Police Officer

Overview

The City of Berkeley's Police Department is recognized as one of the most progressive and innovative law enforcement agencies in the country, and continually strives to develop programs which focus upon increased service to the community in conjunction with enhanced effectiveness in combating crime. The City of Berkeley is seeking qualified candidates who are interested in becoming Police Officers. As a Police Officer Recruit, you will attend a California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certified police academy to receive education and training in all aspects of law enforcement such as laws of arrest, search and seizure, crime prevention, community relations, first-aid, physical conditioning, self-defense, handling of weapons and other related duties.

Upon graduation from the academy, the Police Recruit is sworn in as a Police Officer and assumes the duties of that position.

See the full job class specification here:

Police Officer Recruit Flyer

Join Berkeley PD | Police Officer Jobs

A typical way of gaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities for this position is:

• Completion of 60 college semester units. Previous volunteer or paid experience in a law enforcement support area is desirable.

• Must be free from any disqualifications for employment, including felony convictions.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law.
• Must be 21 years of age or older at time of appointment.
• Must be fingerprinted for purposes of search of local, state, and national fingerprint files to disclose a criminal record.
• Must be of good moral character, as determined by a thorough background investigation.
• Must be a high school graduate, pass the General Education Development Test or other high school equivalency test approved by the State Department of Education that indicates high school graduation level, pass the California High School Proficiency Examination, or have attained a two-year, four-year, or advanced degree from an accredited college or university.
• Must be found to be free from any physical, emotional, or mental condition, including bias against race or ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, disability, or sexual orientation, that might adversely affect the exercise of the powers of a peace officer.
• Must possess a valid driver's license and have a satisfactory driving record.
• Must be able to meet physical, psychological and background standards.
• Must be willing to work evening, night, weekend and holiday shifts.
• Must be able to obtain required POST certification and maintain firearms qualification.

Applicants must submit a complete application and responses to the supplemental questionnaire. Please note that resumes are not a substitute for a completed application.

Applications are available in alternative formats (audio-format, braille, large print, electronic text, etc.) upon request to ada. Please allow 10 days for production of the material in an alternative format.

The exam process will include, but may not be limited to:

The written exam and performance exam will be administered on the same day. There is no cost to take the exams with the City of Berkeley. Upcoming City of Berkeley exam dates:

• Saturday, February 7, 2026 (Applications due January 5, 2026)
• Saturday, April 18, 2026 (Applications due March 9, 2026)

If you are unable to attend the City of Berkeley exam dates, you may register and take your exams with The Academy. The Academy charges a non-refundable materials fee of $10 for the written exam, $25 for the practice PAT, and $100 for the official PAT. After taking the exams and receiving passing scores, please attach your scores to your application.

POST will not authorize you to take the exam within 30 calendar days of having taken your last POST written exam. Please refer to the POST website for additional information.

Applicants may waive the written exam only by submitting a California POST Entry Level Law Enforcement Test Battery (PELLETB) T-score of 43 points or higher. We will accept California POST T-scores from other agencies provided the test was taken no more than two years prior to the date of application
. Applicants must submit, on agency letterhead, a letter that states that the individual has taken the California PELLETB written exam. The letter must contain the total T-score and the date of the test. For information on where the PELLETB test is offered, please visit

Applicants may waive the performance exam only by submitting a California POST physical agility certificate, known as the Work Sample Test Battery (WSTB), with a score of 325 or higher. The 1.5-mile run is not a requirement.
The test should not be dated no more than two years prior to the…