Career Information

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Qualifications | Selection Process | Physical Qualification Test | Salary and Benefits

Qualifications

• Must have reached the age of 18 years and may not reach the age of 65 years by the established date of the written examination.
• Vision--meets the requirement of 20/100 in both eyes (uncorrected) and 20/20 in both eyes (corrected).
• Has normal color vision as determined by a City designated physician.
• Has normal hearing in each ear as determined by a City designated physician.
• Be a graduate of an accredited high school, or possess an equivalency certificate (GED), which meets the minimum requirements of the State of Iowa as determined by the State Department of Public Instruction.
• Is a citizen of the United States and a resident of Iowa or intends to become a resident upon being employed.
• Is able to speak, read, and write the English language.
• Is not a alcohol or drug addict.
• He or she is not by reason of conscience or belief opposed to the use of force when appropriate or necessary to fulfill his or her duties.
• Must have a current valid Iowa driver’s or chauffeur’s license at time of employment.
  Applicants will not be considered for employment if:
  1. The applicant’s driving privileges are currently under revocation or have been suspended, cancelled, or revoked within the three (3) years prior to the date of the written examination, or
  2. The applicant has been convicted of five (5) moving violations in the three (3) years prior to the date of the written examination.
• An applicant must be of good moral character, which means that he/she can be trusted and is considered by those who know him/her to be a person of good reputation and good standing in the community. When conduct is of a nature that, if known, would tend to discredit the applicant as a peace officer, the applicant will not be employed. The character of the person is determined by past behavior. Many factors are relevant in this assessment. The Department seeks applicants whose histories show good judgment, maturity, a sense of responsibility, and the respect of others. Several factors will be considered in determining moral character:
  1. Conviction of a felony (as defined by Iowa law) will disqualify an applicant.
  2. Conviction of an aggravated misdemeanor (as defined by Iowa Law), less than five (5) years prior to date of the written exam will disqualify an applicant.
  3. Conviction of a serious misdemeanor (as defined by Iowa Law), less than two (2) years prior to date of the written exam will disqualify an applicant.
  4. Conviction of domestic assault, child abuse, or other conviction resulting from domestic or child abuse will disqualify an applicant.
  5. Unlawful sale of any controlled substance will disqualify an applicant.
  6. An applicant who has used any illegal drug while employed in any law enforcement or prosecutorial position will be disqualified.
  7. An applicant who is discovered to have misrepresented his/her drug history in completing the application will be disqualified.
  8. An applicant who has used any illegal drug, other than marijuana, within ten years prior to the date of the written examination, or more than five (5) times in one's life will be disqualified.  This includes anabolic steroid use after February 27, 1992.
  9. An applicant who has used marijuana within the past two (2) years prior to the date of the written examination, or more than a total of fifteen (15) times in one’s life will be disqualified
• Be able to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodations.

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Selection Process

After submitting a completed application, the following additional qualifying requirements must be met:

• Attain a satisfactory grade in pre-employment written examination in order to continue in the testing process.
• Voluntarily submit to, and pass, a polygraph examination designed to verify application information, help determine suitability, and further support his or her contention of good moral character.
• Satisfactorily complete psychological testing to determine cognitive skills, personality characteristics, and suitability of an applicant for a law enforcement career.
• Must participate in one or more oral interviews held by the hiring authority, or representative(s), to determine such things as appearance, background, rationale for seeking a career in law enforcement, and the ability of the applicant to communicate with all of the citizens with whom contact might be made.
• After an offer for employment, applicants will complete required testing performed by the City Nurse to include health and physical assessment, visual and hearing acuity and pulmonary function testing. Some applicants may be asked to take additional tests with other medical experts.
• After an offer for employment, applicants will be examined by a physician to determine if free from any physical, emotional, or mental condition which might adversely affect the performance of law enforcement related activities. This includes a standard physical examination to include heart, lungs, chest, back, eyes, ears, nose, throat, and any other area deemed appropriate by the examining physician under the direction of and as specified by the Police Pension Board. It will also include a pre-employment drug test, maximal treadmill stress, EKG, x-rays, and lab work.
• Complete a battery of four physical qualification tests to demonstrate your ability to satisfactorily perform job related tasks.

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Physical Qualification Tests

The Iowa Law Enforcement Academy Council, in recognizing the importance of physical fitness status for job performance, has established the following physical regimen as a pre-employment standard effective February 15, 1993.

No person can be selected or appointed as a law enforcement officer without first successfully passing all of the elements of this test. (See 501 IAC 2.1, adopted pursuant to Section 80B.11C5), Code of Iowa).

Upon entry into the Academy, every candidate will be given the same test as an assessment for training purposes and to ensure that each recruit can undergo the physical demands of the Academy without undo risk of injury, and with a level of fatigue tolerance to meet all Academy requirements. If, at the time of entrance into the Academy, an officer does not meet minimum standards, he or she will not be admitted.

Any questions you may have about these standards should be directed to the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy at (515) 242-5357.

• Sit and Reach Test
  This is a measure of the flexibility of the lower back and upper leg area. It is an important area of performing police tasks involving range of motion and is important in minimizing lower back problems. The test involves stretching out to touch the toes or beyond with extended arms from a sitting position. The score is in inches reached on a yardstick fastened to an apparatus with 15 inches being at the toes and the one-inch mark closest to the body.
  
• 1 Minute Sit-Up Test
  This is a measure of the muscular endurance of the abdominal muscles. It is an important area for performing police tasks that may involve the use of force and is an important area for maintaining good posture and minimizing lower back problems. The score is in number of bent leg sit-ups performed in 1 minute.
  
• 1 Minute Push-Up Test
  This test requires you to push your own weight off the floor. This measures the amount of force the upper body can generate and is an important area for performing police tasks requiring upper body strength. The score is calculated by the number of push-ups performed in one minute. (Females in excess of 49 years of age may do push-ups on their knees.)
  
• 1.5 Mile Run
  This is a timed run to measure the heart and vascular system's capability to transport oxygen. It is an important area for performing police tasks involving stamina and endurance and to minimize the risk of cardiovascular problems. The score is in minutes and seconds.
  

In keeping with employee wellness concepts, the Cedar Rapids Police Department maintains a fully equipped on-site exercise facility utilizing the latest Universal aerobic super circuit machines. The facility is enjoyed by all employees with the aid of trained exercise physiologists to assist individual employees in exercise program planning.

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Salary and Benefits

• Competitive starting salary of $43,430 yearly
• Four -- 10 hour work days
• Paid Overtime
• Excellent competitive promotional opportunities
• Paid leave--monthly accrual, 16.7 to 30 hours.
• Long Term Illness/Injury, 48-hour annual accrual to 520 hours.
• Full pay during 15 weeks of interesting, professional recruit training (Mini academy for current Iowa certified officers)
• Eligible for 60% reimbursement of the cost of tuition & books while you are pursuing a degree.
• Longevity Pay
• Uniforms and equipment furnished by the city
• Uniform Cleaning Allowance
• Life Insurance
• Excellent Health and Dental Insurance
• Job-related disability coverage
• Early Retirement
• Fitness Center

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