Public Safety Officer (Pso) - *Certified Process Only* (67A)

Public Safety Officers (PSOs) protect and serve the communityby responding to calls for service involving police, fire, and medical emergencies in a professional and caring manner, to enhance the quality of life for all people in the City of Kalamazoo. KDPS offers a meaningful career that promotes balance between life and career and has opportunities for professional development and advancement through promotion.

Seeking a career that leaves room for life? KDPS has a schedule for you.
Balance Life and Career- PSOs work 14 days in a 28-day rotation. Our unique schedule encourages a healthy balance between life and career with ample time off to reset. During a 28- day rotation, PSOs have 14 regularly scheduled days off. Workdays vary during a 28-day rotation, creating two weekends off every month and a run of seven days off in a row, starting on a Friday. This stretch of days commonly referred to as the 7-day allows PSOs to reset, take a trip, or complete a project every month.

Have a special skill or interest? KDPS has a specialty assignment for you.
Professional Development - From the date of hire, Recruits are paid full time, hourly wages to attend all basic training including the Police Academy, Fire Academy, MFR Academy, Advanced Police Academy, and Field Training Officer Program. All tuition, fees, uniforms, and equipment are provided/paid for by KDPS. Additional training for future assignments is also provided from KDPS staff and outside vendors.
Future opportunities can include one or more the following thirty plus professional growth tracks: Armorer, ATF Task Force Officer, Aviation Unit, Bike Response Unit, Bomb Squad, Certified Fire Inspector, Crisis Intervention Team, Crisis Negotiator, Critical Incident Stress Management Team, Community Police Officer, Crime Reduction Team, Crowd Management Team, DEA Task Force Officer, Defensive Tactics Instructor, Detective, Engine Operator, Field Training Officer, Fire Marshal, Hazmat Team, Honor Guard, Inspector, K9 Team, KVET (Drug) Investigator, Lab Specialist/Technician, Motorcycle Unit, Peer Fitness Trainer, Peer Support Team, Pipe and Drum Unit, Polygraph Examiner, Range Instructor, Recruiter, SCBA Repair Technician, SWAT Team, Taser Instructor, Training Officer, Traffic Unit, and Technical Rescue Team.
Desire to be a leader? KDPS has a leadership role for you.
Career Advancement - With an authorized strength of 268 sworn PSOs, KDPS has several open positions. PSOs can advance through the ranks to include Sergeant, Lieutenant, Executive Lieutenant, Captain, Assistant Chief, Deputy Chief, and Chief. KDPS provides training at each level to enhance PSOs leadership abilities.
Starting wages listed below are effective January 1, 2024. Starting wages will vary depending on training and experience.
Experienced Police Officers (full or part time/MCOLES certified or able to be certified through RPTE program) and/or Fire Fighter I & II(full time and licensed MFR):
$56,565.60 (less than 1 year of service)
$59,841.60 (1 year to less than 2 years of service)
$62,615.28 (2 years to less than 3 years of service)
$65,388.96 (3 years or more of completed service)
**As of 1/1/2024, Public Safety Officer top pay is $84,171.36.

Paid to Train - Recruits who need additional training to become Public Safety Officers are paid hourly wages to attend training. Additionally, all training costs, tuitions, and fees are paid by KDPS.
Public Act 88 qualified
Residency Bonus - Must live within City Limits ($5000/yr); Restrictions apply.

Spanish Language Bonus is available upon successfully completing probation and passing an exam.
Military Personnel May Use On-the-Job Training Benefits while attending the Police Academy, Fire Academy, MFR Academy, Advanced Police Academy, and Field Training. Additionally, Military Personnel may buy back up to 3 years of service toward a full pension.
Student Loan Forgiveness Program recognizes KDPS as an eligible employer.

To learn more about KDPS and to view our Annual Report, visit our website at:
https://kalamazoopublicsafety.org/
To learn more about the KPSOA Labor Agreement, visit https://www.kalamazoocity.org/Home
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Public Safety Officers perform a wide range of duties specifically related to providing police, fire, and medical services to the City of Kalamazoo. Some of the duties are listed below. However, the list is not exhaustive of every duty that a Public Safety Officer may be required to perform.
Collaborates with the community to solve problems and build trust.
Responds to calls for service that require a police, fire, or medical trained professional. Many calls for service involve high risk situations and mental health crisis events.
Police - Patrols an assigned zone, responds to calls for service including high risk situations, enforces traffic laws by issuing citations, conducts criminal investigations, and makes lawful arrests.
Fire - Responds to working fires, investigates fire alarms, gas, and smoke, provides vehicle extrication, traffic control during vehicle crash investigations, and mitigates hazardous material incidents.
Medical - Responds to medical calls for service including heart attacks and trauma, assists advanced life support services in rendering medical care, renders CPR and other life saving medical interventions as needed, and monitors patient status during the course of care.
Performs any other duty assigned by command or required by policy to further the organizational needs of KDPS. Applicants must be at least 21 by the date of hire, possess Character Fitness (good moral character), a valid driver's license and pass each step in the KDPS hiring process.
The KDPS hiring process includes:
Initial Application/Questionnaire
Written Exam
1st Interview
Conditional Offer (pending successful completion of the below steps)
Background Investigation
KDPS Fire Agility Test (for Certified Police Officers) - or -
KDPS Agility Test (for Certified Full Time FFI/II & MFR licensed)
Chiefs' Interview
Psychological/Medical/Drug screening
Applicants must qualify for and be able to obtain all basic academy training certifications including Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards, the Fire Fighters Training Council, and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Applicants must qualify for and maintain licensure with the governing body for each discipline Police (MCOLES), Fire (Bureau of Fire Services), and EMS (Michigan Department of Health and Human Services). Minimum of High School Diploma; Associate or higher preferred, or any combination of education, training, and experience which provides the essential knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the functions of the job.
The City of Kalamazoo is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive organization where different perspectives and experiences are welcomed and encouraged. Studies have shown that women and people of color, are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet all of the qualifications listed. The City of Kalamazoo is most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one from a less traditional background. If you have transferable experience, please tell us about it. This approach will give each current and potential employee the opportunity to learn, grow and contribute to the City of Kalamazoo.Employment Type: Full-time