Career Opportunities

Officers of the Lincoln Police Department are afforded with many opportunities to develop their careers. Along with the City's college incentive program and the department's in-service training, officers are able to compete for promotional positions. All promotions are based upon merit, as determined by a competitive promotional process administered by the City Personnel Department.

A number of specialized positions in the department are available to qualified officers as openings occur. These specialized positions can be in the following units: Checks & Fraud, Crime Analysis, Crime Prevention, Criminal Investigations, Education and Personnel, Family Crimes, K-9, Narcotics, Traffic Safety, Technical Investigations and others.

The Lincoln Police Department presently consists of approximately 432 total employees (317 sworn, 104 civilian). The department maintains a police garage, weapons range, weight training facility, classrooms, computer lab and criminal justice library.

If you are interested in finding out more information about becoming employed by the Lincoln City Police Department please contact us by filling out our on-line recruitment form. Lincoln Police Department is also on Facebook - become a fan.

Application

Initial application to the Lincoln Police Department must be made through the City-County Personnel Department. An on-line City application form must be completed.

Applications are accepted in two cycles during the year for a spring and fall academy. The Lincoln Police Department does not maintain a list. New applications must be submitted for each academy. For specific application and hiring dates please check our hiring information page.

In order to have a valid application, all candidates MUST meet the following requirements:

A physical examination, including an eyesight examination, will be conducted for top candidates at the City's expense. Eyesight requirements are: Strong eye 20/40, correctable to 20/20; and weak eye 20/100, correctable to 20/40. Candidates who do not meet the corrected or uncorrected visual acuity standards must employ the use of extended wear contact lenses as approved by an ophthalmologist or optometrist, in which case acuity must be correctable to 20/20 strong eye and 20/40 weak eye, with no upper limits. Candidates must display adequate binocular vision, depth perception and color vision. They will also be required to have and maintain good health and physical condition.

Minimum Requirements

1. United States Citizen.
2. High School Diploma or GED Equivalency.
3. Minimum age of 21.
4. No Felony Convictions.
5. Valid Drivers License.
6. No Domestic Violence Convictions.

Selection Process

Written Examinations:

The pre-employment written examination will measure cognitive abilities that are necessary for effective performance as a police officer. The cognitive section includes problem-solving, reading comprehension, mathematics and writing ability. Applicants scoring above 70% will advance to the Physical Fitness Ability Test that same day.

A Study Guide will be sent, by City Personnel, approximately 2 weeks prior to the test.

Physical Fitness Ability Test:

Candidates who attain a passing score on the written examination will advance to the physical fitness ability testing that afternoon. The test consists of five events; 120 yard shuttle run, vertical jump, maximum push-ups, one minute sit-ups, and 1.5 mile run/walk. Applicants must accumulate a minimum passing score of 30 points. Applicants who score below the 30 point level on any event have failed, and will be given a second opportunity to re-test on that event. All events will be scored immediately. The entire process, both written and physical testing, lasts approximately six hours on each testing date.

Interview:

Candidates who successfully complete the written exam and physical ability test will be scheduled for an oral interview. This interview will be assessed on dimensions of work history, education, financial responsibility, personal declarations and other interpersonal skills.

Following the interview, candidates may be selected for an additional interview and testing. The second interview, perceiver ATPI, is conducted over the phone. Additional testing will consist of an adult basic education test, drug screening, medical examination, psychological evaluation, and polygraph examination. Questions for the polygraph will be based on your personal history statement and supplemental questionnaire. The results of these tests are used to affirm assessments made during the initial interview. Candidates selected who successfully complete the final phase are offered employment with the Lincoln Police Department.

Training:

Candidates who are offered and accept employment with the Lincoln Police Department must undergo training at the Lincoln Academy which is 19 weeks in length. They are initially appointed as police trainees, and are paid $2,600.00 a month while attending the academy. Those successfully completing the academy are appointed as commissioned police officer's with commensurate salary and benefits, and begin a field training and evaluation program.

LATERAL ENTRY PROGRAM
Those who are currently Nebraska law enforcement certified may be paid $41,367.04 annually at the time of hire and must attend a two week orientation class. Based upon the demonstrated skill level, the candidate may be eligible for an accelerated Field Training Officer Program.

The field training and evaluation program takes approximately 22 weeks to complete. During this training phase, the new officers are assigned to work with a designated field training officer whose job is to train and evaluate their performance. New officers are rotated to a different field training officer every four weeks. New officers must reach an acceptable level in all performance areas by the completion of the program. Successful officers are then transferred to the Operations Division for solo team assignments.

Officer duties fall into four main categories: traffic, crime control, social control, and management which occur with considerable regularity and overlap into several different areas. The responsibility of traffic control encompasses traffic accident prevention, traffic law enforcement, and maintenance of orderly offenses and the apprehension of offenders. The duty of social control occasionally calls for an arrest or the application of the law as a means to restore order. Management includes tasks intended to ensure the efficient and effective application of resources in coping with identified police problems.

Benefits

Employee Representation:
Lincoln Police Officers are represented by the Lincoln Police Union.

Uniforms and Equipment:
Provided at no cost to the employee.

Salary:
The current officer pay range is from $41,367.04/year up to $60,769.28/year. In addition, employees are paid at the rate of time and one-half for all overtime hours. A minimum of two hours of overtime is provided when an employee is called in off-duty, unless it is a regular day off or a vacation day, then a minimum of four hours of overtime pay is granted. Standby pay is also a contract provision.

Educational Pay:
An employee will receive $300 for an Associate Degree and $750 for a Bachelor Degree annually. An employee may be reimbursed up to $600.00 annually for approved college courses.

Bilingual Pay:
If an officer is able to demonstrate proficiency to interpret conversations in other eligible languages they may receive bilingual pay of $100 per month.

Longevity Pay:
An employee will receive an additional $488 annually beginning with the eighth year of service. This longevity pay will increase at the completion of 15, 20 and 25 years of service with the top end longevity pay at $2,546 annually.

Uniform Cleaning:
Officers receive $30/month allowance for the cleaning of uniforms.

Body Armor:
Officers are reimbursed up to $600 for the purchase of protective body armor once every five years. The body armor is the property of the individual officer after one year of service.

Vacation:
After successful completion of the first six months of employment - at the factored hourly equivalent of forty hours for the second six months of service. After the first year of service, 88 hours per year. After five years, 128 hours per year. After ten years, 144 hours per year. After 15 years, 168 hours per year. After 20 years, 200 hours per year. After 25 years, 208 hours per year.

Holidays:
Officers may be paid for seven holidays each year or they may elect to accumulate up to 82 hours in a holiday bank. This time may then be taken as time off during the year. The city will provide 42 additional non cumulative personal holiday hours each fiscal year.

Sick Leave:
Officers earn eight hours of sick leave for each full month of service. Sick leave is earned but cannot be taken during the first six months of employment.

Insurance:
Officers are provided with $30,000 life insurance free of charge. Optional family coverage is available at a reduced cost. Up to $50,000 of additional coverage may be purchased. The city contributes 98% of the single premium. If an Officer elects family coverage, he or she may elect health insurance from the city group health plan. In regard to dental insurance, the City contributes 100% of the single premium. Officers are eligible for insurance benefits 90 days after the date of hire.

When available, Officers may elect to work either a four day or five day work week. Compensatory time off in lieu of overtime payment may be granted at the appropriate rate with the maximum accumulation of 40 hours.

These benefits are currently provided and are subject to change due to collective bargaining sessions between the Lincoln Police Union and the City of Lincoln.

The City of Lincoln is an Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer
who is committed to recruit, hire, promote or transfer employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, national origin, age (40-70), marital status, receipt of public assistance, or political affiliation, except that no person shall be employed who advocates or belongs to a group which advocates the violent overthrow of our government.