Police Officer

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1. TCOLE Certified Applicant

You may or may not have served as a police officer before. You likely finished training at a police academy and if we have an immediate opening, you will be hired as a full time officer trainee and will be patrolling the streets upon successful completion of the Field Training Program.   

2. Non-TCOLE Certified Applicant 

You haven't served as a Texas peace officer before.  We will conditionally hire you and put you through a police academy.  Upon successful completion of that academy, you will start the FTO program where you will receive on the job training for a minimum of three months.  Then you will hit the streets and serve the Horizon City community.  

We now accept applications (certified and non-certified) for police officer at anytime during the year. Applications are kept on file for one year, and applicants are called upon based on our staffing needs.  

Salary is based on the collective bargaining agreement. 

The department recruiter is Lieutenant Kaycee Valdez. She can be contacted via email kvaldez@horizoncity.org or by telephone 915-852-1047 ext. 310.

How often does HCPD hire certified applicants?

The HCPD hires certified 2-4 times a year. 

How often does HCPD hire non-certified applicants? 

Non Certified applicants are hired approximately once per year. 

OFFICER HIRING PROCESS**

1.  Download and compete the application at the bottom of this page. Please print and complete fully. Turn in at HCPD headquarters.  (exceptions made for out of region applicants)

2.  Physical Fitness Examination is comprised of a 1.5 mile run, sit-ups and a pushups test.  Standards for each test are shown below. (Non Certified candidates will be subject to additional physical fitness agility standards as set by respective academy)

3.  Written Examination, consists of four sections: Mathematics, Reading Comprehension, Grammar, and Incident Report Writing.  To pass the written test, an average minimum score of 70% is required.

4.  Oral Board Interview will follow the above tests.  Communication skills, presentation, and content will be assessed at that time by an interview panel.

5.  Background Investigation will be conducted by department investigators, in order to determine an applicant’s history and fitness for duty.  This will include a Criminal History check and a NCIC/TCIC fingerprint check. Driving record must satisfy minimum requirements. All requested information must be submitted.  Military service must be confirmed by a copy of the applicant’s form DD214.  Applicants are encouraged to review the Minimum Requirements in order to alleviate any disqualification later in the process.

6.  Psychological Examination (MMPI), a state mandated examination must be successfully completed by all selected applicants.

7.  Medical Examination with Drug Screen is necessary in order to determine fitness for duty, lack of drug use, and ensure compliance city policy and state law.

Once all of these steps are successfully completed, an applicant may be hired by the Horizon City Police Department. These steps may seem intimidating; however, it is important to understand that the position of Police Officer brings with it a monumental level of responsibility.  Selecting the very best candidate for the position of Police Officer for the Town of Horizon City is something that we do not take lightly.  You are welcome to advise us of your interest in our department.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS

An applicant who will become an officer is required to be in acceptable physical and mental condition to perform his/her duties under physically demanding conditions.  The following specific requirements must be met and maintained throughout the entire selection process:

• Applicant must hold or be eligible to earn TCOLE peace officer license. 
• Applicant is a citizen of the United States and a resident of Texas or intends to become a resident upon being employed;
• Applicant is not by reason of conscience or belief opposed to the use of force, when necessary to fulfill that person's duties.
• Applicant is a high school graduate with a diploma, or possesses a GED equivalency certificate.
• Applicant is at least 21 years of age at time off appointment.
• Have uncorrected vision of not less than 20/100 in both eyes, corrected to 20/20, and color vision consistent with the Occupational demands of law enforcement;
• Has color vision consistent with the occupational demands of law enforcement
• Have normal hearing in each ear (hearing aids are acceptable if a candidate can demonstrate sufficient hearing proficiency to perform all necessary duties of a law enforcement officer)
• Is examined by a licensed physician or surgeon and meets the physical requirements necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of a law enforcement officer in Texas.

Medical Conditions not specified will be evaluated by the department's physician whose decision will be final.

DRIVING RECORD

Applicant must have a valid driver's license issued by the state of Texas.  A good driving record is required of an applicant.  It is indicative of the applicant's respect for traffic laws and other characteristics such as good judgment, physical and mental coordination, and respect for others.

An applicant will not be considered for employment if he or she has been convicted of the following:

• Alcohol/drug related driving offenses (including deferred judgment and deferred sentence) within the past ten years
• Failure to stop and render aid
• Perjury or making false statements during driver licensing procedures from any state.
  

An applicant will not be considered for employment at this time if: 

• Driving privileges have been suspended, canceled or revoked in the three (3) years prior to the application deadline date.
• Convicted of five (5) moving violations in the three (3) years prior to the application deadline date.

GOOD MORAL CHARACTER

Candidate must be of good moral character as determined by a thorough background investigation including a fingerprint search conducted of local, state and national fingerprint files and has not been convicted of a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude.  Moral turpitude is defined as an act of baseness, vileness, or depravity in the private and social duties which a person owes to another person or to society in general, contrary to the accepted and customary rule of right and duty between person and person.  It is conduct that is contrary to justice, honesty or good morals.  The following nonexclusive list of acts has been held by the courts to involve moral turpitude:  income tax evasion, perjury, or its subornation, theft, indecent exposure, sex crimes, conspiracy to commit a crime, defrauding the government and illegal drug sales.  Various factors, however, may cause an offense which is generally not regarded as constituting moral turpitude to be regarded as such.  The offenses of assault, family violence, or other offenses of domestic violence, stalking, and any offense in which a weapon was used in the commission are crimes involving moral turpitude.  No applicant will be considered if convicted of a family violence offense.  Family violence means “any offense whether or not explicitly described in statute as a crime of domestic violence, which has, as its factual basis, the use or attempted use of physical force, or the threatened use of a deadly weapon, committed by the victim’s current or former domestic partner or guardian.”  18 U.S.C. 922(g)(9).  Convicted means and excludes from consideration for employment anyone whose conviction has been deferred, expunged, set aside, or who received a pardon.   The character of a 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:

1. Has not ever been on court-ordered community supervision or probation for any criminal offense above the grade of Class B misdemeanor or a Class B misdemeanor within the last ten years from the date of the court order.
2. Conviction or commission of a felony or Class B misdemeanor, as defined by Texas law will     disqualify an applicant.  Conviction or commission of any other public offense will be evaluated.
3. A consistent pattern of unexplained failures to meet debt obligations will be evaluated.
4. An applicant who gives false or misleading information to the Department on the application or during the application process will be disqualified.
5. History of excessive use of alcohol will disqualify an applicant.
6. Unlawful sale of ANY drug(s) will disqualify an applicant.
7. Drug use: Illegal drug use is determined on a case by case basis. Factors considered are types of drugs used, recency of drug usage, the total number of usages, and applicant’s age of last drug usage. If you have any questions regarding prior drug usage, call and speak with a recruiter.
   

Other conduct not specified will be evaluated. 

PHYSICAL AGILITY STANDARDS

1.5 Mile Run

Male (All Age Groups) 17:00 minutes

Female (All Age Groups)  17:00 minutes

SIT UP STANDARDS

Male (All Age Groups)  25 sit ups

Female/ Modified (All Age Groups)  25 sit ups

PUSH UP STANDARDS

Male (All Age Groups) 25 push ups

Female/ Modified (All Age Groups) 25 push ups

PEACE OFFICER CERTIFICATION

Applicant must hold or be eligible to earn TCOLE peace officer license.

For more information on Texas Commission on Law Enforcement  Click Here  

For information on the El Paso Community College Law Enforcement Training Academy (EPCC LETA)  Click Here.