How to hire a police sergeant

How to hire a police sergeant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step police sergeant hiring guide:

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

What does a police sergeant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your police sergeant 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 police sergeant 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

   Hiring the perfect police sergeant also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of police sergeant salaries for various roles:

   Type of Police Sergeant	Description	Hourly rate
   Police Sergeant	A Police Sergeant is responsible for supervising patrol officers and agents, as assigned. They oversee and assess the performance of subordinates, such as disciplinary actions, continued training, and counseling.	$23-42
   Chief Of Police	A Chief Of Police is the title typically given to the top official in the chain of command of a police department. They plan, coordinate, supervise, and evaluate police department operations.	$23-57
   Lieutenant	A lieutenant is responsible for overseeing operations in police departments, evaluating departmental cases, cooperating in law enforcement investigations, monitoring internal activities, and ensuring the safety and security of the premises. Lieutenants also enforce rules and regulations for everyone's strict compliance, inspect police department facilities, and identify serious offenses... Show more	$19-26

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patrol
   • Public Safety
   • Emergency Situations
   • Law Enforcement Agencies
   • Field Training
   • CPR
   • Crime Scenes
   • Firearms
   • State Laws
   • Incident Reports
   • Crime Prevention
   • Traffic Control
   • Community Relations
   • Federal Laws

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Plan, manage, develop, implement and revise the training FTO program, as needed.
   • Collaborate with federal and state agencies, including the FBI, DEA, ATF, IRS and SBI.
   • Perform data entry into NCIC system, protection from abuse database, and automate incident memo systems.
   • Provide keen oversight to multiple divisions, including animal control, records, communications, training, and docket detention.
   • Coordinate department's firearms training and qualification programs for officers.
   • Complete advanced firearms, interviewing, interrogation, and supervision training.

   More police sergeant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your police sergeant job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A police sergeant salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a police sergeant in Arkansas may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level police sergeant usually earns less than a senior-level police sergeant. Additionally, a police sergeant with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average police sergeant salary

   $65,562yearly

   $31.52 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level police sergeant salary

   $48,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 11, 2026

   Average police sergeant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$79,806	$38
   2	Nevada	$72,471	$35
   3	Colorado	$68,984	$33
   4	Oregon	$68,886	$33
   5	District of Columbia	$65,722	$32
   6	Iowa	$65,322	$31
   7	Michigan	$64,327	$31
   8	Kansas	$64,090	$31
   9	North Carolina	$60,871	$29
   10	Tennessee	$60,099	$29
   11	Nebraska	$56,526	$27
   12	Texas	$56,155	$27
   13	Indiana	$48,177	$23
   14	Massachusetts	$47,228	$23
   15	Maryland	$46,825	$23
   16	Louisiana	$42,027	$20

   Average police sergeant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Loyola University Maryland	$78,104	$37.55
   2	Mt. San Antonio College	$75,093	$36.10	2
   3	University of California	$73,263	$35.22	23
   4	University of California-Berkeley	$72,502	$34.86
   5	Scotts	$68,483	$32.92
   6	University of Michigan	$66,169	$31.81
   7	Village of Ada	$64,986	$31.24
   8	University of Nebraska at Omaha	$64,747	$31.13	9
   9	State of Connecticut	$64,739	$31.12	19
   10	Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center	$64,608	$31.06
   11	University of Houston	$64,411	$30.97	6
   12	Nash Holdings	$64,356	$30.94	2
   13	State Center Community College	$64,267	$30.90	1
   14	Iowa State University	$64,183	$30.86	4
   15	Central Texas College	$63,949	$30.74
   16	UMass Memorial Health	$63,727	$30.64	4
   17	City of Reno	$63,178	$30.37	2
   18	City of Davenport, Iowa	$63,039	$30.31	5
   19	Georgetown University	$62,467	$30.03	9
   20	University of Tennessee	$62,312	$29.96	6

4. Writing a police sergeant job description

   A police sergeant 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a police sergeant job description:

   Police sergeant job description example

   The City of Boulder is a great place to live, work, grow and play.
   
   With over 300 miles of dedicated bikeways and more than 150 miles of hiking trails, Boulder values active lifestyles and access to nature. Forty-six thousand acres of protected land provide open space for passive recreation, natural environments, and a green belt around the city. With world class restaurants and art and music venues, The City of Boulder values diverse culture.
   
   Respect is one of our five City Values(including Customer Service, Collaboration, Integrity, and Innovation)and we are committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We celebrate and support our differences across all spectrums, including but not limited to ethnicity, gender, age,disability,and sexuality. Through our focus on Racial Equity, ouremployee benefits, and the many programs resources we offer our staff, we continually strive to weave respect for one another into the fabric of our organization.
   
   Add your voice and talents to the City of Boulder and help us grow in service excellence for an inspired future.
   
   OVERALL JOB OBJECTIVE:
   
   Under general supervision of a commander, a sergeant is responsible for ensuring that the general objectives of an assigned functional area are performed in accordance with departmental rules and regulations, city ordinances and policies, as well as state and federal laws. This can be accomplished if the city is provided with well-trained officers; with competent investigators and patrol services; with an efficient police records division and dispatch unit; and with proper police administrative services.
   
   The starting pay for this position is $106,554.35 - $128,288.64annually, commensurate with experience.
   
   This positing is to establish and eligibility list; this list will be active for 1 year from 11/28/2022.
   
   DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
   
   Generally, duties and responsibilities are listed from most to least critical or time consuming.
   
   1. Provides supervision of assigned subordinates. Develops schedules; assigns work; reviews written reports/forms; offers advice and assistance in the performance of duties; shares information; provides orders and instructions; ensures that assigned work is completed in compliance with department rules and regulations and in accordance to the law. Supervises and coordinates the work of officers and/or subordinates. This includes taking responsibility for their subordinate's general conduct, appearance, and discipline; ensures proper procedures are followed and that work is performed in a competent, professional, and timely manner. Enforces departmental and city policies, procedures, rules, and regulations. Performs supervisory tasks such as participating in hiring, firing, performance evaluations, training, general investigations of complaints against officers, disciplinary actions, and the completion of related personnel procedures for assigned subordinates.
   
   2. Prepares and/or assists in the preparation of various reports, memorandums, and correspondence including administrative reports, work reports, etc., and includes maintaining records of materials and equipment used/needed, attendance records, training records, records of disciplinary actions taken, etc. Can perform field work normally assigned to a commissioned officer or detective if necessary. Interacts and works with diverse groups of people within the department and the community.
   
   3. Uses problem solving skills, creativity, and innovative approaches to help officers identify community concerns; presents options for courses of action; identifies resources; plans for implementation of desired changes. Works with community members to identify and analyze crime and other problems within an assigned area and designs strategies to address those problems. Anticipates crime trends and makes plans to break negative patterns before they become established. Creates an environment in which community members are motivated to organize and assist in the implementation of problem-solving strategies; frequently works with youth on various activities and special projects which are consistent with organizational values.
   
   4. Assists officers with the coordination of information and resources among other department employees, public and private agencies, and citizens regarding crime problems and solutions by working with other department employees (commissioned and non-commissioned) as well as public and private agencies in designing and implementing problem solving strategies. Aids officers in locating and organizing resources needed to implement strategies. Consistently shares information with other department members. Establishes two-way communication and acts as an informational source to citizens regarding crime problems and solutions.
   
   5. Complies with department policies, rules, regulations, instructions, laws and ordinances, and general literature pertaining to policing. Analyzes and interprets legal codes and criminal evidence. Thoroughly prepares written reports and memorandums summarizing information. Properly uses computers for reports, communications, and information retrieval. Professionally testifies in court regarding policing duties. Must be a credible witness.
   
   6. Takes proper safety precautions, anticipates unsafe circumstances, and acts accordingly to prevent accidents. Responsible for the safety of self, others, materials, and equipment. Utilizes all required safety equipment.
   
   7. Provides regular and reliable attendance to job duties.
   
   8. Performs related duties as required to meet the needs of the city.
   
   All city supervisors are responsible for understanding and enforcing relevant collective bargaining agreements and management policies; making related recommendations as to hiring or firing supervised employees; ensuring employees are trained initially and on an ongoing basis, providing appropriate feedback to employees by monitoring day-to-day performance and completing performance evaluations on time; correcting problems in employee work habits or performance in a timely manner; prioritizing and scheduling work functions and vacations; ensuring adherence to established safety standards; ensuring the timely completion and submission of all paperwork required by the city to process employee transactions, insurance or injury claims, etc.; maintaining related records; and ensuring the accuracy of reported time use. Performs related duties as required by management to meet the needs of the city.
   
   The City of Boulder is committed to hiring employees who provide quality customer service, communicate courteously and responsively, and provide effective and efficient service to the public and co-workers.
   
   CHAIN OF SUPERVISION:
   
   (1) TITLE OF IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR: Commander.
   
   (2) TITLE(S) OF POSITIONS OVER WHICH THIS POSITION HAS DIRECT SUPERVISION: Police officers and/or noncommissioned personnel.
   
   REQUIREMENTS:
   
   Bachelor's degree. Also, the member must have satisfactorily completed a minimum of 5 continuous years of service as a commissioned police officer with the Boulder Police Department prior to the date of the written examination or the member must have satisfactorily completed a minimum of 3 years of continuous service as a commissioned police officer with the Boulder Police Department and more than 2 full year continuous experience as a commissioned police officers with another law enforcement agency.
   
   Within 12 months preceding the date of the written examination, the applicant's personnel record must be clear of any serious disciplinary action due to sustainment of an IA complaint. The date of such serious discipline (suspension, demotion, discharge, or transfer for disciplinary reasons) shall be considered the date of the "decision of finding" by the Chief of Police rather than the date the complaint was filed. Any employee selected for promotion must be medically fit as determined by the city's physician to perform the duties and responsibilities of the position.
   
   BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
   
   Demonstrated personal and professional honesty and integrity; demonstrated good judgment as shown from employee's work history as a police officer.
   
   DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
   
   Preference may be given to those applicants with advanced degrees.
   
   WORKING CONDITIONS: (Worksteps)
   
   Physical Demands: Primarily active physical work, which requires occasional lifting over 100#, frequent lifting up to 50#, and constant lifting to 30#. Constant walking, standing, or sitting for up to 8-10 hrs/day. Constant and repetitive use of the hands for simple grasping and fine manipulation. Frequent and repetitive use of the feet in the operation of the foot controls of a vehicle. Occasional pushing of items up to 80 # and pulling of items up to 100#. Frequent bending, squatting, and kneeling. Occasional running, climbing, reaching overhead, crawling, and digging. Frequent eye/hand coordination necessary. Vision, speech and hearing all necessary. Ability to complete and maintain physical training requirements.
   
   Work Environment: May work outdoors year-round regardless of weather conditions.
   
   Machines and equipment used in work include but are not limited to the following: Frequently uses weapons and specialized equipment associated with policing and operates police vehicle. Also uses standard office equipment including personal computer, fax machine, scanner, digital camera, photocopy machine, calculator, pager, and cell phone.
   
   ACCOMMODATIONS: Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position
   
   The City of Boulder provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right police sergeant for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with police sergeants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit police sergeants who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting police sergeants 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 police sergeant

   Once you've decided on a perfect police sergeant candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new police sergeant. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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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