Entry Level Police Officer
City of Bowling Green
Entry Level Police Officer
The City of Bowling Green is accepting applications from August 15th, 2022 through September 15th, 2022 for the classification of Police Officer. The City is testing to fill multiple vacancies in 2022/2023.
Please note education/experience and age requirements have been modified
Education/Experience Requirements: Positions are open to candidates who possess:
- Post-Secondary Education: At minimum have earned an associate degree or completed either 64 semester hours or 96 quarter hours towards a bachelor's degree from an accredited university. Verification of a post-secondary degree and/or required credit hours must be submitted at the time of application.; or
- Current Ohio Peace Officer Training Council Certification. A copy of the OPOTA Certification must be submitted at the time of application.; or
- Current enrollment in Ohio Peace Officer Training Council Training: A copy of the OPOTA training enrollment must be submitted at the time of application, and successful completion of training must occur within 3-months following hire/appointment to the position of Police Officer. The City will not pay for any portion of this training.; or
- Recent Military Service: Candidate must have been honorably discharged with two (2) or more years of active-duty military service within the 24-month period immediately prior to applying for this test/position. A candidate's Form DD 214 documenting an honorable discharge during the required timeframe must be submitted at the time of application.
Age: In accordance with Section 33.08 of the Bowling Green municipal ordinance (BGMO), no person shall be eligible to receive an original appointment as a police officer in the Bowling Green, Ohio Police Division, unless the person has reached the age of twenty-one (21). Furthermore, no person shall be eligible to receive an original appointment as a police officer in the Bowling Green, Ohio Police Division on or after the person's forty-first (41st) birthday. (The age restriction is permitted by the Public Safety Exemption to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (29 U.S. Code 623 (j)).
US Citizen: Must be eligible to work in the United States of America
Valid Driver's License: Must possess a valid Ohio Driver' License
Salary Information: Starting base hourly rate is $29.94, as outlined in the OPBA union contract. Officers also have additional opportunities for regular and contract overtime. Pursuant to the current union contract, officers hired with prior experience may, at the City's discretion, be place anywhere within the appropriate pay grade.
Application Process
National Testing Network (NTN): Applicant testing and Personal History Questionnaire through the National Testing Network (NTN) must be completed by 4:30 p.m. on September 15, 2022: All candidates must complete and pass the NTN law enforcement tests (video, writing, and reading). Candidates who have tested with the NTN during the prior year will need to apply their scores to Bowling Green's current posting to be considered. NTN scores must be valid (not expired) on application deadline of September 15th, 2022. The weighted passing test score is 70, but ALL sections of the NTN written examination must be passed. (Veteran's Credit will not be added to a failing score.) Any cost (time or money) for taking the NTN exam is the responsibility of the candidate.
Candidates must complete the Public Safety Self-Assessment (PSSA) and the NTN Personal History Questionnaire (PHQ) which can be accessed through the candidate's NTN account. The PHQ must be completed by September 15th, 2022 or you will not be considered further in the process. The National Testing Network is a service provided to conduct entry-level testing in a standardized, professional environment. NTN does not replace the City of Bowling Green's responsibility and decision-making in the testing and hiring process. All candidate results are provided to the City where the final hiring decisions are made.
To register with NTN and schedule a test, go to www.nationaltestingnetwork.com, select 'Finding Jobs', select Law Enforcement Jobs, and sign up for the Bowling Green Police Division under the State of Ohio tab. Please access the NTN website for additional information and system requirements. When you visit the www.nationaltestingnetwork.com website:
- Complete the NTN registration process and schedule your test.
- Review all information related to the City of Bowling Green Entry-Level Police Officer position, including minimum requirements, age requirements, veteran's credit, currently certified officers, salary and benefits.
- Review detailed information about the testing process.
- Review the Frequently Asked Questions and take an online practice test (if desired).
Upon completion of your scheduled exam, scores are automatically available to the City of Bowling Green's Department of Human Resources. The city will contact candidates who have passed all portions of the NTN examination and attained a weighted score of at least 70 and will schedule them for the physical ability test.
City of Bowling Green Application for Employment: All candidates must complete a City of Bowling Green Employment Application that is available at https://www.bgohio.org/Jobs.aspx or in the Department of Human Resources located at 304 N. Church St., Bowling Green, OH 43402. City application materials may be returned by email to humanresources@bgohio.org, by fax to (419) 352-1262 or by US Mail or hand-delivery to the address above. Phone: (419) 354-6200. Website: www.bgohio.org. Resumes alone are unacceptable. Deadline to apply is 4:30 p.m. September 15th, 2022.
Physical Ability Test: All candidates, who pass the NTN written exam (pass all sections of the examination and achieve a weighted score of 70), will be invited to take the mandatory physical ability test at a date to be determined by the City of Bowling Green Police Administration. The components of the test are outlined in the Ohio Attorney General guidelines to becoming a police officer available online at https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/How-to-Become-a-Peace-Officer-in-Ohio. Candidates can also obtain a copy of these components from the Department of Human Resources. Candidates must pass the entrance standards, which are identified in the "Start" column in the above-mentioned document (i.e. 32 sit-ups and 19 pushups in one minute based on age and gender) in order to be considered further in the hiring process. Veteran's Credit: Section 7.01 of the City's Charter provides for an additional credit of 10% of a passing test score for honorably discharged veterans. A candidate's DD form 214 documenting an honorable discharge must be submitted at the time of application in order to be eligible for the veteran's credit. Veteran's credit will NOT be added to a failing written examination score.
Agency Information: Please visit Bowling Green Police Division's webpage at http://www.bowlinggreenpolice.org for detailed information about our division. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
Benefit Information: The City of Bowling Green offers a comprehensive benefit package, including medical/prescription/dental insurance coverage, life insurance, and participation in the Ohio Police & Fire Pension Fund. Additionally, the Bowling Green Police Division offers paid holidays, sick leave accrual, vacation accrual and paid job-related training opportunities. Leave policies are flexible and accrual rates are very competitive. The current collective bargaining agreement is available online at https://www.bgohio.org/DocumentCenter/View/314/Bowling-Green-Police-Patrolmans-Association-OPBA-PDF. Employees also have the opportunity to participate in the Ohio Deferred Compensation (457b) plan which is a voluntary governmental retirement plan that allows employees to increase retirement savings through pre-tax salary deferral.
Hiring Process
Section 7.01 of the City's Charter: When a vacancy occurs in the entry level position of the Police Division to be filled by appointment, the Civil Service Commission shall certify to the appointing authority the names of the five (5) persons standing highest on the eligibility list for such position. The appointing officer shall appoint one of such persons to such position. Candidates who attain a passing score (pass all sections of the examination and achieve a weighted examination score of at least 70) on the NTN entry-level written exam and who also pass the physical ability test will be placed on the City of Bowling Green's eligibility list based on their written test score and the addition of any veteran's credit to which they are entitled.