Patrol Officer – New Hire

City of Golden Valley•City of Golden Valley Public Safety Building, MN

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Golden Valley Police Department is a rapidly growing police department that serves a very supportive community of nearly 25,000 residents. We are seeking to add community-focused leaders in the public safety industry to join our department, starting with a two-week academy and a five-phase field training program. GVPD team members have many opportunities for career development, including SWAT, FTO, WMD, DRE, crisis negotiators, drone pilots, detectives, bike patrol, defensive tactics instructors, firearms instructors, and nearly unmatched training opportunities around the region. The City of Golden Valley is offering a $20,000 recruitment and retention incentive for new police officers eligible for licensed Patrol Officers hired on or after May 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026. This incentive is paid in 3 separate lump-sum payments: $5000 upon successful completion of FTO, $10,000 upon successful completion of the probationary period, and $5,000 upon successful completion of 18 months of employment.

Requirements

United States Citizen.
Associate's degree in law enforcement or related field from a regionally accredited college.
Currently licensed, or eligible to be licensed as a peace officer by the Minnesota POST Board.
Current Minnesota valid driver’s license or ability to obtain one.
Previous community service or customer service experience.
Ability to complete the essential duties and responsibilities of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in law enforcement, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Fluency in a second language.
Experience in a public safety role.
Current Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) certification.
Knowledge in the operations of police vehicles, radios, radar, computers, and related equipment.
Previous experience in community engagement or volunteer activities or events.
Previous experience building and maintaining relationships.
Trained in driving a motor vehicle, sometimes under adverse conditions, and at high speeds, or in pursuit of fleeing vehicles.
Trained in safe operation, handling, and discharge of firearms.

Responsibilities

Build and maintain positive and community relationships, answering questions from the public and referring community members to resources as needed.
Participate in community outreach and education initiatives.
Patrol assigned areas by patrol car, bicycle, or on foot to enforce laws and City ordinances, detect and prevent crime, respond to complaints, and assist with restoration of public disturbance.
Apprehend and arrest law violators and prepare detailed reports of crimes and incidents.
Respond to accident scenes, fires, and rescue operations, administering first aid (as needed), directing traffic flow, investigating accident scenes, and preparing reports.
Conducting directed patrol.
Perform routine inspections and general maintenance of patrol cars, equipment, and equipment records.
Assist other agencies, including neighboring communities, the County, and the State Highway Patrol as needed.
Participate in Civil or Criminal court, including assisting with the preparation of legal documents.
Recommend strategies, standards, and procedures consistent with organizational and department priorities.

Benefits

PTO + Holiday accrual rate (9.54 hours per pay period)
Front-loaded PTO (40 up to 80 hours DOQ)
FTOs earn 4.5 hours of pay or comp time each training shift
Cafeteria benefits package which includes a monthly benefits contribution of $1,951
Education Incentive ($100 - $250/month DOQ)
Multilingual pay ($150 per month)
Fully paid uniforms and equipment
Consistent, set, 12-hour shift schedules
On-site indoor gun range for sworn staff to use on or off-duty
Tuition reimbursement
Paid parental leave
Unlimited confidential counseling funded by city
Updated fully equipped on-site fitness center
90-minutes of workout on duty time per 12-hour shift (dependent on daily staffing level)
Access to a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach