Police Recruit

INTENT TO TESTS WILL BE ACCEPTED UNTIL

5:00 P.M. ON MARCH 18, 2026.

To view our minimum qualifications, please click here Minimum Qualifications

For additional information about our hiring process, benefits & compensation, please reference our Police Recruiting site located at WSPD Recruiting & Hiring

Under the general supervision of a Lieutenant, Sergeant, and Corporal, the Police Officer patrols an assigned area in a motor vehicle while protecting persons and property; performs law enforcement and regulatory activities such as traffic enforcement, making arrests, completing reports, and performing jail duties; and performs related work as required in a safety-sensitive job.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Patrol an assigned area to observe and detect criminal activities, suspicious circumstances, traffic and ordinance violations, and hazards to life or property; check buildings for physical security; take appropriate action by issuing citations, warnings, or placing violators in custody;
• Respond to routine and emergency calls for service, interview witnesses and suspects, take statements from complainants, suspects, and witnesses, analyze criminal and civil violations to determine the best method of resolution, and determine the sufficiency of evidence to justify a search and/or arrest;
• Investigate and enforce City Ordinance violations, State and Federal laws as applicable;
• Arrest and detain persons suspected of misdemeanor and felony crimes and physically restrain arrested subjects as needed. Serve warrants as required;
• Pursue fleeing suspects by physical foot pursuit or with a motor vehicle as authorized;
• Search, guard, and process suspects into the City jail and transfer prisoners from other locations;
• Conduct routine checks and feeding of prisoners confined in the City jail;
• Investigate vehicular accidents, direct traffic, assist motorists, and write required reports;
• Establish personal contacts with citizens to advise on hazards and crime conditions. Establish sources of information within the community. May speak or give presentations;
• Handle persons with mental disorders and welfare concerns. Handle lost or missing children investigations;
• Utilize proper two-way radio techniques and procedures with clear speech and tone;
• Prepare criminal, informational, and other routine reports and logs;
• Present verbal testimony and evidence in criminal or civil court and interact with prosecutors;
• Collect, process, photograph, mark, and preserve all types of physical evidence;
• Attend shift briefings; receive assignments, handouts, and information regarding department policies, enforcement areas of special concern, and other relevant information;
• May be assigned to other divisions to conduct special investigations, traffic enforcement, or other police matters;
• Maintain assigned vehicle, patrol equipment, and supplies in good working order;
• Coordinate and assist other police, fire, or medical units with calls for service as needed;
• Perform other duties as assigned.

OTHER DUTIES

Please note that this job description is not designed to cover or create a comprehensive list of duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may need to change to help drive our vision and fulfill our mission.

• Highly effective verbal and written communication skills;
• Knowledge and ability to apply correct business English, spelling, and arithmetic, and compose sentences, paragraphs, and letters in an effective manner;
• Able to communicate orally and in writing in a clear, concise, and comprehensive manner.
• Record and organize data;
• Follow oral and written directions. Prepare clear, concise, and comprehensive written reports;
• Excellent organization skills and attention to details;
• Make independent, ethical, critical decision-making judgments under adverse and life-threatening conditions;
• Interpret and apply laws, regulations, policies, and procedures, and police methods, including physical defense tactics and first aid, relating to law enforcement in both routine and emergency situations;
• Able to identify and correct potential safety hazards;
• Identify and use potential sources of data;
• Use firearms, radio equipment, radars, computers, impact weapons, and other equipment standard to law enforcement;
• Ability to use a police vehicle in emergency and non-emergency situations;
• Perform work requiring strength and agility in all weather conditions;
• Make effective use of time;
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with officers, employees, and personnel of other law enforcement agencies;
• Conduct themselves properly in tense situations and with persons who may be influenced by drugs, alcohol, or mental disabilities;
• Make sound judgments and apply established procedures in routine and emergency situations;
• Safety regulations applicable to motorized vehicles and equipment;
• Perform multiple tasks simultaneously.

REQUIRED EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EXPERIENCE

• The minimum age requirement is 21 years of age at the time of licensing;
• Is a U.S. citizen or is a legal permanent resident of the United States, if the person is an honorably discharged veteran of the armed forces of the United States with at least two (2) years of service before discharge and presents evidence satisfactory to the commission that the person has applied for United States citizenship;
• Minimum educational requirements are that the applicant holds a high school diploma, or has passed a general educational development (GED) test indicating high school graduation level, or, for enrollment purposes in a basic peace officer academy only, has an honorable discharge from the armed forces of the United States after at least 24 months of active-duty service;
• Must possess a current, valid driver’s license and obtain a Texas driver's license within 30 days of passing the civil service exam;
• Must complete academy training to obtain basic certification.

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability and willingness to work as part of a team, to demonstrate team skills, and to perform and execute team responsibilities as assigned;
• Ability to hear sounds and understand normal conversations in-person, on the telephone, from a computer, and on the public safety radio, even in noisy and stressful environments;
• Ability to maintain emotional control under stress;
• Ability to pull the trigger of department firearms and electronic control devices;
• Ability to talk to people in a clear voice and tone for long periods of time and during stressful situations;
• Ability to operate and speak into a two-way public safety radio and give commands;
• Possess 20/20 vision, either corrected or uncorrected, in each eye. Uncorrected vision cannot exceed 20/100 in each eye unless vision is corrected by the use of contact lenses or prescription eyeglasses, which must be worn on duty and/or during all enforcement-related activities. Must also be free of dichromatic color blindness, night blindness, and any other visual deficiencies or limitations;
• Must be physically sound and free from any defect that may adversely affect performance as a police officer, based on the job description;
• Must pass a complete physical examination, including a substance abuse test, fitness, and cardiovascular test;
• Must pass a psychological and polygraph examination;
• Must be able to hear sounds at 45 decibels at 4,000 hertz without a hearing aid;
• Ability to work inside and outside, exposure to varying weather conditions (extreme heat, cold, temperature variations, rain, snow, sleet, ice, etc.), exposure to the sun and moving objects, operate assigned equipment and vehicles, maintain and operate movement on uneven terrain and park areas;
• Ability to work independently or as a team or group;
• Requirement of flexibility to work evenings, nights, irregular work hours, weekends, holidays, and assigned overtime;
• May be required to work immediately before, during, or after an emergency, disaster, civil disorder, or protest;
• Demonstrate patience and flexibility in changing job demands and when interacting with employees, visitors, and the public;
• Dexterity for lifting objects weighing 100 pounds, including the requirement to lift, carry, or drag weights of 180 pounds for 50 feet to rescue someone, arrest an individual, or deal with a resistive or assaultive subject;
• Dexterity for pushing or pulling heavy objects weighing 75 force pounds and pushing vehicles off roadways to clear traffic lanes if a vehicle push is not practical or available;
• Manipulate and load or unload heavy objects;
• Manipulate and perform good hand, eye, and foot coordination, demonstrating excellent mobility and dexterity;
• Physical dexterity in completing several tasks at one time and for extended periods of time while maintaining the ability to operate a vehicle and public safety equipment (computer, two-way radio, digital cameras, telephones, lighting equipment, etc.);
• Ability to work the foot controls of a motor vehicle, steering mechanism, gear shift, and other operational aspects of a motor vehicle for long periods of time, in stressful situations, during emergency vehicle operation, and drive for long distances during a tour of duty;
• Ability to sit and type inside a motor vehicle on a computer to complete administrative reports;
• Ability to stand with minimal rest, including directing traffic, maintaining a security post, safeguarding a crime scene, interviewing victims and witnesses, and searching for suspects;
• Ability to frequently run distances of 150 yards to apprehend fleeing suspects, address emergencies, or perform rescues;
• Ability to perform with an unimpaired range of motion for kneeling, crouching, crawling, bending, twisting, and climbing for extended periods of time to maneuver around, through, or under various kinds of obstacles during foot chases, searching property, using force, using deadly force, or responding to an emergency situation;
• Handle all department firearms in a safe manner with precision and accuracy;
• Ability to reach and grab someone in distress to rescue them;
• Effectively communicate, both orally and in written form;
• Skilled in communicating with the public to quickly and accurately dispense information orally, in writing, in person, and on the telephone;
• Effectively utilize digital devices, mobile apps, computer programs, and other digital media platforms as required;
• Ability to frequently run up three flights of stairs, climb up ladders and over walls and embankments, and traverse hazardous terrain to conduct investigations, pursue suspects, and search property;
• Ability to jump a minimum of two feet and perform a running jump of four feet, jump from heights of three feet to traverse over ditches and obstacles while pursuing suspects and effecting arrests;
• Listen, read, understand, and relay information effectively and appropriately;
• Refrain from gossip, speaking mistruths, or engaging in behavior that can cause workplace dissension and degrade employee satisfaction or morale;
• Maintain effective working relationships and represent the City of White Settlement in a positive manner at all times while engaged with employees and the public;
• Maintain physical activity and mental alertness over prolonged periods of time;
• Make effective use of encumbered and unencumbered time and perform multiple tasks simultaneously;
• Work with frequent interruptions.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the City of White Settlement offers equal employment opportunities to qualified individuals and strictly prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals on the basis of disability. The City of White Settlement shall provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees who are otherwise qualified to perform the essential job duties when doing so does not create an undue hardship for the city. The City of White Settlement provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training. The City of White Settlement is mandated by federal law to provide a drug-free working environment for the safety of its employees and the public. All employment is contingent upon passing a post-offer employment drug screen and physical, if applicable.