To see if the City of Beaumont is currently accepting applications for police officer, please visit the city's job posting page. The current minimum eligibility requirements are as follows:

Police Officer: Applicants must be licensed as a Peace Officer in the State of Texas, and the license must be current with no expirations or suspensions. Or the applicant must be currently enrolled in an accredited police academy.

Police Cadet with 60 College Hours: Applicants must have at least 60 College Credit Hours from an accredited College or University.

Police Cadet with Military Service: Applicants must have served in a branch of the United States Military. Active Reserve or National Guard service will also be considered. If an applicant was discharged, the discharge must be under honorable conditions. If an applicant qualifies under this requirement and has a GED, the applicant must have at least 12 college credit hours with a 2.0 or better average or 24 months of active duty service.

Police Officer Signing Incentive:The Beaumont Police Department now offers a sign-on incentive of up to $14,000 for certified police applicants. The incentive will be paid in one payment upon employment. To be eligible for the incentive, the applicant must hold a TCLEOSE Peace Officer License. Credit is calculated for each completed year of regular full time paid police officer service time at $2,000 per year up to a maximum of seven (7) years. Peace officers from other states or federal agencies must first obtain a TCLEOSE license. Service credit must be verified from that applicant's licensing board or POST to be eligible to receive the incentive. Applicants must enter into a three (3) year employment agreement. The purpose of this incentive payment is to assist sworn peace officers and their families with the financial transition of moving to the Beaumont Police Department. It is not intended nor will it be offered to any applicant considered for employment as a cadet. Present and former Beaumont Police Department employees are not eligible for this incentive.

Basic Academy Enrollment: Cadet applicants must meet the current TCLEOSE Minimum Enrollment Standards Rule, 215.15,for enrollment in a Basic Training Academy.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: Must be 21 years of age by the completion of the police academy.
United States citizen.
Eyesight must be correctable to 20/20.
Must pass a physical exam and job-related abilities test.
High school diploma or GED.
No more than four moving traffic violations within the last five years.
No convictions of Class A or above, including DWI offenses.

A criminal history check, polygraph exam, and background investigation will be conducted. Other considerations include a stable work history, college course work and/or degree, and prior law enforcement experience.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Persons who meet the eligibility requirements must submit an application to the City of Beaumont Human Resources Department.

Applications are initially screened for traffic violations, criminal convictions, work history, and academic credentials. Selected applicants will be asked to participate in a Job Related Abilities Test. The test will include running a quarter of a mile for time, an obstacle course, and a simulated rescue of an injured person. Applicants that successfully complete the JRAT are scheduled for writing skills and basic mathematic exercises. Applicants that are deemed qualified are given a personal history packet to complete and return for further review. An extensive background investigation will be conducted. Eligible applicants will be selected for an oral interview. Persons selected as conditionally employable are asked to submit to polygraph, physical, and psychological examinations.

SELECTION FOR EMPLOYMENT

Applicants who are selected for employment, and are certified peace officers in the State of Texas, are scheduled for three weeks of orientation. Upon completion of the orientation, they will be assigned to the Patrol Division and start a comprehensive training program. Effective October 1, 2007, a Grade I Patrol Officer earns $3,539 per month from appointment to 1 year.

Applicants who are selected for employment who are not current Texas peace officer license holders will be designated as a civilian employee and enrolled in the regional police academy. Academy tuition will be paid by the department. The duration of the academy is approximately 18 weeks. While enrolled in the academy, a cadet will earn $2,750 per month. After an orientation session, the recruit will be assigned to the Patrol Division and start a comprehensive training program. Upon assignment to the Patrol Division, a Grade I Patrol Officer will earn $3,539 per month from appointment to 1 year. Upon successful completion of the probationary period, the recruit will receive a $1,000 bonus.

REQUESTING AN APPLICATION

Eligible applicants may request an application by contacting:

City of Beaumont Human Resources Department

P.O. Box 3827

Beaumont, Texas 77704

Telephone (409) 880-3777

OR

by sending their name and mailing address via e-mail. An employment application is also available online. Applicants are urged to use the online employment application.

DO NOT request and/or complete an application unless you meet eligibility requirements.

Police officers are considered to be probationary for a period of 12 consecutive months from the date of commission as a Beaumont Police Officer. The police chief may extend the probationary period one time for an additional 90 days. A probationary period may be extended in excess of 90 days due to extenuating medical circumstances not to exceed one year. During the probationary period, an employee may be dismissed for any reason, without recourse to the grievance procedure. At the completion of the probationary period, continuous service for purposes of seniority shall date from the first day of employment as a commissioned police officer. Seniority is the determining factor in vacation, days off, layoff, recall and shift assignments. Management may make job assignments based on job skills and qualifications.

All promotions are made in accordance with Municipal Civil Service, Chapter 143, of the Local Government Code of the State of Texas. Written promotional examinations are given between the 90th and 120th day of the effective date of the vacancy. Promotions from the resulting eligibility list shall be made as soon as possible after the eligibility list has been certified. Promotional examinations for Grade II (sergeants) shall be open to all employees who have held a continuous position with the Department for five years or more immediately prior to the effective date of the vacancy. Promotional examinations for Grade III (lieutenants) and Grade IV (captains) shall be open to all employees who have held a continuous position for three years or more immediately prior to the effective date of the vacancy in the classification immediately below the classification for which the examination is given. The effective date of the vacancy is the last day of employment by the individual who is leaving the position that will be made vacant. Test materials may include all or any combination of the Texas Penal Code, Texas Code of Criminal Procedures, Texas Traffic Laws, Texas Family Code, Texas Drug Laws and Beaumont City ordinances and rules and regulations. Test material also will include outside reading materials.

Full-time regular employees shall accumulate vacation in accordance with the following schedule:

After 1 year of service -- 3.08 hours per pay period (there are 26 pay periods in a year)
After 5 years -- 4.62 hours per pay period
After 8 years -- 5 hours per pay period
After 11 years -- 5.5 hours per pay period
After 14 years -- 6 hours per pay period
After 17 years -- 6.5 hours per pay period
After 20 years -- 7 hours per pay period
After 23 years -- 7.5 hours per pay period
After 26 years -- 8 hours per pay period
After 29 years -- 8.5 hours per pay period
After 32 years -- 9 hours per pay period
After 35 years -- 9.23 hours per pay period

Employees with nine years or more service who do not use more than 40 hours of sick leave in a calendar year will have eight hours of vacation time added to their normally accrued vacation time. Vacation leave begins to accrue upon employment, but may not be used by an employee until that employee has completed one year of service with the City. Members of the Department accrue one and one-quarter days of sick leave for each month of service during the fiscal year. In the event of a death in the immediate family of an employee, the employee shall be granted up to five days off with pay.

Effective October 1, 2007, patrol officers within the department earn the following pay:

Start to 1 year = $3,539 per month
1 year to 2 years = $3,754 per month
2 years to 3 years = $3,873 per month
3 years to 4 years = $3,994 per month
4 years to 5 years = $4,110 per month
5 years to 8 years = $4,232 per month
8 years to 10 years =$4,314 per month
10 years to 12 years = $4,443 per month
12 years to 15 years = $4,532 per month
15 years to 20 years = $4,671 per month
20 years or more = $4,811 per month

Police sergeants with 0 to 5 years earn $5,084 per month; 5 to 10 years earn $5,360 per month; and those with 10 years or more earn $5,468 per month.

Police lieutenants with 0 to 5 years earn $5,961 per month and those with 5 years or more earn $6,081 per month.

Police captains with 0 to 5 years earn $6,462 per month and those with 5 years or more earn $6,592 per month.

Officers working the 4 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. shift earn a shift differential of 35 cents per hour while officers working the 9 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. shift earn a shift differential of 45 cents per hour. Officers working from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. shift earn a shift differential of 25 cents per hour.

There are several added benefits for holders of certain certifications. The holder of an intermediate TCLEOSE certificate earns $50 per month. The holder of an advanced TCLEOSE certificate earns $100 per month and the holder of a master peace officer TCLEOSE certificate earns $150 per month. Licensed breathalyzer operators earn $50 per month; licensed polygraph examiners earn $50 per month; an employee qualifying as an expert latent fingerprint witness and currently assigned to the Identification Bureau earns $40 per month; field training officers earn $100 per month; bilingual officers earn $50 per month for Spanish and $50 per month for Vietnamese; officers proficient in sign language earn $50 per month; and SWAT members earn $25 per month.

In addition to other incentive pay, each officer earns $4 per month longevity pay for each year of consecutive service in the department up to and including 25 years of service. Depending on job assignment, officers earn some amount of a clothing allowance.