Police Officer - Certified/Police Officer/Senior Police Officer - Lateral

Westminster, Colorado

Westminster, Colorado United States

Posted: Apr 02, 2026

Salary: $80,745.60 - $119,620.80 Annually USD

Full Time

Public Safety

CITY EQUITY STATEMENT
The City of Westminster welcomes diverse candidates from the broadest base possible. Our goal is to find the best candidate for the job-someone who belongs, not just fits. We value life and professional experiences, recognizing equivalent combinations of knowledge skills and education.

Aligned with our city SPIRIT values, the successful candidate will have a passion and commitment to serving a diverse population of residents and must respect and uphold the principles of justice, equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging.

We encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for this role, even if you believe you have a less traditional background than described we invite you to apply.

POSITION PURPOSE / IMPORTANT APPLICATION INFORMATION

The Police Officer- Certified , is a safety-sensitive position that is involved with the complex and specialized activities required to maintain civil order and enforce laws and ordinances. Police Officers are responsible for the protection of life and property, detection and prevention of crime, apprehension of criminals, and enforcement of laws and ordinances in a designated specialized area or on an assigned shift. This is a safety-sensitive position. Candidates must be Colorado POST certified by date of hire, in order to be considered for this position.

Certified Police Officer Hiring Pay Scale 2026
Post certified, less than two years Patrol experience $80,746 per year

The Police Officer/Senior Police Officer is a safety-sensitive position that is involved with the complex and specialized activities required to maintain civil order and enforce laws and ordinances. Police Officers are responsible for the protection of life and property, detection and prevention of crime, apprehension of criminals, and enforcement of laws and ordinances in a designated specialized area or on an assigned shift.This is a safety-sensitive position. Candidates for this position must have at least two years full-time Law Enforcement Patrol experience as a POST Certified Police Officer (Local, Municipal, Sheriff, State Patrol or Police) within the last three (3) years.

Police Officer/Senior Police Officer - Lateral Hiring Pay Scale 2026
Two (2) or more years of experience: $ 92,706 per year
Three (3) or more years of experience: $101,691 per year
Four (4) or more years of experience: $107,661 per year
Five (5) or more years of experience: $119,621 per year

Westminster is offering a $10,000 Hiring Bonus for ALL Newly Hired Police Officers including Trainees, Certified, and Lateral Officers: ALL Police Officer hires -Trainees, Certified and Lateral Officers will receive $5,000 upon successful completion of field training and $5,000 upon successful completion of their one-year probationary period.

The full salary range for this position is stated above. The starting range of pay is dependent on qualifications and experience of each individual candidate. The City of Westminster has a Multilingual Stipend Program to encourage and reward benefited employees who are conversationally fluent in languages other than English. Benefited employees have the opportunity to test their language proficiency skills and qualify for a bi-weekly stipend that will vary based on the employee’s level of proficiency and usage.

ORGANIZATIONAL COMPETENCIES AND CULTURAL VALUES/GENERAL COMPETENCIES

The City's work culture encourages passionate, positive and enthusiastic employees who, along with our City Council and City Manager, are strong supporters of our mission: The City of Westminster provides high-quality core services and fosters resilience in order to promote a safe and thriving community. Westminster is a city of beautiful, safe, well-maintained neighborhoods and destinations with a vibrant, diverse economy, rich and resilient environment and a strong sense of community belonging. Our core values are embodied in our SPIRIT (Service - People - Integrity - Respect - Innovation - Teamwork).

This position supports the goals of the Police Department, which is “Enforcement and education of laws and the apprehension of those who seek to disrupt the quality of life within our community.” The Department is responsible for enforcement of State Laws and Westminster Municipal Ordinances pertaining to criminal and traffic issues and to uphold the Constitution of the United States, the State of Colorado, and the Charter of the City of Westminster. The Department is primarily focused on public safety, maintaining peace and order, prevention of crime, and the apprehension of criminals.

Every employee is accountable to:

Demonstrate a high level of customer service; encourage others to focus on the customer; foster an environment where customer service is a priority
Communicate with customers to ensure that, where possible they are satisfied and that their needs are being addressed; solicit and evaluate customer feedback
Act as an ambassador by understanding and fostering the organization's mission and vision
Exhibit pride in self, the department, the city, and the community; conduct self in a professional manner
Demonstrate integrity and build trust through credibility, reliability, commitment, loyalty, and ethical behavior
Address difficult or contentious issues in a constructive manner
Support/promote change; demonstrate flexibility and takes calculated risks when appropriate
Participate in personal growth opportunities and attend trainings designed to enhance capacity to bring new skills and ideas to the job and the organization
Work to continuously improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the service or product being delivered
Demonstrate support for team efforts by accepting new roles and responsibilities, and helping others achieve objectives
Value diversity; demonstrate an awareness of differences; demonstrate sensitivity and adapt behaviors and communication to accommodate these differences

GENERAL COMPETENCIES
Citywide - Every employee in this position is accountable to:

Establish effective interpersonal relationships through honest, open communication and follow-through on commitments
Recognize personal strengths and weaknesses and target areas for personal self-development
Demonstrate initiative in performing job tasks
Exhibit problem-solving skills leading to sound judgment and quality decisions
Achieve goals, handle assigned workload and new assignments effectively; demonstrate an ability to work independently
Communicate effectively with individuals and groups using clear and concise verbal and written communications
Demonstrate accountability for work and take ownership in job performance
Demonstrate concern for the accuracy and quality of work; take steps to correct mistakes and improve the overall product

Job Specific - Every employee in this position must be able to:
Physical Abilities

Maintain personal physical fitness
Restrain and arrest suspects
Demonstrate proficient use of weapons
Demonstrate proficiency with the operation of a two-way radio
Ability to accurately enter data into a software system with 25 wpm speed
Demonstrate application of safe driving procedures
Perform a wide variety of physical activities due to the nature of the job

Personal Skills

Demonstrate sound judgment, accurate observation skills and learn new information and appropriately apply it to situations
Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills
Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills including assertiveness, emotional self-control, adaptability, initiative, dependability, integrity, teamwork skills, and sound problem-solving techniques
Demonstrate the ability to comply with laws, rules and regulations
Appropriately accept advice and constructive criticism
Demonstrate knowledge of human nature as it applies to human behavior
Demonstrate ability to learn the local area and to locate most addresses

JOB SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS

Essential Job Functions, Duties, Responsibilities and Tasks
Must be able to act without direct supervision and to exercise independent judgment in meeting complex emergency situations.
1. Responsible for effective incident evaluation, including

Responding to calls for service
Obtaining appropriate information at the scene
Accurately evaluating information
Determining priority of actions at the scene and whether it is a criminal or civil matter
Collecting, identifying, and preserving evidence and personal property
Gathering information through interview and interrogation techniques, and making legal admonishments

2. Responsible to arrest, detain, search, and preserve safety, including

Approaching and detaining suspects
Making arrests
Restraining and subduing suspects when necessary
Using reasonable amount of force necessary for physical arrests
Legally searching people and property
Applying appropriate safety precautions in hazardous and potentially dangerous situations
Maintaining a safe position when dealing with suspects
Maintaining an awareness of own location and location of other officers and personnel

3. Responsible to effectively communicate, both verbally and in writing, while providing appropriate public service and interaction, including

Using appropriate oral and written communication to provide law enforcement information and explanations
Maintaining appropriate courtesy while with the public
Providing assistance and appropriate referrals
Advising victims, complainants, violators, parents, etc.
Mediating disputes
Controlling crowds
Presenting a neat, clean, well-groomed, professional appearance and demeanor
Preparing effective written reports, memos, citations, activity logs, etc.
Demonstrating effective oral communication skills with the public, other members of the department
Demonstrating effective communication via the police radio and other portable devices

4. Responsible for patrolling, including

Performing patrol activities in assigned area
Observing conditions and initiating appropriate action to potential hazards and suspicious or criminal activity
Responding to and handling a variety of calls for services
Enforcing laws and ordinances, as well as monitoring and enforcing vehicle codes

5. Must be able to safely and proficiently use required vehicles and equipment, including

Maintaining all equipment
Inspecting patrol vehicle
Inspecting all equipment
Safely operating vehicle under routine and emergency conditions
Using required weapons under training and emergency conditions

6. Must be able to effectively use legal and department knowledge, including

Demonstrating working knowledge of laws, codes, and legal procedures in all areas of law enforcement
Testifying in civil and criminal court on behalf of the police department
Assisting in courtroom security
Serving summonses, subpoenas, notices, orders, and warrants of arrest
Demonstrating working knowledge of department policies, regulations and procedures
Maintaining current knowledge of accepted police procedures and conduct
Keeping current on laws and relevant legal opinions
Participating in all required training
Adhering to an exemplary code of conduct while on or off duty in dealing with other department members as well as the City and public
Functioning effectively within the prescribed chain of command

7. Maintain regular and punctual attendance
Other Duties and Responsibilities
Incumbent is accountable for all duties of this job; other projects and responsibilities may be added at the City’s discretion.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS/WORKING CONDITIONS/PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

Education, Experience, Skills, Formal Training, Licenses and Certifications
Required :

Must be 21 years of age
Graduation from high school or GED
Graduation from a certified Police Academy
Colorado POST Certified or Provisionally Colorado POST Certified at the time of hire (Certified)
At least two years full-time Law Enforcement Patrol experience as a POST Certified Police Officer (Local, Municipal, Sheriff, State Patrol or Police) within the last 3 years (Police Officer/Senior Police Officer)
No felony convictions
Valid driver’s license and maintain a safe driving record

Preferred :

Military training (veteran friendly)
Minimum of two years of college level training in police science, criminal justice or a related field
Law enforcement experience at the municipal level

Any equivalent combination of education, training and experience, which would provide the required knowledge and skills, may be considered
Physical Requirements
Work is physical in nature and requires sufficient physical stamina and strength for:

Occasional use of sufficient physical strength, stamina, agility and ability to capture, control and arrest subjects or suspects, including those who may be bigger in stature and strength, resistive, combative, or attempting to elude custody
Constant carrying of thirty (30) pounds around waist for up to ten hours, or the duration of a shift in standing and seated positions
Frequent sitting in a patrol vehicle covering a designated area; occasional sitting at a desk to perform office functions and report writing; frequent standing, walking and running while chasing subjects or suspects on all types of terrain in all weather conditions
Occasional awkward movements such as resisted twisting, bending, or lifting; occasional kneeling, climbing and balancing on fences and stairs
Frequent firm grasping and occasional light grasping, pinching, and fine motor skills to be able to handle a weapon, evidence, and resistive detainees
Constant near acuity and depth perception to accurately discharge a weapon and view vehicle or personal characteristics for reports or descriptions are required, as is the ability to consistently hear and communicate via phone and two-way radio systems
Frequent lifting of up to sixty (60) pounds from ground level to waist and twenty (20) pounds from ground level to overhead to move equipment and material to and from police vehicles; occasional push/pull of up to 200 pounds or more to clear stalled vehicles from traffic or clear other hazards

WORKING CONDITIONS
Work is constantly performed outdoors and occasionally indoors with frequent exposure to extreme temperatures and all weather conditions. Work is performed year-round with occasional exposure to wet/humid conditions, loud noise, heavy traffic, and all types of hazardous situations, including threatening people, communicable diseases, hazardous materials, chemicals, etc. Due to the nature of position, periods of high activity and stress in emergency situations will exist, often after extended periods of sedentary activity, under demanding conditions, along with the handling of dangerous or hostile individuals.
Required Materials and Equipment
Vehicles, firearms, tasers, restraint devices, two-way radio, electronic devices, safety equipment, officer equipment, emergency first aid equipment, camera, speed measuring devices, breath-alcohol measuring devices and other equipment related to law enforcement; computer terminals, keyboard, printer, telephone, fax machine, photocopy machine, and other standard pieces of office equipment.

PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

Employment as a Police Officer is conditional upon successful completion of an oral interview and/or assessment center, psychological examination, background investigation, polygraph or CVSA
You must be able to pass a Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) background investigation and be fingerprinted for this job. A felony conviction is generally considered grounds for denial of CJIS access. Outstanding arrest warrants can also lead to being disqualified from CJIS certification
Additional testing may be required
Pre-employment drug screen
Pre-employment physical
Must be legally entitled to work in the United States and provide required documentation

The City of Westminster, Colorado, is a drug free workplace and an Equal Opportunity Employer that values diversity and aims to have its workforce reflect the community.

The City of Westminster offers a comprehensive benefit package including:

Health and Dental
Flexible Spending
FPPA Pension/Retirement
Term Life Insurance
Long-term Disability
Survivor Benefits
Wellness Program
Career Development Program
Tuition Reimbursement Program
Leave program that provides for vacation, holidays, sick leave, major illness, and on the job injury

The City of Westminster provides employees with innovative and practical ways to improve their commute through two key features, EcoPass and Commute Benefits powered by Commutrics. EcoPass provides unlimited trips on RTD's core transit services and Commute Rewards allows you to record your trips and get rewards based on your commute mode.

For a more detailed overview of our Police Sworn Employee benefit package:
Benefit Package

Closing Date/Time: 4/30/2026 11:59 PM Mountain

City of Westminster, Colorado

303-658-2150

Welcome to employment with the City of Westminster, Colorado!

Centrally located between Denver and Boulder, Colorado, on the US Highway 36 high-tech corridor, Westminster is a beautiful city designed for an exceptional quality of life. The community is a nationally recognized community with a reputation for innovation and progressive management in local government. Over 115,000 residents enjoy superb recreation amenities, beautiful neighborhoods, numerous entertainment and shopping opportunities. Westminster is 80% developed and maintains a goal to preserve 15% (3,300 acres) of its land area for natural open space.

The City of Westminster, Colorado, is a drug free workplace and an Equal Opportunity Employer that values diversity and aims to have its workforce reflect the community. The City of Westminster has a Multilingual Stipend Program to encourage, and reward benefited employees who are conversationally fluent in languages other than English. Benefited employees have the opportunity to test their language proficiency skills and qualify for a bi-weekly stipend that will vary based on the employee’s level of proficiency and usage.

The City's work culture encourages passionate, positive and enthusiastic employees who, along with our City Council and City Manager, are strong supporters of our mission: The City of Westminster provides high-quality core services and fosters resilience in order to promote a safe and thriving community. Westminster is a city of beautiful, safe, well-maintained neighborhoods and destinations with a vibrant, diverse economy, rich and resilient environment and a strong sense of community belonging. Our core values are embodied in our SPIRIT (Service – People – Integrity – Respect – Innovation – Teamwork).

The City of Westminster is a full-service city employing over 1,600 talented individuals in a variety of jobs. Our employees are committed to delivering the highest quality of service to the local community in areas of:

Law Enforcement
Fire, Medical and Emergency Management
Parks, Open Space, Golf and Recreation
Library Services
Community Development, including City Planning and Engineering
Economic Development
Utilities Operations
Street Maintenance
Plus internal services including: Human Resources, City Management, City Attorney’s Office, Finance, Facilities Management and Fleet Management

The City of Westminster offers a comprehensive benefit package including: Health and Dental Insurance, General Leave that provides vacation, holidays, and illness leave, Flexible Spending, Pension/ Retirement Plans, Term Life Insurance, Long-term Disability, Survivor Benefits, Wellness Program, and Education and Training Reimbursement.

You are welcome to apply online for any open City of Westminster position. Please note, that unless otherwise indicated, jobs close at 8:30 a.m. on the posted closing date. Applications can take from 20 to 30 minutes to complete, so please allow plenty of time for completion. Applications submitted after the job closing deadline cannot be accepted.

Current City of Westminster employees may be eligible to apply for internal jobs when they are available.

Business hours for City Hall, and several administrative offices are Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. However, working schedules may vary depending on the needs of the operation.

Westminster Colorado

About Company

Police Officer - Certified/Police Officer/Senior Police Officer - Lateral