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Take a look at this section to find out when we are testing for probationary police officers. This section also includes information on employment requirements as well as benefits. There is also an outline of the first two years of testing and training necessary to become a Macomb Police Officer. The next City of Macomb testing for the position of Police Officer is: February 22nd, 2008 Applications due, February 23rd, 2008 Testing begins The Board of Fire & Police Commissioners of the City of Macomb, Illinois hereby gives notice that examinations are being offered to all eligible applicants interested in appointment to the Macomb Police Department. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age, and no more than 35 years of age at the time of application. Must have a high school diploma or equivalent. Must have 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of college. Must pass physical and written exams, medical and psychological evaluation, and a background investigation. Must have good habits and be of moral character. If hired, residency in McDonough County is required. Starting salary is $37,978 per year with $41,850 after one year of service. Forty hour work week with time and a half for all overtime. Application packets may be obtained at the Mayor’s Office, City Hall, 232 E. Jackson St., Macomb, Illinois 61455. Phone (309) 833-2558. All applications and papers must be completed, signed and on file in the Mayor’s Office on or before 5:00p.m. February 22, 2008. You can download and print an application by clicking here. Once you print the application, fill it out, and return it to City Hall. There is no charge for the application Applicants are required to attend an orientation, followed by an agility test, and a written exam, which are scheduled for Saturday, February 23, 2008. Applicants must arrive at the testing location between 7:30 a.m. - 7:45 a.m. for check-in and orientation. The agility test will begin promptly at 8:00 a.m. followed by the written exam at 1:00 p.m. Oral interviews will be conducted March 6, 2008 with applicants who pass both the fitness and written exams. The Macomb Police Department participates in OJT (On Job Training) benefit for eligible veterans while in training. The City reserves the right to require reimbursement of training expenses on a pro-rata basis if an officer resigns within the first two years of employment. NOTE: Fitness & written exams for McDonough County Sheriff Department applicants will be conducted at the same time. To be considered for employment with both agencies, separate applications must be submitted.
The City of Macomb is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. **Minorities and women are encouraged to apply**
Starting Salary is $37,978 per year with $41,850 after one year of service.
Testing and Training What will the first two years of your police career be like? The following information is a brief outline of the testing procedure, state-mandated training, localized training, and the probationary period. All of these components are designed to select and shape the best officer possible. The Macomb Police Department expects only the best to serve the residents and visitors of the City of Macomb. Testing Procedure The testing procedure is governed by Illinois State Statutes as well as the Police and Fire Commission. The testing procedure is designed to create a pool, or list, of qualified applicants for the position of police officer or fire fighter. Application The testing process begins with completing a written application. The application serves to provide the City, and its agents, with information about you. The information is used, in part, to complete your payroll paperwork should you be hired. Orientation Applicants are required to attend a pre-employment orientation. This orientation is normally held before the physical agility test. The orientation typically informs applicants of the testing procedure and what the different tests determine. The pre-employment physical agility test is governed by Illinois State Statutes. The test, commonly known as the POWER Test, is designed to examine the applicants physical fitness. Physical fitness is an essential part of a police officer's job. The City of Macomb's physical agility test currently mirrors the POWER Test. Police departments can and have used obstacle courses in the past. The City reserves the right to administer the physical testing method of its choosing. The City includes a Written Test portion during the pre-employment selection procedure. The Written Test is designed to gauge the applicant's ability to read, write, calculate basic math, use logic and reasoning, and comprehend selected writings. Currently the Written Test is designed so no prior specific police knowledge is required. Normally, the Orientation, Physical Agility Test and Written Test are conducted on the same day. Not only is this is financially responsible for the City, but also allows applicants to complete 30% of the testing in a single day. This assists applicants that have to travel to participate in testing. Oral Interview and Background Investigation After the scores are tabulated from the Written and Agility Tests, applicants will be contacted for an Oral Interview and / or Background Investigation. These two phases of testing overlap for a variety of reasons, so it is difficult to say which one occurs first. Arranging the Oral Interview usually prompts the Background Investigation. The Background Investigation occurs over a non-specific length of time. The Oral Interview consists of applicants appearing before members of the Police and Fire Commission. The Commission asks applicants carefully designed questions. The Commission evaluates answers to questions, as well as the applicant's appearance (clean, neat, etc.), demeanor, and / or ability to perform well as a police officer. The Background Investigation is comprised of checking public records, examining open source material, driving record, criminal history, drug and alcohol usage and interviews with references and / neighbors. The background interview is an intense examination of the candidate's character. This is done to insure the City and the citizens are investing in a fair, moral, intelligent person. Details of the background check are not published. The background check is not "pass / fail" so to speak. If you are eliminated from the job testing at this phase it could be for a variety of reasons. The reasons could be negative such as your criminal history indicates you have been convicted of domestic battery. Alternatively the reason could be that another candidate stood out more than you did. You can help yourself "pass" the background investigation by providing neat, accurate information on your application and when contacted by investigators. This gives the detectives a place to start, or "square one." If the detectives can find no information to proceed beyond "square one" and complete a thorough investigation you may be eliminated from the testing procedure. You can help yourself in a few other, more important ways as well. Here are some suggestions: don't use drugs, don't commit crimes, don't develop a bad driving record (in fact, tax payers and the Chief want you to keep squad cars out of the shop), be kind and courteous to everybody you meet. If you want to be a police officer, you should be a polite person by nature. If hired, you will be expected to treat everybody with respect and dignity, even when the person is not treating you with respect and dignity. See the Message from the Chief and see how he feels about the above statement. He mentions professionalism and service to the community several times. That is what being a police officer is all about. Something you will hear if you go through the police academy is, "Anything you do as a police officer, be prepared to do it in front of the Chief, Mayor and your family." This is designed to make you realize that, in this line of work, you must answer for every action you take. The Psychological Screening / Exam Because of the power and authority a peace officer possess in order to successfully serve the citizens and visitors of Macomb, the City employs experienced psychologists to screen potential candidates. The City uses several psychological testing firms that deal specifically in the area pre- and post- employment mental health screenings. This phase usually requires travel to Chicago or St. Louis. The testing normally consists of a battery of psychological exams, basic reading comprehension, personality screening, and an interview with a psychologist. Medical Screening The Medical Screening phase is similar to a routine physical at a doctor's office. The applicant will meet with a Medical Doctor the City's choosing. The applicant will have a brief interview with the doctor regarding medical history, family medical history, and alcohol / drug use. The doctor will then perform a medical physical. The doctor will examine the applicant's: blood, vision, urine, hearing, joints, spine, and reflexes. This is a partial list of the medical screening. The scope and length of the examination will depend on the doctor. The entire testing procedure can consume as much as four to eight months. Once an applicant has successfully passed all phases of the testing they are placed on a final eligibility list. Once an applicant is hired, six months of training, constant evaluation, and an eighteen month probationary period await the employee. The first day of employment begins an 18-month probation period. The Police Academy Newly hired police officers, or probationary officers, have to complete several phases of training. Initially, the probationary officer is sent to the University of Illinois', Police Training Institute in Champaign, IL for 12 weeks of training. Follow the link to find out more about the exciting and innovative training that happens at "PTI." The academy is the first three months of police training. It is some of the best police training in the country. A majority of the training is "hands-on." This allows a probationary officer to simulate the tasks of a police officer, such as making arrests, breaking up fights, self-defense tactics, and assisting citizens, in a controlled training environment. The Field Training Program Upon successful completion of the Police Training Institute, the probationary officer returns to their police agency with state granted authority. They are fully commissioned police officers. The Macomb Police Department has established a secondary, and more specific, training and evaluation program. The Field Training Program is a 16-week program designed to train, evaluate, and monitor the probationary officer as they perform their duties. The probationary officer is assigned one Field Training Officer (FTO) at a time, but may have exposure of up to three different FTOs over the course of their training. An FTO is an officer on the department that has received continued education and certification in training new police officers. The FTO's main role is to train and evaluate the probationary officer. Probationary officers are evaluated at the end of each shift. This is done to reinforce positive behavior and to correct less than positive behavior. Solo Patrol and Probation At the successful completion of the Field Training Program, the probationary officer is assigned to solo patrol. This is the goal of every newly hired police officer. At this point in time, about 13 months has elapsed since the new officer began the testing procedure. Once on solo patrol, the newly hired officer is assigned a patrol shift. The probationary officer is responsible for any and all police duties. The probationary officer is formally evaluated by a supervisor on a monthly basis. Other officers and FTOs may also evaluate the probationary officer. This is done to insure that the new officer is acting in the manner they were trained as well as allowing the opportunity to reward positive behavior and correct negative behavior. The newly hired officer is still on probation at this time. Probation is an employment status assigned to newly hired officers. The probation period is 18-months long. During probation, the new officer can be disciplined and / or terminated for a variety of reasons. This is designed to insure that the new employee adapts well to his or her new environment and is performing tasks to the high standards set in the Field Training Program. Finally, tenured police officer status At the successful completion of testing, academy training, field training, evaluations, and the 18-month probationary period, you will become a tenured police officer. Ideally, when this happens, nothing significant will change. The prior 18 to 24 months have molded you into a professional public servant. Normally, friends and other officers joke that you can't be fired now. This is untrue. Although police officers are protected by a collective bargaining agreement, they are not immune to discipline and / or termination. It is a long road to make it this far. Not everyone succeeds. The Macomb Police Department strives to select and retain the best people. Having the best police officers is what the citizens and visitors of Macomb deserve. |
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