Police Officer

General Summary

• PLEASE NOTE: THIS RECRUITMENT IS FOR CURRENT VIRGINIA CERTIFIED POLICE OFFICERS ONLY*

Applicants MUST be Virginia DCJS Certified to be eligible.

• May be eligible for hiring bonus. Contact the Police Department for more information.

Typical hiring amount will be between $24.07 and $30.21 an hour ($50,065.60 to $62,836.80 annually).Starting offer is based on applicable education, experience, and internal equity. This is a full-time, non-exempt, position and provides excellent benefits including but not limited to: health insurance options with employer contribution, paid vacation and sick leave, employer-paid life insurance, City's retirement options, gym reimbursement program, and continuing education/training opportunities.

• For a general summary of benefits offered by the City, please click the 'benefits' tab on this posting, or visit
• The City of Charlottesville manages its own retirement system and does not participate in VRS, however the City has a Portability Agreement with VRS and there are certain provisions that must be met. For questions pertaining to the Portability Agreement, please contact the City's Benefits Administrator at

The Charlottesville Police Department is seeking CERTIFIED POLICE OFFICERS to protect and serve all citizens through fair and impartial enforcement of laws and ordinances. Partners with community members to prevent and fight crime, safeguards the Constitutional rights of citizens, and protects property. General work consists of routine patrol, preliminary investigation, and traffic enforcement in one of the designated patrol districts. Patrols may be performed on foot, bicycle, Segway, motorcycle, or in a motor vehicle. Officers respond to citizen complaints, prepare reports, serve warrants and makes arrests, provide information to the public and departmental units; and performs related work as required. Police officer duties involve a degree of personal risk and exposure to uncontrolled and/or unpredictable conditions that require officers to exercise independent judgement during emergency situations. Work is performed under the general supervision of a Police Corporal or Sergeant.

Essential Responsibilities and Duties

• Patrols in designated geographic patrol districts to preserve law and order, identifies and solves problems, prevents crimes, and improves traffic safety through the enforcement of motor vehicle laws.
• Partners with community residents, business owners and other City employees to solve problems of crime, safety, and disorder.
• Responds to calls for service from the community and from radio dispatchers.
• Secures crime scenes, administers first aid, locates witnesses, conducts preliminary investigations, searches & gathers evidence, makes arrests, and serves warrants.
• Responds to burglar and robbery alarms.
• Conducts follow-up investigations.
• Issues summonses for parking and traffic violations.
• Investigates traffic accidents and writes detailed accidents reports.
• Interviews victims, witnesses, and suspects involved in incidents.
• Documents incidents in detail and maintains concise police reports and records.
• Reports unsafe conditions existing in streets or other public facilities.
• Maintains evidence and other property.
• Drives and safely operates police vehicles.
• Operates vehicle in the transportation of prisoners or large recovered or confiscated properties.
• May provide police escorts when necessary.
• Directs traffic when necessary.
• Appears in court to present evidence and testify.
• Provides information and advice to the public related to laws, ordinances, and crime prevention.
• Familiarity with Virginia Laws and City ordinances.
• Familiarity with Charlottesville Police Department rules and regulations.
• Participates in Community Policing Activities.
• Participates in mandatory and elective training.
• Uses computer systems to obtain, track, and report information in the performance of duties.
• Maintains proficiency with firearms and self-defense.
• May be required to report to work on scheduled days off, or report back to work, should a disaster or emergency arise
• Performs all duties with the highest degree of confidentiality and personal and professional integrity.
• Performs related duties as required.

Education, Experience and Skills

• High School Diploma or GED equivalency required.

• Must be at least 21 years old.
• Successful completion of field training and one (1) year of probationary period after field training.
• Must hold and maintain: Certification as a Law Enforcement Officer by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services; Certification in the Virginia Crime Information Network (VCIN); Certification in firearms proficiency.
• By employment start date, possession of a valid appropriate driver's permit issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
• Must be a US citizen or be a permanent resident alien who, in accordance with the requirements of the USCIS, is eligible and has applied for citizenship (proof is required). Note: an application for waiver of minimum qualifications (citizenship) must obtained and approved by the Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS).
• Must be able to successfully and satisfactorily pass phases of the screening process, which may include a physical agility test, oral interviews, completion of a comprehensive background investigation, a polygraph exam, psychological and medical exams, and pre-employment drug screening.
• Must have also signed a Condition of Employment Agreement acknowledging the prohibition of the use of tobacco products on and off duty.

Automatic Disqualifiers: The following automatic disqualifiers will cause the processing of the applicant to be immediately discontinued:

• Any felony convictions or serious misdemeanor convictions of domestic violence, sex offenses, or crimes involving moral turpitude, including but not limited to perjury, larceny, embezzlement, check fraud, or income tax evasion.
• Convicted of DUI or Hit & Run in the past 3 years.
• Use of marijuana after date of application, regardless of location of use (includes states/countries where usage may be legal).
• No non-prescription/unauthorized drug use after date of application, including but not limited to Adderall, Xanax, etc.
• Pattern of illegal use or misuse of prescription drugs in the last 3 years.
• Illegal experimental use of club drugs, such as Ketamine, GHB, Rohypnol, MDMA (Ecstasy), steroids, mushrooms, peyote, or aerosols within the last 3 years.
• Experimental use of any schedule I, II, III, or IV drug within the last five (5) years not covered above.
• Dealing (as an adult): manufacturing, cultivation, supplying, transporting, distributing, or selling any controlled, illegal or dangerous substance other than marijuana.
• Military dishonorable discharge or bad conduct discharge.
• Under criminal investigation or have criminal charges pending.
• Any previous revocation or denial of certification as Police Officer or a suspension of current certified status.
• Any body art, tattoo, or other modification (such as branding or gauges) that violates departmental policy.
• Failure to provide a fully completed, honestly reported, Personal History Statement.

• Associate degree or higher in law enforcement, public administration or related field from an accredited university or college; prior law enforcement, military, or corrections experience; current law enforcement certification in the Commonwealth of Virginia; professional working proficiency, or higher, in a foreign language or American Sign Language; law enforcement related internships.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:General knowledge of police methods, practices, and procedures necessary to effectively interact with the public, victims, suspects, and officers of other agencies and the ability to apply it to specific situations; general knowledge of state laws and city ordinances, or the ability to acquire it; general knowledge of the geography of Charlottesville and location of important buildings and landmarks, or the ability to acquire this knowledge rapidly; familiar with departmental rules and regulations; ability to understand and carry out oral and written instruction; and to prepare clear, concise reports; ability to deal courteously with the public; ability to effectively communicate with all persons; ability to exercise good judgement in stressful situations; ability to analyze situations quickly and objectively and determine a proper course of action; ability to safely use motor vehicles in normal and emergency conditions; proficient in the use of firearms and other equipment used in the performance of essential duties; ability to maintain high levels of ethical standards; ability to demonstrate a high level of integrity and be truthful at all times. Physical Conditions & Additional Information

NOTE: This job opportunity is advertised with a closing date of "Continuous." If interested in being considered, an application should be submitted as soon as possible. Applications will be evaluated on a continuous basis. Interviews will be conducted as soon as possible during the recruitment with candidates who are best qualified. Applications may no longer be considered once a candidate to fill the position is identified. This job announcement will close when the position(s) have been filled and may close at any time.

Must be in satisfactory health, that would not restrict the ability to perform and safely complete academy training, field training, and performance of essential job functions of a Police Officer. (Reasonable accommodations may be made and will be considered on a case-by-case basis)

This is a safety sensitive position subject to drug and alcohol testing for pre-employment, reasonable suspicion, post-accident and random testing.

Work Schedule: requires flexible shift hours (to include holidays, nights and weekends); sometimes remaining on assignments for prolonged periods. Position is subject to emergency call.

Work Environment: A majority of time spent in this position involves outside work. Work is performed in varied environments utilizing department assigned clothing and equipment (personal protective equipment, body armor, and other specialty equipment). Work may be performed in challenging terrain, tight or confined spaces, remote settings, and unprotected heights. Work may be performed in extreme temperatures, extreme brightness or darkness, and in traffic/roadways. Work may involve exposure to chemicals, explosives, electrical hazards, fumes, gases, allergens, blood-borne pathogens, and animals. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud.

Physical Demands: Police recruits/officers may be involved in numerous physically demanding activities in the police academy, during on-the-job training (field training), and throughout the work shift. These may include: extensive walking, standing, and running; sitting for extended periods of time; working in stressful and sometimes life threatening conditions; pursuing and arresting aggressive/hostile suspects; physically searching suspects; performing rescues from potentially hazardous environments; performing CPR and first aid procedures; controlling crowds; operating a motor vehicle under normal and emergency conditions; carrying and demonstrating proficiency with firearms; qualifying annually with firearm and other less-lethal weapons.

Requires identifying hazards, persons, and evidence:

Vision: Distance-corrected visual acuity of 20/20 or better binocularly with at least 20/40 in each eye. If glasses or hard contacts are worn, uncorrected distance vision must be 20/100 or better binocularly. Near-corrected visual acuity in the better eye of no less than 20/40. In addition, candidates must be able to accurately and quickly name colors, and must be free from other visual impairments that would restrict the ability to perform law enforcement duties (e.g., identify house numbers, license plates, vehicle descriptions, suspect/victim descriptions, evidence, status of brake and traffic lights, body language, potential weapons, and weapons qualifications).

Hearing: Must be able to understand speech in noisy areas, understand whispered speech, and localize sounds (e.g. conversations, radio communications, alarms, requests for assistance).

Smell: Must be able to smell hazardous materials, and contraband (e.g., alcohol on the breath).

Touch: Must be able to touch (feel) concealed weapons, heat, moisture.