If you are considering a career of service with the Richmond Police Department, you're in the right place!
The City of Richmond Police Department, located in the East Bay Area in Contra Costa County (California), proudly protects and serves our Richmond community 24 hours/day, 7 days/week.
CONTACT A RECRUITER
FOR EMERGENCIES, PLEASE DIAL 911
RICHMOND POLICE DEPARTMENT
1701 Regatta Boulevard
Richmond, CA 94804
RPD Records: 510-620-6675
RPD Dispatch: 510-233-1214
The City of Richmond has three options to join our team. Whether you are currently an officer, an academy graduate or looking to start your career in law enforcement.
If you are currently attending or not yet attended the police academy.
If you have graduated from a California Post Accredited Police Academy and are not currently working as a sworn peace officer.
If you are currently employed as a sworn peace officer in the State of California and have completed your probationary period.
Want to serve the Richmond community but not as an officer?
RPD Communications Dispatchers proudly serve our Richmond and El Cerrito communities - dispatching police and medical services for emergency and non-emergency response.(Richmond Police, El Cerrito Police, and Richmond Fire)
The goals of the Police Cadet program are to expose men and women to the various aspects of police work in order to prepare them for a career in law enforcement. Police Cadets will promote the community's opportunity to enjoy a safe and positive environment.
If you have questions after viewing our FAQ's please contact a recruiter. Our recruitment team is there to help with any question that you have about working in public safety for the City of Richmond.
We are actively hiring for Police Officer (entry level, direct, and lateral) positions, as well as Communications Dispatcher (entry-level and per-diem) positions!
Recruitments for police support staff positions (Records Specialists, Property Technicians, and Crime Scene Technicians - just to name a few!) are posted as the positions become available.
No - a college degree is NOT required to apply for many of the positions here at RPD!
Several positions, however, do require completion of some college credits (or proof of honorable discharge from the Armed Forces) to meet minimum qualifications:
Police Officer Trainee (Entry-Level): 10 semester or 15 quarter units
Police Officer Direct and/or Lateral: 30 semester of 45 quarter units, plus completion of a POST-certified Basic Academy (or equivalent, verified and approved by California POST).
Click here to view the minimum qualifications for each position.
We're glad you asked!
First, make sure you meet the minimum qualifications of the position you are applying for! (Trainees - you need a T-score before you apply! Click on the Pellet-B Exam question in the FAQs)
Next, submit your application on the City of Richmond - Government Jobs website.
Once your application is received and a testing date is scheduled, you'll be invited to attend our testing process. Questions about your application status? Visit our Contact a Recruiter page to submit an inquiry.
Police Officer Trainee and Academy Grad (Direct) applicants, who are selected to proceed may anticipate the following process:
Successfully complete an Oral Board Interview, Physical Agility Test, and Writing Sample
Provide a Personal History Statement (PHS) for review
Satisfactorily complete a Polygraph Examination
Undergo a thorough Background Investigation
Participate in an interview with the Chief of Police, or designated hiring authority
Satisfactorily complete a Psychological and Medical Examination
Police Officer Lateral candidates may anticipate a similar hiring process, with the exception of a modified Physical Agility Test.
Upon successful completion...
Congratulations! Welcome home, to Richmond PD!
If you happened to glance at the Police Officer hiring process, you'll see that many of the hiring steps for Communications Dispatcher are very similar!
First, make sure you meet the minimum qualifications of the position you are applying for! (Entry-level candidates - you need a T-score before you apply! Click on the Pellet-B Exam question in the FAQs.)
Next, submit your application on the City of Richmond - Government Jobs website.
Once your application is received and a testing date is scheduled, you'll be invited to attend our testing process.
Communications Dispatcher I and Communications Dispatcher II (per-diem) applicants, who are selected to proceed may anticipate the following process:
Successfully complete an Oral Board Interview
Provide a Personal History Statement (PHS) for review
Satisfactorily complete a Polygraph Examination
Undergo a thorough Background Investigation
Participate in an interview with the Chief of Police, or designated hiring authority
Satisfactorily complete a Psychological and Medical Examination
Upon successful completion...Congratulations!
Welcome home, to Richmond PD!
The California POST Pellet-B Exam is a multiple-choice written examination designed to measure reading and writing ability. A "T-Score" is a standardized score result, that is calculated based upon your test answers (midpoint average of 50, standard deviation of 10).
If you are applying for a Police Officer Trainee (entry-level) or Communications Dispatcher I (entry-level) position, you must submit a "T-Score" result of 48 or higher, dated within one year from the date of your application.
To learn more about the CA POST Pellet-B Exam for Police Officers, please click here.
To learn more about the CA POST Pellet-B Exam for Dispatchers, please click here.
