Lateral Police Officer

Peoria, AZ
Peoria Police Department

If you’re looking to serve an incredibly supportive community, ranked the #1 City to live, work, and play in Arizona and enjoy 300 days of sunshine a year, visit our Recruitment Team when they are in California!

  • Interviews may be completed online then one trip, over approximately four days, would be required to complete the hiring process! Start dates are available as soon as October!
  • If 300 days of sunshine isn’t enough to sell you on making the move, maybe one of the following reasons to live and work in Peoria may interest you!
  • Peoria is the Spring Training home to the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners. You can be paid to watch your beloved baseball teams play at the Peoria Sports Complex!
  • Lateral Officers are not required to attend the academy to become certified in Arizona! Time will be provided on-duty to study to take the waiver test to become certified.
  • Starting pay is based on years for service and is calculated year for year.
  • The Department is supported by not just the community, but also by its Command Staff and City Council!
  • The Peoria Police Department is authorized 234 sworn officers and 112 civilian employees.
  • The Department offers numerous specialty positions to include motors, K-9, SRO, PIO, TLO, training officer, Special Assignments Unit (SWAT and CNT) and the following detective units – vehicle crimes, major felony crimes, street crimes, special victims, child crimes, property crimes, and fraud and forgery. As a lateral, you would be eligible to test for these specialties after your year probation!
  • Promotional opportunities and testing are typically available on a yearly basis.
  • The Department has a strong Wellness and Critical Incident Stress Management program to support all our employees.
  • There are Overtime and Off Duty work opportunities to increase your yearly salary. The average hourly pay for these opportunities is approximately $60 per hour.
  • There are no residency requirements to live within the City of Peoria.
  • Peoria, Arizona is located about 30 minutes northwest of downtown Phoenix and is a rapidly growing, modern city that offers a high quality of living in the natural beauty of the Sonoran Desert.
  • The City is approximately 179 square miles, has a population of 191,000 residents, and has over 70 acres of parks including 36 neighborhood parks and three large community parks and is home to Lake Pleasant Regional Park. The 23,000-acre park is home to two marinas and is a popular spot for boating, fishing, water skiing, kayaking, camping, and even scuba diving!
  • The Peoria Unified School District is in the top 10 Best Districts in Arizona and is the #2 Best District for athletes in Arizona!

To learn even more about the City, Department, or hiring process visit www.peoriaaz.gov/policejobs or contact the Recruitment and Training Manager Heather Morrell at heather.morrell@peoriaaz.gov or 623-773-8056.

City Facts:

  • Population: 191,000 (2020 Census)
  • Incorporated: June 7, 1954
  • Size: approximately 180.5 square miles (467 km2)

Awards & Accolades:

  • Top 20 Boomtowns in America – 2022 Edition (SmartAsset, 2022)
  • No. 1 Master-planned community in Arizona – Vistancia (Ranking Arizona, 2022)
  • No. 2 Best places to live in Arizona (Ranking Arizona), 2022)
  • No. 1 private golf course in Arizona – Blackstone Country Club at Vistancia (Ranking Arizona, 2022)
  • No. 1 city to live, work and play in Arizona (Ranking Arizona, 2021)
  • No. 7 for most open spaces (Rent.com, 2020)
  • 6th Wealthiest ZIP codes in the Valley (Phoenix Business Journal, 2020)
  • Top 20 cities for staycations (Wallethub, 2020)
  • Top 50 Happiest cities in America (Wallethub, 2019)
  • Top 15 Safest Cities in the U.S. (Wallethub, 2019 and 2017)
  • Top 100 Golf Courses – Quintero Golf Club (Golf Digest, 2019 and 2017)
  • 38th Healthiest Cities in the U.S., one of two Arizona cities in the top 40 (Wallethub, 2019)
  • 12th city for green space in the U.S. (2019)
  • 13th Wealthiest ZIP codes in the Valley (Phoenix Business Journal, 2019)
  • Top 10 Unique Destinations (USA Today, 2019)
  • 22nd Safest City in the U.S., one of four in Arizona in the top 25 (Phoenix Business Journal, 2018)
  • 50 Hottest Hoods in the Valley (Phoenix Business Journal, 2018)
  • 4th Best Place to Get a Job (Wallethub, 2018)
  • No. 1 best city to live in Arizona and the 29th in the country (Money Magazine, 2018)
  • 9th Least Stressed City in the country (Wallethub, 2017)
  • 10th Best City to Raise a Family (Wallethub, 2017)
  • Best winter destination in the U.S. (Expedia, 2017)
  • No. 1 city with booming employment growth (CNBC, 2017)
  • The Village at Vistancia was ranked the No. 1 master-planned community in Arizona (2013-2017)
  • Top 25 Best Places to Retire (Forbes, 2017)
  • Peoria Sports Complex was named the Best Place to Watch a Spring Training Game (Phoenix New Times, 2017)
  • Top 10 places for pizza in the U.S. (SmartAsset, 2017)
  • Top 5 disability-friendly cities in the U.S. (Wallethub, 2016)
  • No. 2 in Arizona for recycling (AZCentral, 2015)