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Information for Lateral Entry Police Officer Candidates
 

The City of Shaker Heights, OH is implementing a new lateral entry selection process for hiring Police Officers in early 2006. This process limits the applicant pool to trained and experienced police officers from other Ohio jurisdictions, thereby reducing outside training time and allowing experienced officers to begin working as quickly as possible. All Police Officer positions are Civil Service appointments and participate in the Police and Fire Pension Fund. Shaker residency is not an employment requirement.  The City encourages all qualified candidates to apply, including women and minorities.
 

The Department

The SHPD has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) since 1989 and was re-accredited in 2005. SHPD is the only municipal department in Cuyahoga County to achieve this distinction. The City takes great pride in the high level of professionalism and success of its department. The City’s prosecution rate is well above the national average for Part 1 crimes. There are 65 sworn officers serving at this time.
 

SHPD officers find many options for specialized training and experience. Among these are K-9, detective bureau, SWAT team, Strike Force, Crisis Intervention team, and Honor Guard. No specific minimum experience is required to be considered for these positions. Ongoing opportunities for training and employee development reflect the City’s commitment to support a well-trained force.
 

The department and its command staff are highly trained and respected. Several members have attended the FBI academy, Police Executive Leadership College, and/or Southern Police Institute. The new state-of-the-art public safety system includes a mobile data unit in each patrol vehicle. Officers enjoy use of an on-site firing range.
 

Pay & Benefits

Shaker offers a highly competitive salary and benefits package. For 2006, starting salary ranges from $45,963 to $51,820, depending upon qualifications. After one year of satisfactory service, these salaries increase to $53,634 and $64,257 respectively.

Officers currently work 12-hour shifts, allowing for a three-day weekend off every other week. The Corporal position provides additional compensation and recognition for deserving officers. The City provides a tuition reimbursement program as well. Vests are replaced every five years.

The City recognizes up to ten years of full-time service credit with other Ohio Police Departments for purpose of vacation accrual; sick leave hours from other Ohio jurisdiction(s) may be transferred to Shaker. Up to 24 hours of unused holiday time can be converted to compensatory time each year.

The comprehensive benefits package includes:

• Health and dental coverage

• Life insurance

• Short-term and long-term disability coverage
  Flexible spending account to pay for out-of-pocket medical expenses with pre-tax dollars

• Longevity pay

• Annual sick leave conversion program

• Initial uniform issue (winter and summer) at no cost, plus annual uniform allowances for purchase and maintenance

• Employee assistance program

• Deferred compensation programs

• And more...

Shaker Police Officers are members of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 23 bargaining unit.
 

Recruitment/Selection Process

No studying is required for the lateral entry process. One testing instrument is a written background and experience form to be completed at home and the other is a one-hour multiple-choice test.

When scheduling the test session(s), the City will attempt to accommodate the various work schedules of candidates by offering a choice of test dates and times.

For finalists who participate in additional screening processes (e.g., polygraph, interviews, medical, psychological), the City will attempt to consolidate the evaluations to minimize time away from the candidate’s current job.
 

Eligibility list ranking will be based on the take home component (50%) and the multiple-choice component (50%).
 

To qualify for the lateral entry program:
 

Applicants must possess current and valid OPOTA certification; must be currently employed as State of Ohio certified law enforcement officer (e.g., municipal, state, county or park district police or sheriff’s department) and have a minimum of three years of full-time law enforcement experience.

Criminal record, credit history, driving record, and alcohol/drug misuse may be grounds for automatic disqualification. Please refer to the City’s website, www.shakeronline.com, for details.
 

For More Information ...

Applicants are encouraged to learn about Shaker Heights. Detailed information is available on the City’s website. On the site’s homepage you will find a link to a special section for Police Officer candidates. Once there, you can follow links to take a tour of the City, watch a streaming video, learn about the schools, neighborhoods and relocation information, and find lateral entry-related materials and application.
 

Questions?

Call:

216-491-1427
 

Visit:

www.shakeronline.com

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