Sign In

 

City of Tallahassee Coin

City of Tallahassee Logo

Logo of the Tallahassee Police Department

BE THE DIFFERENCE

Become a Member of the Tallahassee Police Department

 

officers standing in front of a patrol vehicle

Join the Tallahassee Police Department

TPD’s recruiting personnel handles all recruitment for Police Officers and Police Officer Trainees. They are a great first point of contact (see below) if you are interested in working for the Tallahassee Police Department.

As candidates move through the hiring process, they will work with TPD’s background investigators, who handle the preliminary and complete background investigations and schedule truth verification and medical and psychological examinations.

The Employee Resources Office is a one-stop shop for information for all current and potential employees. It supplies information on payroll, retirement, insurance, policies and procedures, hiring, termination and more. It also provides verifications of employment, accepts applications for temporary, non-sworn positions within the department and offers other career information.

...

Values

The Tallahassee Police Department is driven by our core values - Trust, Loyalty, and Commitment. Our values will be incorporated into policy and training. Trust, Loyalty, and Commitment will be the driving force behind recruitment, selection, hiring, and promotions. These principles will provide the basis for decision-making for all personnel at TPD. They demand a higher level of accountability than law and policy. Our values mandate that our decisions are based on what we should do, not what we can do.

...

Service

Embracing our values will ensure TPD's policing is about the citizens of Tallahassee. Everyone at TPD is here to provide service to our community. All members, sworn and civilian, have a responsibility to treat people with respect, show compassion, and protect the rights of all people. Each day, our actions will reinforce that we earned the privilege to work at TPD and that we will continue to earn that privilege.

...

Responsibility

TPD has a responsibility to our city to deliver proactive community policing strategies, thorough and impartial investigations, and accurate documentation regarding our actions. All TPD's members have an obligation to critically evaluate how TPD performs, identify areas of improvement, and recommend solutions. We will be accountable to the community and each other to ensure that we use our resources efficiently and deliver the best service possible.

Benefits & Salary

Our Benefits

Take Home Car

Take-home vehicle program within a 50-mile radius.

Competetive Salary

With increases as outlines in the PBA contract. Lateral hire program with previous experience.

Salary Enhancements

Educational & physical fitness incentives, lateral pay plan for prior experience, and GI bill for military veterans, reservists, and National Guard members.

Equipment

Weapons, equipment, uniforms, soft body armor, and shoes furnished; uniform cleaning provided.

Tuition

Tuition assistance for college courses (50% of total tuition costs, not more than $750 per year for undergrad studies; $1,500 per year graduate studies.)

Retirement, Pension, and Medical

Optional pension & retirement plans available. Group medical, dental, and life insurance plans.

Learn more at Talgov.com.

Join TPD

Frequently Asked Questions

Must I be certified in law enforcement to be hired as a Police Officer?

Yes. All Police Officer applicants must complete the basic Law Enforcement Academy curriculum and must pass the FL LEO Certification Exam prior to hire. However, we do have a Police Officer Trainee program. This is a sponsorship program, where the Tallahassee Police Department pays for all associated costs of the law enforcement academy while you are on salary earning $39,950.84.

How often are Law Enforcement Academy classes held?

Florida Public Safety Institute (FPSI) offers day classes twice a year, usually January or February and then again in June or July. Night classes are also available. That information can be obtained from their website or by calling the FPSI at 850-201-7003.

As a Police Officer in another state, will the Tallahassee Police Department sponsor me through the Florida Equivalency of Training (E.O.T.) Course?

Yes. As an out of state Police Officer applicant, you can apply for the Police Officer Trainee position and request sponsorship through the Florida E.O. T. course. If you are hired at the conclusion of the background investigation, the Tallahassee Police Department will pay for all costs associated with the training course. While attending the E.O.T. course you will be on salary earning $39,950.84/year. After you complete the E.O.T. course and pass the Florida State Certification Exam, your salary will be adjusted to fit within the Department’s lateral hire pay plan.

If I have received a speeding ticket recently, will that disqualify me for a Police Officer position?

No, a speeding ticket is not an automatic disqualifier. Your entire driving history will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications.

If I am a civilian officer in another state, what must I do to qualify for a position in Florida?

Civilian law enforcement officers and military law enforcement officers with at least one year of street experience can qualify for the FL Equivalency of Training (EOT) process. To see if you qualify, visit the FDLE website. If you qualify, you must take the EOT Class at a certified law enforcement training academy and pass the FL LEO State Certification Exam.

Is it possible to become a part-time Reserve Police Officer while finishing college or working elsewhere?

No. Reserve Police Officers must meet all the qualifications for hire that are required of a Patrol Officer. In addition, Reserve Officers must have completed the Field Training Program and become "Solo" qualified. Current funding does not allow for this training.

Can I use my G.I. Bill benefits while training to become a police officer.

Yes. You are considered a full-time student while attending the day classes, or part-time student if attending the night classes of the Academy. During your Department Orientation Training and the remainder of your probationary period, you qualify for On-the-Job-Training (OJT) Benefits that are paid directly to you each month from the Veterans Administration Office that holds your military records. Recruiting personnel will assist you in applying for these benefits.

For more information about TPD Recruiting, you may contact us by calling 850-891-4324 or email tpdapplicants@talgov.com.

Become a Police Officer.

A full-time officer with the Tallahassee Police Department.

  • Lateral Hire Program
  • GI Benefits/Public Safety On-the-Job Training Program.
  • Patrol Officers typically work four ten-hour days and have three days off.

Ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum

Become a Police Officer Trainee

Police Officer Trainees are non-sworn positions. Employees hired as a Police Officer Trainee, will attend the Florida Public Safety Institute (FPSI). Once a Police Officer Trainee successfully completes the FPSI and passes the State of Florida law enforcement exam, they will promote to the position of Police Officer.

Police Officer Trainees must sign a contract stating they will work for the Tallahassee Police Department for no less than two years after being removed from probation. Probation last one year after you are transferred from a Police Officer Trainee to a Police Officer.

Becoming a Reserve Police Officer

For former sworn members of the Tallahassee Police Department. Requires the applicant to be a current certified law enforcement officer.

Non-Sworn Employment

The Tallahassee Police Department offers three types of non-sworn employment: full time, Other Personnel Services (OPS) and temporary.

Temporary Employment
All part-time, temporary 25-hour or less positions at the Tallahassee Police Department are without benefits and leave time. The positions are mainly clerical-type, maintenance, and school crossing guards. No applications for temporary positions are accepted at the Tallahassee Police Department. Applications for part-time employment opportunities are accepted for current vacancies only. To view the current vacancies for the City of Tallahassee, please see the job listings. You are welcome to contact Employee Resources at 850-891-4324 if you have any questions about Police Department vacancies.

Other Personnel Services (OPS)
No applications for OPS positions are accepted at the Tallahassee Police Department. Applications for OPS employment opportunities are accepted for current vacancies only. To view the current vacancies for the City of Tallahassee, please see the job listings. You are welcome to contact Employee Resources at 850-891-4324 if you have any questions about Police Department vacancies. The only benefit offered to OPS positions is insurance.

Full-time Employment
No applications for full-time positions are accepted at the Tallahassee Police Department. Applications for full-time employment opportunities are accepted for current vacancies only. To view the current vacancies for the City of Tallahassee, please see the job listings. You are welcome to contact Employee Resources at 850-891-4324 if you have any questions about Police Department vacancies.

Join TPD

How to Become a Police Officer

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants must meet the following minimum requirements to qualify for employment as a Tallahassee Police Officer: 

  • Be a U.S. citizen.
  • At the time of hire, be at least 21-years-old and live within a 50-mile radius of the intersection of N. Monroe Street and E. Tennessee Street, Tallahassee, Fl.
  • Have completed a Law Enforcement Officer certification course and passed the Florida State Officer Certification Exam. If requesting sponsorship to an academy, please visit TPD's Officer Trainee page.
  • Possess a valid driver license and have a satisfactory driving history.
  • Have vision correctable to 20/20, with color distinction and depth perception within an acceptable range.
  • At least 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours (grade average of “C” or better). One year of full-time law enforcement work in a sworn capacity, or one year active full-time military experience; or active reserve military experience with at least one year of deployment; or one year full-time as a correctional officer; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
  • Have no convictions for any felony, perjury, false statement, or domestic violence offense. Have no DUI convictions in the past seven years. Other arrest histories are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
  • Have no pending criminal charges.
  • Be able to pass a drug history review: No use of marijuana within one year of application. No use of prescription medication or other legally obtainable substance in a manner for which it was not intended within three years of application. No use of any other drugs (including anabolic steroids) within seven years of application. No sale, distribution, manufacture, or transportation of any illegal drugs (as defined by F.S. 893.03).
  • Be able to pass a thorough background investigation.
  • Submit a Written Essay, Oral Board, Truth Verification Exam, and Drug, Medical, and Psychological screenings.

During the hiring process, all applicants must complete a minimum of two Patrol ride-alongs

 

Required Documents

Thank you for considering joining the Tallahassee Police Department. Before continuing with the TPD Online application process, please review Job Application Instructions (PDF Document) and download and complete the documents below.

Required Forms and Documents

Forms to be downloaded, completed, and attached to your TPD Online Job Application

The following document should be downloaded, completed and saved to your computer desktop. Then attached to your TPD Online Job Application when submitted for consideration for employment.

Required Notarized Documents

Please download and complete the documents below. Print each and have a Notary Public witness your signature on both. Mail or deliver both to Employee Resources Office, Tallahassee Police Department, 234 East Seventh Avenue, Tallahassee FL 32303. Notary Service is available in the Employee Resources Office.

Additional Required Documentation

Mail, or hand deliver, the following documents to the Employee Resources Office, Tallahassee Police Department, 234 East Seventh Avenue, Tallahassee, Florida 32303.

  1. Birth certificate – an official copy from the Bureau of Vital Statistics in the state of your birth.
  2. Social Security Card – a photocopy of your card.
  3. Driver license – a photocopy of your current driver license (front and back if renewal information is located on the back).
  4. Driver's record – a recent copy of your 7-year driving history from every state (except Florida) in which you have ever held a valid driver license.
  5. Official College Transcript reflecting the DEGREE EARNED, or the minimum required hours (45 quarter or 30 semester with a grade of "C" or above in each course) from an accredited college or university. Official transcripts may be sent directly from the institution or may be included with your application in a tamper evident envelope that was sealed by the institution (if applicable).
  6. A copy of Florida law enforcement academy Completion Certificate. If you are currently attending the academy, a copy of the diploma must be submitted upon graduation (if applicable).
  7. Copy of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Form CJSTC 516 indicating that you have PASSED the State Officer Certification Examination (if applicable).
  8. Proof of name change (if applicable).
  9. U.S. Military Record – DD214 (Member 4 Copy) reflecting character of service/type of separation for each tour of duty (if applicable).
  10. All male applicants under age 27 must submit a copy of their Selective Service Registration or Exemption card.
  11. Naturalization Papers (if applicable) Federal law prohibits copying of naturalization papers. The actual papers must be presented at the time of application.

The above listed documents need to be submitted within two weeks of application date.

 

Apply Now

Apply at the City's jobs portal

Contact

Contact Us

Our Address

234 E 7th Ave, Tallahassee, FL 32303

Visit Us Online

Talgov.com/JoinTPD

Call to Speak to a Recruiter

850-891-4200