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Police Officer Recruitment Overview
The Community: The City of Collinsville has been incorporated since 1872 and was first settled as a mining community. The 2001 population is approximately 25,000. The City is located 9 miles from St. Louis, Missouri and covers an area of approximately 17 square miles.
The City of Collinsville boasts a growing hospitality district with over 1,300 hotel/motel rooms and the Gateway Convention Center, Southwestern Illinois’ premiere convention and visitor’s center. Major League Soccer is expected to start play in 2009.
The Government: The City operates under the council-manager form of government which consists of a four member City Council and Mayor. The Council appoints a City Manager.
The Department: The Collinsville Police Department has a philosophy of “Aggressive Policing”. This philosophy of policing encourages officers to actively seek out and arrest offenders who prey on our community. We seek officers, both veteran and new, to get involved in a department that will foster an attitude of seeking out and eliminating criminal behavior before it has an opportunity to create victims. Officers interested in not only building community ties but who are also interested in arresting criminals, are encourage to apply.
The 45 sworn members of the Collinsville Police Department are among the best trained and paid officers in the State. Probationary Police Officers are paid a salary of $52,852 annually; this increases to $60,278 after probation. Overtime is paid at a rate of time and one-half. Officers receive between 2 and 5 weeks of vacation depending on length of service. The department plans to expand to 50 officers by 2013.
Health insurance is provided for officers at no cost and for an officer’s dependents with a minimal employee contribution. In addition to an excellent pension plan, officers can participate in an optional 457 and cafeteria plan.
Upon graduation from the police academy, Collinsville Police Officers complete at least 14 weeks assigned to the field training program under the direction of the Field Training Officer (FTO).
Collinsville Police Officers attend numerous in-service training programs throughout their career on a regular basis. The department pays for the tuition and books of officers who are working toward college degrees in approved disciplines. This tuition reimbursement is provided up to and including the masters degree level. Most Collinsville Police Officers have a college degree. Collinsville Police Officers are represented by lodge #103 of the Fraternal Order of Police.
In addition to the patrol division, the Collinsville Police Department currently has officers serving in the following assignments:
Criminal Investigation Division - Plain Clothes officers assigned to general criminal investigation. All members of this division are members of the St. Louis Metropolitan
Major Case Squad.
Special Agent - Metropolitan Enforcement Group of Southwestern Illinois (Undercover Narcotics Investigator- Street Level Dealers)
Task Force Special Agent - United States Drug Enforcement Administration (Narcotics Investigator-Mid to Upper Level Dealers)
Special Agent - Metro East Auto Theft Task Force (Investigative Assignment involving crimes related to motor vehicles)
FBI Task Force – The department assigns patrol officers on a part-time (overtime) basis to an FBI Violent Crime Task Force
School Resource Officer - The filling of vacancies for these assignments are based on an officer's experience and patrol division performance.
ILEAS Mobile Field Force Team – Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System riot/disaster control team
In March, 2000 the department began operations in a new police facility with a total project cost of nearly 4 Million Dollars. All equipment, including uniforms, firearms and bullet resistant vests are provided by the department. The use of bullet resistant vests by patrol officers is mandatory.
The Requirements: To participate in the entry level selection process for the position of Police Officer, a candidate must possess or adhere to the following requirements:
Be between the ages of 21 and 35. Exceptions: 1) Candidates who are over 35 years of age, and have any amount of full time law enforcement experience with a municipality in any state, are eligible, 2) Candidates who have Illinois Sheriff Deputy and/or Illinois State Police patrol experience are eligible up to the age of 40, and 3) Candidates who are 20 years of age and have successfully completed 2 years of law enforcement studies at an accredited college or university, are eligible.
An Associates Degree in law enforcement or criminal justice from an accredited Community College –OR- a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited College or University –OR- Two years full-time law enforcement experience for a municipal, county, state or federal agency
No felony convictions
Must pass in-depth background investigation
Establish residency within the city limits (Madison or St. Clair County) within 12 months after the completion of probationary period
Must pass all examinations and requirements as required by the Consortium and the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners
An Equal Opportunity Employer
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