The Police want you

Now is your chance to become a part of the solution.

The Vicksburg Police Department is now accepting applications for new Police Officers to join their team. They currently have openings in the Patrol Division.

Their goal is to hire these new officers in April 2020, in time for them to begin training at the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officer’s Training Academy in Basic Class 264.

Hiring Qualifications:
 Candidates must be 21 years of age
 Candidates must be United States citizens
 Candidates must be High school graduates. GED’s are acceptable.
 Candidates must have a valid driver’s license
 If a candidate has any military service, they must have been discharged under honorable conditions
 Candidates must pass physical fitness agility test
 Candidates must score 70% or better on Civil Service written examination
 Candidates must pass a background check. Candidates cannot have any felony convictions or any misdemeanor Domestic Violence convictions.
 Candidates must pass a physical examination
 Candidates must pass a drug screen
 Candidates must receive a satisfactory psychological evaluation

Vicksburg Police detain a suspect. (photo by David Day)

Benefits:
 The beginning salary for police officers is $14.75 per hour, with educational incentives offered for Associates, Bachelors and Masters Degrees.

 They offer a benefits package which includes employer-paid health, life, dental and vision insurance for employees. Family insurance packages are offered at competitive rates.

 Officers are on the State of Mississippi Retirement Plan.

 They have 9 paid Holidays each year, and their officers accrue paid sick and personal leave.

Hiring Process:
The testing process will begin on February 1, 2020, and will be consist of three parts:
 The physical agility test will be held on Saturday, February 1, 2020, at 8:00am at the Warren Central Junior High School Stadium. Test will consist of push-ups, trunk flexion, agility run, and 1.5 mile endurance run.
 The written test will follow on Monday, February 3, 2020, at 9:00am at Vicksburg Police Department Training Room, 820 Veto Street. Test will consist of a reading ability test and the Entry-Level Police Test. The Reading Ability Test is pass/fail; you cannot continue in the testing process if you do not pass this segment.
 On Tuesday, February 4, 2020, at 9:00am the oral segment of the test will be held in the Vicksburg Police Department Training Room, 820 Veto Street. Candidates will be presented with a number of scenarios and given four minutes to formulate and verbally respond to each one while being recorded and filmed.

The Vicksburg Police Department leadership team, from left to right: Dept. Chief of Administration Eric Paymon, Police Chief Milton Moore, Dept. Chief of Patrol Penny Jones and Dept. Chief of Operations Bobby Stewart.

After the testing process is complete, officers of the Vicksburg Police Department will conduct thorough background investigations on each passing candidate. This process will take approximately two months. Once the background investigations are complete, candidates will be interviewed by a board of senior officers of the Vicksburg Police Department. Afterwards, those who are selected will be scheduled for a medical physical with a drug screen and a psychological evaluation.

Where to Apply:
Application packets may be obtained at the City of Vicksburg Human Resource Office, 1415 Walnut Street, Suite 100, Vicksburg, Mississippi 39180 beginning Monday, January 13, 2020, during regular business hours Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The deadline to return application packets is 4:00 p.m., Thursday, January 30, 2020. For more information, call 601-631-2996, or visit www.vicksburg.org.