizen.
- Must be at least 21 years old (Explorers Program: ages 14-19)
- Must have a high school diploma or furnish evidence of successful completion of an examination indicating an equivalent achievement (e.g. a General Education Development (GED) test).
- Cannot have any members of your immediate family employed full-time or part-time by the city.
- While there is no requirement to reside in the State of Kansas or Overland Park, police officers must be able to respond from his/her residence to the Police Department within 45 minutes.
- Must take and pass a written examination and oral board interview.
- Must successfully pass a police department administered polygraph exam.
- Must complete an in-depth background investigation.
- Must complete a physical and psychological examination from a licensed physician or practitioner after a conditional offer of employment.
- Must be able to achieve and demonstrate technological proficiency in the areas directly connected to daily assignments.
- Must be able to achieve and maintain a level of physical fitness that allows officers to safely and competently perform the essential functions of the job.
Past criminal activity
- Must not have committed, been convicted of, had a conviction expunged for or been placed on diversion by any state or federal agency for a felony crime.
- Must not have sold "any" illegal drug or controlled substance or been convicted of or had a conviction expunged or been placed on diversion for selling any illegal drug or controlled substance.
- Must not have used "any" illegal drug(s) or illegal use of controlled substance other than marijuana in the past 10 years. In addition, must not have used "any" illegal drug(s) or controlled substance other than marijuana more than five times during the applicant's lifetime.
- Must not have used marijuana in the past three years. In addition, must not have used marijuana more than 15 times during the applicant's lifetime.
- Right to legally own or use a firearm must not be revoked or curtailed under federal, state or local law, including but not limited to provisions of the Gun Control Act of 1968.
- Must not be currently charged with or under indictment for any criminal activity other than minor traffic violations.
- All applicants are subject to a thorough, comprehensive background investigation.
Driving record
- Must possess a valid driver's license prior to beginning employment with the city.
- May not have been convicted of, plead guilty or no contest to or been diverted on four or more moving traffic violations within the past three years.
- May not have been convicted of, plead guilty or no contest to, or been diverted on a serious traffic violation within the past three years. Serious traffic violations include DUI, reckless driving, hit and run, vehicular homicide, transporting an open container of alcoholic liquor or cereal malt beverage, eluding a police officer and negligent homicide.
Salary
For an entry level police officer, the annual salary is $3,306 per month with a maximum of $5,524, reachable after 12 years in the salary step plan. The city offers excellent benefits, including health and dental insurance and 100 percent employer-paid contribution in a defined retirement plan.
Lateral entry may be considered, based on prior experience as a full-time police officer.
Work schedule:
Officers work five eight-hour or four 10-hour work days during a normal work week, depending on shift assignment:
- An officer's initial shift assignment generally is patrol officer. The Patrol Division is staffed 24-hours by three work shifts and three relief teams. The department also has one permanent day shift and one permanent evening shift.
- Officers are assigned through a bidding system, based on seniority, to a team for a 12-month period.
- Officers assigned to the day shift work eight months of days and four months of evenings.
- Officers assigned to the evening shift work eight months of evenings and four months of days.
- Officers assigned to the day/evening relief, midnights, and midnights relief shifts work their assigned shift for the entire year.
- Transfers to specialized units (criminal investigations, bomb, Dive Team, K-9, tactical response, etc.) is based on the needs and best interests of the organization.
The department pays time and one-half for assigned overtime (more than 40 hours). All personnel are subject to overtime assignments as necessary. This includes time in court during off-duty hours and other off-duty assignments. Time devoted to scheduled training, in addition to the normal workday, also is considered overtime.