Why
Hemet PD?
Because you should be working at a police department where your ideas are embraced, your knowledge is respected, and you enjoy some of the best benefits in the profession.
Join Our Team
Diversity
The Hemet Police Department is comprised of people from all different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences.
We source from an amazing pool of talent when finding solutions to our community’s concerns and keeping Hemet safe.
Community
We have a strong bond and receive great support from those whom we serve and protect.
Opportunity
We have plenty of special assignments.
You’ll take your training and experience to a new level at Hemet PD.
Culture
We’re more than colleagues. We’re a winning team.
And we all have an opportunity to contribute meaningfully.
Everyone is valued at the Hemet Police Department, and new ideas are welcomed.
Not everyone can wear our badge.
Law enforcement has always maintained some of the most rigorous hiring processes in the nation. After all, the honor to wear a badge of public trust can’t be taken lightly. Seeking a position with the Hemet Police Department is no exception, and those who can pass our selection process will be rewarded with a career sought by many, and attained by few.
*Annual salary is based on education and experience.
96
First Year
Vacation Hours
$126,032
Top Step
Officer Pay
$1,354
Annual
Uniform Allowance
$2,000
Annual
Education Pay
We want you to succeed.
The information in the boxes below and on this page will give applicants the best possible chance to be successful in the hiring process.
Apply
Apply
The first step in applying for our department is to make sure you meet the requirements for the position you are seeking. Those requirements can be found on the Available Positions page of our website. If you do, then complete the online application.
Written Exam & Physical Agility Test
Written Exam & Physical Agility Test
If invited, you’ll take a written test covering spelling, grammar, reading comprehension, math, map reading skills and memory recall. If you successfully pass the written test, you’ll be invited to the physical agility test. You’ll need to do 26 push-ups within one minute, 35 sit-ups within one minute, drag a 165-pound dummy in 45 seconds (two attempts), and run 1.5 miles in 14 minutes. *These exams are waived for lateral applicants, academy trainees, and academy graduates.
INTERVIEW & PERSONAL HISTORY STATEMENT
INTERVIEW & PERSONAL HISTORY STATEMENT
If you pass the physical agility, you may be invited to an oral interview. Be well-rested, look sharp, and be at the top of your game. We want to see who you are and hear what you have to say. We’ll ask you a host of questions about your personal history, what your goals are, and some hypothetical questions as well. If you are still in the running, you’ll complete a lengthy personal history statement which covers your education, credit, relationships, employment and business dealings.
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION & POLYGRAPH EXAM
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION & POLYGRAPH EXAM
A background investigator will review all information you have provided in your personal history statement, and complete criminal and credit checks to validate the information you provided. The investigator will meet and speak with family members, neighbors, previous employers, and friends to learn more about you. We’ll send you to a polygraph examiner to go over your personal history statement you completed.
PSYCHOLOGICAL & MEDICAL EVALUATION
PSYCHOLOGICAL & MEDICAL EVALUATION
You’ll complete a written psychological examination test, as well as an in-depth personal meeting with a psychologist, who will determine your psychological ability to perform the duties of a police officer. Obviously, we need healthy women and men working for the department and serving the community of Hemet. You’ll complete a thorough examination with a medical doctor.
ARE YOU A LATERAL, IN THE ACADEMY OR AN ACADEMY GRADUATE?
We have an expedited process for those who are currently police officers, are in the academy, or have graduated the academy. Once you apply, you’ll only need to complete an interview and personal history statement, and complete the background investigation, polygraph exam, psychological exam, and the medical exam!
Coming from out of state?
Lateral applicants from outside the state of California must complete the California POST Basic Course Waiver Process prior to employment. California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), has extensive information on selection standards for police officers. We recommend out of state lateral applicants take the time to review the information and allow enough time to better assist in the application process.
frequently Asked Questions
Find the answers to frequently asked questions about the hiring process, physical agility test, oral interview, and more.
How Can I Prepare For The Written Examination?
There are around 100 questions covering reading, writing, and logical reasoning on the written examination.
You will need to have excellent reading and writing skills, such as spelling, English comprehension, grammar and vocabulary.
We recommend you read articles, magazines, publications and books and then quiz yourself later on in the day on items you read.
Practice writing without the use of spell-checking software or electronic devices.
There are several resources online to help people improve these skills.
What Is The Memory Recall Portion Of The Test?
As a police officer, it is imperative that you be able to quickly and accurately recall information you see, hear, or read.
During the exam, you may be shown a picture or series of pictures to study for a period of time. You will then continue a different portion of the exam. After a period of time, questions about what you saw in the photo or photos will be asked, to see if you retained the information.
Why Is Spelling and Grammar Important?
Everything we do in law enforcement is documented. This documentation is then viewed by other police officers, supervisors, attorneys, judges, all parties to a crime, and can be released to the public.
Your credibility and the department’s professionalism is on view for the world to see. Although it may seem small, when people find errors in your written documentation, they may wonder what errors were made in the arrest of a subject or an investigation.
What Should I Wear Or Look Like For My Testing?
Part of the hiring process is the constant evaluation of applicants. From the day you pick up or turn in any paperwork, to your physical agility, to various testing appointments, you will be observed.
You should practice good hygiene, such as having clean fingernails. Your hair should be neat and professional in appearance.
Clean, professional business attire should be considered any time you make an appearance. Obviously, this isn’t the case for the physical agility, where you should be wearing appropriate training clothing.
For the oral interview, you should wear a properly tailored suit, with shined shoes. Don’t wear outlandish ties or colors, or have any lapel pins or jewelry on which would cause a distraction.
Do Traffic Tickets Affect My Ability To Get Hired?
Traffic tickets themselves do not necessarily pose a problem in the hiring process; however, repetitious receiving of traffic tickets can have an impact on your processing.
How Does a candidate get disqualified?
General Disqualifications
- Incomplete, false, or illegible Personal History Statement
- Falsification and/or omission of any requested information
- Rude, belligerent, or otherwise unacceptable behavior towards staff
- Untruthfulness to staff
- Knowingly remaining in place where illegal drugs were used/sold
- Prior arrests and convictions
- Felony probation/parole
- DUI conviction(s)
- License suspension(s)
- Traffic accident(s)/citations(s)
- Poor employment or education history/performance (i.e. continual firing, poor grades/performance reviews)
- Financial concerns (i.e. bankruptcies/collection accounts/failure to pay child support, etc.)
Medical and Psychological Disqualifications
- Failure to meet the standards as determined by the department psychologist (written and oral interview)
- Failure to meet the standards for the position as determined by the department physician
Polygraph Disqualifications
- Continued responses indicating deception on questions asked
- Failure to appear for the exam without notification or refusal to complete the exam
- Attempts to defeat the machine (i.e., holding breath, hyperventilating, or taking drugs/alcohol before testing)
- Withholding information from polygraph examiner
- Admissions to conduct deemed unacceptable by Department or POST standards
- Information uncovered by examiner which deviates from the information provided to background investigation
How Can I Prepare For The Physical Agility?
The physical agility test is purposely designed to see how your body reacts and performs when completing high-intensity, short-duration skills and movements.
While lifting weights are excellent for building strength and toning a person’s physique, it does little to help you prepare your joints, muscles, and tendons for the physical agility test in terms of different movements and cardiovascular demands.
Any type of functional fitness workout, such as a bootcamp, HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), or CrossFit style workout routine would be excellent to use in your preparation for the physical agility test. You should also be able to run a few miles in a reasonable amount of time.
Do You Check Social Media Activity?
We will view your online activities, as this is a good way for us to see how you conduct yourself in life.
We want to know answers to questions like: Are you hostile or confrontational with people expressing different opinions? Do you bully people online? Who are your friends or followers? What do you like to do or not like to do?
In today’s climate, social media can reveal a great deal about a person. If you exercise good judgment, display a positive attitude, and behave in a manner desired of a member of the law enforcement community, your social media activities will be viewed favorably.
I've Had Some Credit Issues. Will This Hurt Me?
Having good credit is a good indicator of who you are as a person, in terms of meeting obligations, making wise decisions, maturity, and adhering to deadlines.
We also understand things happen in a person’s life, such as a divorce or catastrophic event, may negatively impact your credit. We take this into consideration when reviewing your credit information.
Each applicant is evaluated individually, on a case-by-case basis.
What Are The Top Reasons People Fail The Process?
There are a number of reasons why people fail, but the top reasons are typical:
Dishonesty – Either omitting or failing to disclose anything on paperwork or verbally will always cause a disqualification.
Attention To Detail – Not fully completing paperwork or caring about personal appearance.
Not Meeting Obligations – Arriving late or forgetting appointments.
Lack Of Soft Skills – Unable to shake hands, make eye contact or finish a sentence.
What Should I know For The Oral Interview?
During the interview, we’re going to ask questions about you as a person, as well as questions pertaining to why you want to work for us, and the skills you possess.
We’re also going to see how well you have prepared, and your specific desire to work at the Hemet Police Department. What do you know about our department? Who is our leadership team? What’s the population, square mileage, and ethnicity of our community?
The interview panel will also be looking at your attire, your hygiene, and how you handle yourself in the interview. Are you confident or reserved? Are you arrogant or militant? Can you speak confidently, or are you scared and intimidated?
Your Success.
We are here to help you!
Becoming a member of a law enforcement agency is no simple task. Whether you are applying to become a police officer, dispatcher, or other non-sworn member of our team, there is an intensive testing process. We want to help you understand that process, and give you the best chance of joining this profession, and more importantly, the Hemet Police Department.
View our helpful "Your Success" Recruitment Pages to learn more about the various phases of our hiring process. Have any questions? Click below to reach out to a recruiter.