How to hire a campus police officer

How to hire a campus police officer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step campus police officer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a campus police officer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new campus police officer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a campus police officer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your campus police officer job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a campus police officer for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A campus police officer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, campus police officers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents campus police officer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Campus Police Officer	Description	Hourly rate
   Campus Police Officer	Police officers protect lives and property. Detectives and criminal investigators, who are sometimes called agents or special agents, gather facts and collect evidence of possible crimes.	$14-23
   Deputy Sheriff	A deputy sheriff is a law enforcement officer who serves the public by preventing and intervening crimes at a particular county, including multiple small towns and several larger cities. Deputy Sheriffs are first responders to emergencies such as criminal activities, vehicle accidents, weather incidents, and medical emergencies... Show more	$16-33
   Police Cadet	Police cadets require multiple police department-relevant skills in traffic control, police reports, public safety, and special events. Those who choose this career will be responsible for participating in training programs that will introduce them to the fundamentals of law enforcement and prepare them for becoming police officers, supporting police operations like traffic control, working on criminal investigation, and performing administrative duties at the station.	$11-22

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patrol
   • Public Safety
   • Motor Vehicle
   • Criminal Justice
   • CPR
   • Emergency Calls
   • Emergency Situations
   • Safety Regulations
   • Law Enforcement Agencies
   • Safety Hazards
   • Emergency Response
   • Field Training
   • Federal Laws
   • Incident Reports

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Respond to criminal complaints and investigations occurring on university properties as well as conducted regular patrol of university campus.
   • Patrol campus property and immediately adjacent property by foot and vehicle.
   • Review civilian complaints; conduct comprehensive interviews and disciplinary hearings; recommend and implement disciplinary action; handle removal of firearms.
   • Operate magnetometers and hand wand to prevent any unauthorize weapons into the facility.

   More campus police officer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your campus police officer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A campus police officer can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, campus police officers' average salary in mississippi is 52% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level campus police officers 37% less than senior-level campus police officers.
   • Certifications. A campus police officer with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a campus police officer's salary.

   Average campus police officer salary

   $39,373yearly

   $18.93 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level campus police officer salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average campus police officer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$51,166	$25
   2	Massachusetts	$50,265	$24
   3	District of Columbia	$48,581	$23
   4	Michigan	$47,275	$23
   5	Colorado	$46,625	$22
   6	California	$46,358	$22
   7	New Jersey	$43,261	$21
   8	Maryland	$42,417	$20
   9	Texas	$40,555	$20
   10	Pennsylvania	$40,360	$19
   11	Ohio	$39,452	$19
   12	Missouri	$37,561	$18
   13	Georgia	$35,735	$17
   14	West Virginia	$32,415	$16
   15	Tennessee	$30,600	$15
   16	North Carolina	$30,025	$14
   17	Oklahoma	$29,970	$14

   Average campus police officer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Allan Hancock College	$52,923	$25.44
   2	Merrimack College	$50,170	$24.12	4
   3	Bunker Hill Community College	$48,746	$23.44
   4	Cuesta College	$44,976	$21.62
   5	Georgetown University	$44,960	$21.62	14
   6	Loyola University Maryland	$44,457	$21.37	2
   7	Regis College	$44,090	$21.20	1
   8	Northern Essex Community College	$44,010	$21.16
   9	Portland State University	$43,570	$20.95	1
   10	Kansas City Kansas Community College	$42,195	$20.29
   11	Worcester Polytechnic Institute	$42,103	$20.24	1
   12	State of West Virginia	$42,043	$20.21	78
   13	University of Texas System	$41,993	$20.19	5
   14	Irving Isd	$41,950	$20.17	2
   15	University of Mississippi Medical Center	$41,916	$20.15	5
   16	Tyler Junior College	$41,884	$20.14
   17	University of Pennsylvania	$41,851	$20.12	3
   18	North Shore Community College	$41,687	$20.04
   19	Eastern Washington University	$41,572	$19.99	1
   20	High Point University	$41,558	$19.98	5

4. Writing a campus police officer job description

   A campus police officer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a campus police officer job description:

   Campus police officer job description example

   Hello,
   
   Thank you for your interest in career opportunities with the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Please review the following instructions prior to submitting your job application:
   Provide all of your employment history, education, and licenses/certifications/registrations. You will be unable to modify your application after you have submitted it. You must meet all of the job requirements at the time of submitting the application. You can only apply one time to a job requisition. Once you start the application process you cannot save your work. Please ensure you have all required attachment(s) available to complete your application before you begin the process.Applications must be submitted prior to the close of the recruitment. Once recruitment has closed, applications will no longer be accepted.
   
   After you apply, we will review your qualifications and contact you if your application is among the most highly qualified. Due to the large volume of applications, we are unable to individually respond to all applicants. You may check the status of your application via your Candidate Profile.
   
   Thank you,
   Human Resources
   
   Important Applications Instructions:
   
   Please complete this application in entirety by providing all of your work experience, education and certifications/
   license. You will be unable to edit/add/change your application once it is submitted.
   
   
   Job Category:
   Institutional Services (Non-Faculty Only)
   
   Organization:
   Deputy Chief
   
   Location/s:
   Main Campus Jackson
   
   Job Title:
   Police Officer-Campus Police
   
   Job Summary:
   To patrol an assigned area to enforce laws and ordinances, regulate traffic, protect lives, prevent crimes and safeguard property.
   
   Education & Experience
   High school diploma/GED. Must be 21 years of age. Valid driver's license. Mississippi Board of Law Enforcement Officers Standards and Training Certification or pass a physical fitness test and attend ten (10) week basic police academy training within one (1) year of hire to obtain certification.Certifications, licenses or registration required:
   MS Board on Law Enforcement Standards and Training Certificate within 1 year of hire Valid Driver's License prior to hire Taser Certification Course within 1 year of hire CPR/First Aid Course within 1 year of hire Firearms Training Course within 1 year of hire Patrol Rifle Training Course within 1 year of hire NCIC within 1 year of hire FEMA ICS 100, 200, 700, 800 Courses within 90 days of hire
   Completion of a pre-employment drug screen required
   
   Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
   Ability to speak, read, and write. Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents federal and state regulations, and UMMC rules. Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote security operations for the protection of people, property, and institutions. Verbal and written communication skills. Interpersonal skills to effectively interact with public, patients, staff and other team members. Ability to maintain firearm registration. Ability to maintain physical and personal standards. Ability to make sound judgments and to react calmly in emergency situations.Responsibilities
   Provides public safety by maintaining order, responding to emergencies, protecting people and property, enforcing motor vehicle and criminal laws, and promoting good community relations.Responds to incoming calls regarding criminal activity, fire, automobile accidents and other general emergency requests.Patrols assigned area on foot, bicycle, or automobile; identifies, pursues, and arrests suspects and perpetrators of criminal acts.Records facts to prepare reports that document incidents and activities; testifies in court to present evidence or act as a witness.Administers emergency first-aid treatment such as CPR as necessary; provides escort services to visitors and staff as applicable.Provides special service functions such as assisting individuals experiencing motor vehicle problems.The duties listed are general in nature and are examples of the duties and responsibilities performed and are not meant to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. Management retains the right to add or change duties at any time.
   
   Physical and Environmental DemandsRequires frequent exposure to unpleasant or disagreeable physical environment such as high noise level and exposure to heat and cold, frequent handling or working with potentially dangerous equipment, occasional exposure to biohazardous conditions such as risk of radiation exposure, blood borne pathogens, fumes or airborne particles, and/or toxic or caustic chemicals which mandate attention to safety considerations, occasional working hours significantly beyond regularly scheduled hours, occasional travelling to offsite locations, occasional bending, occasional lifting and carrying up to 75 pounds, occasional climbing, occasional crawling, occasional crouching/stooping, occasional driving, occasional kneeling, occasional pushing/pulling, occasional reaching, occasional sitting, frequent standing, occasional twisting, and frequent walking. (occasional-up to 20%, frequent-from 21% to 50%, constant-51% or more)
   
   Time Type:
   Full time
   
   FLSA Designation/Job Exempt:
   No
   
   Pay Class:
   Hourly
   
   FTE %:
   100
   
   Work Shift:
   
   Benefits Eligibility:
   
   Job Posting Date:
   09/9/2022
   
   Job Closing Date (open until filled if no date specified):

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right campus police officer for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your campus police officer job on Zippia to find and recruit campus police officer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting campus police officers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new campus police officer

   Once you have selected a candidate for the campus police officer position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new campus police officer. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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