To be considered a lateral entry candidate, applicants must hold a valid Missouri Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Class A Certification. Applicants can also transfer their law enforcement license/credentials from out of state by applying to the Missouri POST Commission. The department will assist out-of-state applicants with questions about license transfer and assist applicants with the Missouri POST Commission process.
Qualifications & Disqualifiers
Pay is based on a lateral entry scale that rewards up to five years of law enforcement experience. Officers and sergeants are covered under a negotiated work agreement that serves as a contract between the City and the sworn Police Department employees. Lateral applicants can enter the pay scale at Step #1 (up to two years sworn experience), Step #3 (two to five years sworn experience) or Step #5 (five or more years sworn experience). Once an applicant enters the pay scale, officers are given a yearly pay increase on their anniversary date guaranteed by the work agreement.
Applications are accepted continuously for lateral candidates.