This number changes monthly, so it's best to point you in the direction of the City of Richardson's Human Resources page. Please click here to be directed to our available full-time openings and click here to be directed to our available part-time openings!

Click here to learn more about the requirements for the position of Police Officer!

In the pursuit of the ideal candidate, the Richardson Police Department does not publicly disclose its disqualifications. Areas that are investigated during the hiring process include, but are not limited to: credit history, criminal activity and history, driving history, drug usage, employment history, and personal relationships. There are very few automatic causes for rejection. Even issues of prior misconduct, employee terminations, and arrests are usually not, in and of themselves, automatically disqualifying. However, deliberate misstatements or omissions can, and often will, result in your application being rejected, regardless of the nature or reason for the misstatements/omissions. In fact, the number one reason individuals “fail” the background investigation is because they deliberately withhold or misrepresent job-relevant information from their prospective employer. If you have any questions regarding an area mentioned above, call and speak with a recruiter at 972-744-4845.

Our agency is comfortably in the middle zone: not so big that you're just a number, and not so small that there's nothing to do. We currently have 173 full-time sworn officer positions.

We are currently accepting applications for the position of Police Officer (with or without experience). The next Civil Service test date will be on Saturday, August 24, 2024. To apply to test for this date, start by completing an online application by clicking here! Future testing groups will be for recruits attending our academy classes starting February 10, 2024, as well as for lateral transfers who may not need the full academy.

We value your previous experience, and we believe you should be compensated as such. The positions of Police Officer, Dispatcher, and Detention Officer each have a lateral entry program for relevant experience. The requirements for lateral entry vary depending on the position, so please click a link below for more information! In addition, you may be eligible for a hiring incentive!

Applicants who fail to complete either of these steps satisfactorily are temporarily rejected from the hiring process, and may reapply six months after they tested.

The Civil Service Exam consists of 100 questions focused on Observation and Memory, Written Communication, Reading Comprehension, and Analytical Ability.

Click here to learn more about eligibility for our Lateral Entry Program for Police Officers.

The Richardson Police Department takes a very open approach to tattoos on employees, and we embrace those with tattoos! There are, of course some limits, however: Employees are prohibited from displaying tattoos on any part of the hands, neck, face, head, eyelids, mouth, and ears with the following exceptions: One tattoo of a wedding band on a ring finger Permanent facial make-up on the eyebrows, eyeliner, or lips that is conservative During pre-employment screening, applicants will provide information on all their tattoos, body art and/or brands. The Chief of Police or designee will make the final determination, in accordance with department policy, as to whether an applicant's tattoo, body art or brand complies with this policy.

Most positions require you to be at least 18 years of age at the time of the application. For the position of Police Officer, the applicant must be at least 20.5 year of age at the time of application.

There are many, many law enforcement agencies in the State of Texas, and each one in our region (the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex) is competitive. Each agency is unique in the culture and values that it promotes, and you might feel challenged or encouraged to grow at one agency over another. Those who have applied for the Position of Police Officer and have successfully submitted their Personal History Statement (PHS) will be afforded the opportunity to do a ride-along with a shift of their choice. An e-mail with this information will be sent to you after receipt of your PHS.

Initial testing for the position of Police officer consists of two parts: the written Civil Service exam, and the physical fitness assessment. Civil Service Exam: The Civil Service exam is designed to assess aptitude in Reading Ability, Mathematical Reasoning, Writing Ability, Reasoning Ability, and Human Relations. Applicants are highly encouraged to prepare themselves for the Civil Service exam. The test contains 100 questions, in which the applicant has two hours to complete. To purchase a Candidate Orientation Guide for Written Testing, click here! Physical Fitness Assessment: The Richardson Police Department utilizes the Texas Department of Public Safety Concept 2 Rower test. To successfully pass the Concept 2 Rower test, an applicant is required to complete the 2,000 meter row and achieve a minimum score of 60%, with the damper set to "5". The passing score is determined based on your gender, age, and weight. To learn more about how you can better prepare yourself for this test, click here! Applicant Workshop: The Richardson Police Department periodically hosts an Applicant Workshop that will cover tips and tricks for the written civil service test, proper row technique and practice workouts you can do on your own to prepare, as well as common pitfalls in the hiring process. Applicants who successfully apply will receive an invite to an applicant workshop when one has been scheduled. We want to see you succeed, and we’re looking forward to seeing you!

Each officer is issued a sidearm, rifle, taser, body worn camera, ballistic vest, all duty gear (with the exception of a flashlight), and all uniforms (with the exception of boots).

For Police Officer positions, the process is dependent on the availability of the applicant and the promptness with which they provide required documentation, but typically less than six months. For civilian positions, to include Dispatch and Detention Officers, the process typically takes less time.

Applicants with prior law enforcement experience may be eligible for lateral entry. Lateral entry eligibility is based on law enforcement experience prior to the date of employment with the City of Richardson. A TCOLE license is preferred, but not required. At a minimum, Police Officer Applicants for the Lateral Entry Program must: Have worked a minimum of two years continuous law enforcement experience comparable to that of service with the Richardson Police Department. Have a break in service of no more than 12 months prior to the date of application Please note: the Chief of Police will review training and experience on a case-by-case basis to determine eligibility for the Lateral Entry Program. Still have questions? Click the chat button!

The Richardson Municipal Civil Service Program was established by the City Charter. It created principles and procedures to be followed by City Administration and established a merit system for performance management. These rules are intended to provide a working guide for City officials and familiarize City employees with the chief objectives and practices of the City. For some positions, this institutes requirements for hiring, promotion, and disciplinary actions or terminations.

Sworn employees are permitted to grow a moustache within policy, however beards and goatees are not permitted.

Patrol Officers with the Richardson Police Department will be scheduled on a fixed schedule of 12-hour shifts. Officers work either day shift or night shift on one of the following two schedules: Shift 1: Working Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and every other Saturday. On weeks where the Officer works Saturday, one of their shifts is only 8 hours. Shift 2: Working Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and every other Saturday. On weeks where the Officer works Saturday, one of their shifts is only 8 hours. Patrol Officers bid for their working days twice per calendar year. Shift bids are done in order of performance evaluation and then seniority.

Thank you for your service! Applicants should look to apply within 4 to 6 months before their discharge from active service date. Those who plan to take terminal leave prior to their discharge date should still apply within the same time frame, although they may be eligible to start earlier.