Police Officer-Lateral (New Contract)

Salary & Benefits:

• Starting salary $70,000
• 5 year non corporal lateral opportunity at $85,000 for full-time law enforcement experience in another community
• 2025 Top Base Salary $91,000 ($43.75/HR)
• 2026 Top Base Salary $93,730 ($45.06/HR)
• 2027 Top Base Salary $95,604 ($45.96/HR)
• Defined Benefit Pension:  2.25% multiplier at base wages plus 240 bank time hours
• Optional participation in a 457 plan
• MERS Retirement Health Savings Plan: 2% City match
• Paid holidays, vacation days, sick time, sick leave bonus, cleaning bonus and compensated bank time
• Medical, Prescription plan, dental, and vision benefits
• Residency Bonus $500/yr
• Annual Education Bonus:  $250 Associates, $500 Bachelors, $1000 Masters
• $50,000 Life Insurance Benefit
• $100 weekly Short Term Disability Benefit
• Paid Shift Differential/Midnight premium $0.65/hr.
• Selective Traffic Enforcement Detail
• 12 Hour Shifts/every other weekend off
• 3% base wage increase-January of 2026
• 2% base wage increase-January of 2027

Department Opportunities:

• Field Training Officer Bonus Pay
• K9 Officer Bonus Pay
• Investigations Bureau
• Traffic Enforcement Bureau
• Accident Investigator
• Drone Pilot Unit
• Firearms/Taser Instructor
• Downriver SWAT
• Crisis Negotiations Team
• Special Operations
• Task Force Officer (DEA, HIS, MNET)

Essential Job Functions Police Officer:

• Affect an arrest, forcibly if necessary, using handcuffs and other restraints.
• Climb over obstacles; climb through openings; jump down from elevated surfaces; jump over obstacles, ditches and streams; and crawl in confined areas to pursue, search, investigate and/or rescue.
• Communicate effectively over law enforcement radio channels while initiating and responding to radio communications, often under adverse conditions.
• Communicate verbally and effectively by listening to people and by giving information, directions and commands.
• Conduct searches of buildings and large outdoor areas which may involve walking and/or standing for long periods of time and which requires the ability to distinguish color and perceive shapes.
• Conduct visual and audio monitoring of jail for extended periods of time.
• Enter and exit vehicles quickly to perform rescue operations, pursue a suspect or answer an emergency call.
• Exercise independent judgment within legal guidelines, to determine when there is reasonable suspicion to detain, when probable cause exists to search and arrest and when force may be used and to what degree.
• Gather information in criminal investigations by interviewing and obtaining the statements of victims, witnesses, suspects and confidential informants.
• Load, unload, aim and fire handguns, shotguns and other agency fire arms from a variety of body positions in situations that justify the use of deadly force while maintaining emotional control under extreme stress.
• Manage interpersonal conflicts to maintain order.
• Operate an emergency vehicle during both the day and night; while exercising due care and caution in congested traffic and in unsafe road conditions and environmental conditions such as fog, smoke, rain, ice and snow.
• Perform law enforcement functions while working rotating shifts and unanticipated overtime.
• Perform tasks which require lifting, carrying, or dragging people or heavy objects while performing limited law enforcement functions.
• Perform searches of persons which involve touching and feeling to detect potential weapons and contraband.
• Pursue fleeing suspects on foot both day and night in unfamiliar terrain.
• Prepare investigative and other reports, including sketches, using appropriate grammar, symbols and mathematical computations.
• Read and comprehend rules, regulations, policies, procedures and the law for purposes of ensuring appropriate employee behavior/response and performing activities involving the public.
• Subdue resisting subjects using hands and feet while employing defensive tactics maneuvers of approved nonlethal weapons.
• Use body force to gain entrance through barriers to search, seize, investigate and/or rescue.
• Perform other essential tasks as identified by the MCOLES Job-task analysis.

Preliminary Requirements:

• U.S. Citizen
• Age at least 21 years
• High School graduate or equivalent (G. E. D.)
• Minimum of 60 college credit hours completed unless candidate is currently a certified police officer or active military or military with honorable discharge
• Completion of Police Academy
• A valid driver’s license
• Good moral character - traffic and criminal records will be examined
• No Felony Convictions
• Be certified or certifiable as a police officer in the State of Michigan (i.e., a graduate of Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) certified academy); or certifiable within the first year of the eligibility list.
• Must have a current passing test score (at least 70%) on record with Empco.
• Physically and mentally able, with or without reasonable accommodation, to perform all the established duties and responsibilities related to the position
• Ability to pass a fingerprint, background check, and psychological exam and any other investigation deemed necessary by the Police and Fire Civil Service Commission
• Ability to successfully complete the basic training curriculum as determined by the Taylor police department

Application Process:

In early 1954, the voters of the Township of Taylor adopted Act No. 78 of the Public Acts of 1935, as amended, of the State of Michigan. This Act provides for a Civil Service Commission for the fire and police departments, to be administered by three commissioners.

The Act lays out certain definite requirements as to age, educational standards, etc., for applicants to the fire and police departments. It also gives the Commission the authority to augment these provisions by making Rules and Regulations in conformance with the limitations of the Act.

Following is an outline of the procedure used by the Commission in processing new applications:

Oral Examination:
A score of 100% is possible, based on this interview.  An applicant must earn at least 70% on the oral examination.  Those who have a combined total score of 70% will then be placed on an eligibility list according to score (highest score first). A physical examination and psychological evaluation will be scheduled if a job is offered.

Eligibility List:
The names of those applicants who pass all requirements will be placed on an eligibility list with the highest test score first. This list will be in effect for a two-year period unless all names are exhausted before that time. Being on the list certifies that you are eligible for hire, provided you pass additional requirements at the time of hire. The Commission establishes the list. The Appointing Authority (Mayor) is responsible for hiring from the list at his discretion but must choose from the top five names.

Failure to appear for appointments, to submit the required documents, or to pass any requirements, will be basis for rejection at any point.