Public Safety Officer In Training
City of Sunnyvale Sunnyvale, California, United States
- Location: Sunnyvale, California, United States
- Categories: Education and Training, Public Safety
- Job Type: Full Time
- Posted: Jul 03, 2026
Job Description:
Public Safety Officer In Training
Description
DescriptionPUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER - IN TRAINING
Typical placement is made at the first step of the salary range.
- Upon successful completion of the Public Safety Officer in Training requirements, incumbents promote to Public Safety Officer I ($142,742 - $165,242).
- Upon successful completion of all phases of training, members of the Public Safety Officer I classification promote to Public Safety Officer II ($151,050 - $188,192).
- This position has an excellent benefit package, including 2.7% at 57 retirement plan.
ABOUT THIS POSITION
The position of Public Safety Officer-In Training (PSO-IT) is a non-sworn, training classification while incumbents are attending the police and fire academies. Upon successful completion of the police academy, incumbents will be promoted to the sworn, training position of Public Safety Officer I. Upon successful completion of all required training, incumbents will be promoted to the sworn position of Public Safety Officer II.
A Public Safety Officer II performs the full duties of both a police officer and a firefighter, which include preserving the peace; preventing and detecting crimes; protecting life and property; responding to fire, medical and other emergencies; enforcing laws and public ordinances; and maintaining a public service approach towards the Sunnyvale community. To review the full job description and requirements of a Public Safety Officer-In Training, please click on the following link: Public Safety Officer-In Training
ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
The Department of Public Safety (DPS) provides a fully integrated police, fire and emergency response to the City of Sunnyvale community and residents. Because of the dual responsibilities, DPS offers a varied and exciting career.
For more information about becoming a Public Safety Officer please call or text SDPSJOBS to 408-755-9686 and visit: Join the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety
For more information regarding the Department of Public Safety, please visit the DPS website at Department of Public Safety Website.
ABOUT THE CITY OF SUNNYVALE
The City of Sunnyvale is recognized as the "Heart of Silicon Valley," with a population of approximately 161,884. It is the sixth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area and the second largest in Santa Clara County. For more information regarding the City of Sunnyvale, please visit the City's website at sunnyvale.ca.gov.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
Under immediate supervision of a Public Safety Lieutenant or Captain, attends police academy and learns to perform a wide range of public safety work involving the protection of life and property including law enforcement, crime prevention, fire suppression, rescue, and basic life support activities; and performs related work as required.
The position of Public Safety Officer-In-Training is the training level for general police and fire work. Incumbents are not sworn personnel and are generally in this classification until successful completion of the police academy. Assignment to this classification is temporary. If incumbents do not successfully complete a police academy, they will be terminated.
Public Safety Officer-In-Training is distinguished from the higher-level Public Safety Officer I in that the latter is a sworn position where incumbents continue training for both police and fire duties. Incumbents must successfully complete the police academy prior to being promoted to the classification of Public Safety Officer I.
Essential Job Functions
(May include, but are not limited to, the following):
Attends and successfully completes police academy to prepare for position of Public Safety Officer I.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Position requires prolonged sitting, standing, walking, reaching, twisting, turning, kneeling, bending, squatting and stooping in the performance of daily activities. The position also requires grasping, repetitive hand movement and fine coordination in using a computer keyboard. Additionally, the position requires near and far vision in reading reports and work related documents and using a computer. Acute hearing is required when providing phone and personal customer service. The need to lift, drag and push equipment and bodies weighing up to 165 pounds, the ability to run continuously for 500 yards and climb 6 foot high fences is also required. When in the field, positions are required to walk and stand during emergency situations, including on uneven and slippery surfaces; wear police officer and firefighter clothing and carry equipment; climb ladders and work from elevated positions and enter confined spaces wearing appropriate breathing apparatus. Some of these requirements may be accommodated for otherwise qualified individuals requiring and requesting such accommodation.
Minimum Qualifications
Education and Experience:
The minimum qualifications for education and experience can be met in the following way:
An Associate's degree or have completed 60 semester or 90 quarter units at an accredited college or university.
Knowledge of:
- Basic principles of electricity.
- Principles of physics, chemistry of fire, and mechanics.
- Weights, measures and capacities.
- Office methods, procedures, software and equipment.
- Principles and practices of good customer service.
- Principles and practices of effective interpersonal communication.
Ability to:
- Learn to apply principles and practices of law enforcement and fire protection.
- Learn to interpret and apply department policies and procedures and related State and Federal laws.
- Learn to perform firefighting, emergency response, and rescue and medical aid duties in response to calls for service.
- Write clearly, accurately, concisely, legibly and with correct English grammatical construction and spelling.
- Learn to safely use firearms and other modern police equipment and communication and information systems related to law enforcement.
- Make basic mathematical calculations as they relate to the essential functions of this position.
- Plan and present material orally to diverse groups.
- Read and interpret complex documents in English.
- Sketch such things as crime scenes and accident scenes.
- Observe, assimilate, remember and recall pertinent facts and details.
- Read maps and mapped information.
- Apply selected learned knowledge in collecting, organizing and analyzing a variety of information.
- Speak with a wide variety of people, using tact, self-restraint, judgment, and strategy.
- Make quick and reasonable decisions under stressful emergency situations.
- Perform routine, repetitive work to completion.
- Exercise self-restraint and good judgment.
- Visually identify and accurately distinguish colors between various visual inputs at long and short ranges and in dark and smoky environments.
- Accurately identify and distinguish between colors.
- Hear and comprehend auditory inputs in radio transmissions, long range conversations, commands, and cries for assistance when obscured by background noises.
- Detect and distinguish the smell of different materials/chemicals, smoke/fires, and toxic gases.
- Speak in an understandable voice during in-person and radio conversations, to project voice, and to be heard over background noises.
- Operate a computer using word processing and business software and other office equipment.
- Understand and follow written and oral instructions.
- Communicate effectively, orally and in writing.
- Establish, maintain and promote positive and effective working relationships with employees, other agencies and the public.
- Demonstrate initiative and exercise good judgment in the performance of duties.
- Exercise tact and diplomacy in dealing with sensitive, complex and political situations.
- Use a Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)
- Observe safety principles and work in a safe manner.
Willingness to:
- Adhere to ethics of law enforcement as stated in the "Law Enforcement Code of Ethics".
- Enforce all laws, policies and procedures regardless of personal ethics or feelings.
- Comply with department grooming standards and wear a uniform furnished by the department.
- Carry and use approved weapons, including (but not limited to) firearms and batons, if justified by laws, policies, and procedures.
- Take the life of another, if justified by laws, policies, and procedures.
- Work in, around, or with severely decomposed, burnt, or dismembered bodies.
- Train citizens as well as other employees.
- Work irregular hours, irregular days, overtime, weekends, holidays, variable shifts, evenings, on-call and 24-hour shift.
- Work at any location in the city on short notice.
- Attend meetings or classes both on and off duty.
Licenses/Certificates:
Possess and continued maintenance of a valid class C California driver's license and a safe driving record.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in criminal justice or related field.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Must be 21 years of age at the time of hire.
- Must successfully complete a post-offer physical exam paid for by the City.
- Must successfully complete an extensive background check.
Individuals who have been eliminated from a hiring process, either as a result of a background investigation or as the result of any psychological interview, are ineligible to re-apply until an 18 month period has elapsed since the final filing date of the last recruitment for which they have applied.
Application and Selection Process
APPLICATION PROCESS
If you are interested in this outstanding opportunity, you must complete the following steps.
Review Minimum Qualifications and Job Description Public Safety Officer-In Training
At time of application:
- Have an Associate's degree from an accredited college or 60 semester units or 90 quarter units from an accredited college or university
- Possess a valid Class C California driver's license with a safe driving record or driver's license from another state with a safe driving record
Submit a completed City of Sunnyvale application packet, which consists of:
City of Sunnyvale Employment Application.Supplemental Questionnaire.Written Test Requirement: Current (dated within one year of application) T-Score (a minimum score of 48) received on the POST Entry-Level Law Enforcement Test Battery (PELLETB).
- Click here for more information about PELLETB: South Bay Regional Public Safety Training Consortium.
- Click here to view Applicant Preparation Guide for the Entry Level Law Enforcement Test Battery.
- Click here to view PELLETB test location, dates and times.
- Click here for more information about the Agility Exam: Exam FAQs
- Click here for Physical Agility Practice Session Information
- Click here to view Physical Agility Test locations, dates and times
An electronic application may be submitted through the City of Sunnyvale website at sunnyvale.ca.gov. Please note: incomplete application packets will not be accepted.
Applications will be competitively screened based on the minimum qualifications of this position. Based upon a review of the application materials, qualified candidates will be invited to participate in the examination process, which may consist of an oral examination at a date to be determined. (Note: The examination process may be changed as deemed necessary by the Director of Human Resources).
SELECTION PROCESS
Those candidates pass the oral exam interview will be placed on an eligibility list for up to one year, in accordance with the City's Civil Service Rules and Administrative Policies. Top candidates on the eligibility list will be referred to the Department of Public Safety for the selection process, which will include oral interview(s), a comprehensive background history check, a polygraph test, a post-offer psychological and medical exam(s) administered by a City-selected physician(s) before hire. Prior to starting work, all newly-hired employees will be fingerprinted to check conviction history. A conviction history will not necessarily disqualify an applicant from appointment; however, failure to disclose conviction history will result in refusal of employment or termination.
INFORMATION ABOUT PROOF OF EDUCATION
Any successful candidate, selected by the hiring department will be required to submit proof of education (i.e. original copy of the diploma or college/university transcripts). A candidate with education obtained outside the United States must have education records evaluated by a credential evaluation service at the candidate's expense to determine its equivalency in the United States. Candidates may utilize any third-party agency for the evaluation. If you search ‘education equivalency verification’ or similar online, you will obtain results for agencies that provide this evaluation service.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For assistance on how to fill out your job application, watch the following video:
- How to Apply for a City of Sunnyvale Job- YouTube (5:13)
The information contained within this announcement may be modified or revoked without notice and does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.
The City of Sunnyvale is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state, or local laws. The City of Sunnyvale is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at (408) 730-7490 or [email protected] .
Summary of Sunnyvale Public Safety Officer-In Training PSOIT Benefits
Notice of CFRA (California Family Rights Act) Rights and Obligations