The McKinney Police Department is now accepting applications for Police Officer. We have two test dates available.
Only submit one application for your preferred test date. Do not apply to both postings.  
 

Written Exam Test Date (Test Date 2): September 26, 2020; @ 8:00 am

All qualified applicants will be notified of the testing details via e-mail and must have a current e-mail address.

Applicants are not eligible to test if they have tested or failed any portion of the hiring process within the previous 6 months or if you have tested with our agency 3 or more times.
 

COVID-19 DISCLAIMER:
Due to the pandemic, standards and requirements on large gatherings are constantly changing. It is impossible to know what restrictions will be in place at the time of the test. The McKinney Police Department is developing several contingency plans that may be implemented depending on any restrictions that may be imposed. Please understand and be flexible to any last-minute changes or notifications provided by the McKinney Police Departments hiring team. Changes may include, but are not limited to, location changes, sequence changes, start times, etc. It is essential that a valid email address is provided and checked regularly for any updates regarding the test.

 

Essential Functions/Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

The Police Officer position performs a wide variety of police and law enforcement activities. This includes providing public protection services on a routine basis; arbitrating disputes; protecting and recovering property; and patrolling the City of McKinney to prevent, detect and investigate criminal violations of federal, state and local laws.

Duties include an element of personal danger, i.e., exposure to life-threatening circumstances, apprehending criminals, and transporting prisoners. Incumbents perform duties in accordance with State Statutes and established departmental policies, procedures and guidelines. Incumbent must be able to act without close supervision and must be able to exercise independent judgment.
 

Required Qualifications

High school diploma (or GED) AND one of the following three requirements:

• Thirty (30) hours of college education from a regionally accredited university or college with a 2.0 or higher overall grade point average (GPA);
• Two (2) years of active duty U.S. military service with an Honorable Discharge; or
• Two (2) years of full-time law enforcement service in the United States as a Police Officer, Jailer, Dispatcher or Corrections Officer.

Applicants must also meet the following criteria:

• Possess a Basic Peace Officer Certification from the Texas Commission of Law Enforcement Officer (TCOLE) OR have the ability to obtain within six (6) months of employment.
• Able to obtain a valid Texas Class "C" driver's license.
• Be a U.S. Citizen at time of application.
• Be 21 years of age at time of entrance exam.
• Be able to work various shifts including nights, holidays and weekends.
• Pass a physical examination and drug screen.
  • Physical exam includes a vision and hearing test. Applicants must pass the hearing test and vision must be correctable to 20/20 with normal color vision.
• Meet all legal requirements for future licensing and certification required by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE). For a complete list of the state's licensing requirements please visit TCOLE at www.tcole.texas.gov

Disqualifiers

• A class B conviction within the last 10 years
• A family violence conviction
• An incomplete or falsified Personal History Statement
• An incomplete or falsified application
• Conviction of any offense above a class B misdemeanor
• Currently on probation or under indictment for any criminal offense
• Discharge from the military under less than honorable conditions including:
• Any other characterization of service indicating bad character
  • Bad conduct
  • Dishonorable
  • Other than honorable condition

Drug Use

• Illegal use of any kind within three years prior to the date of the entrance exam.
• Any illegal use of PCP or LSD regardless of time.
• Any illegal use of a felony grade substance as defined in the Texas Penal Code or Health & Safety Code, within ten years prior to the date of the entrance exam.
• Extensive use of any illegal drug will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Factors considered are number of times, length of usage and lifestyle improvements.

Driving Record
A driving record that indicates the following:

• Driver's License is currently suspended or revoked
• Any serious violation such as reckless driving, endangering lives of others, racing, failing to stop and render aid, or negligent vehicular manslaughter within the past three years.
• Excessive standard moving violations such as speeding, reckless driving, disregarding a traffic control signal, failure to signal, failure to keep right, following too close, etc.

Tattoos or body art displaying the following are prohibited:

• racism;
• sexism or sexually suggestive or explicit;
• obscenity or profane;
• gang or drug related;
• undermining City or department values;
• political in nature.

Note: Any tattoos visible while wearing a short sleeve uniform shirt are to be covered at all times while on-duty. This includes body art, intentional scarring, branding or body mutilation.

Prohibited areas:
Tattoos on the following body areas are prohibited:

• neck
• head
• face
• ears
• hands and fingers*
• arms (except that which is covered)

*Note: Tattoos on the fingers, such as a wedding band, may be acceptable after approval by the Police Chief.

Also prohibited:

• Gauges (large holes in the ears);
• Pierced, split or forked tongue;
• Any foreign objects inserted under the skin on hands, neck, face and head; and/or
• Dental ornamentation (gold, platinum, silver or other veneer caps for the purpose of ornamentation) teeth, whether natural, capped or veneered shall not be ornamented with designs, jewels, initials, etc.

If you have questions regarding the Tattoo Policy for Applicants, or would like to know if your tattoo is acceptable, please contact Ofc. A. Fairchild for further information. 972-547-2780.

Hiring Process

Written Exam:
The entry exam is based on math, writing, human relations, and reasoning & analyzing.  The written test contains 100 questions and has a time limit of 2 hour and 30 minutes. A minimum score of 70 is needed to pass.

Study Guides:
Information on how to obtain a study guide will be distributed to applicants that submit an employment application.

Physical Ability Test:
The physical fitness examination will be administered on the same day for applicants who successfully complete the written examination. Depending on mandated restrictions in place at the time of the test, there may be some applicants who will be required to take the physical fitness exam prior to the written exam. Any applicant who passes the physical fitness exam will be administered the written test on the same day. It is recommended that you bring water on the day of the exam and properly hydrate prior to the exam. Ample time will be given to change into proper clothing and stretch before the physical test begins.

The physical fitness examination consists of five events outlined below. Applicants must successfully pass each event to move forward. Between the five events you must earn at least 15 total points to pass.



Event #1 - 300-Meter Run
The 300-meter run measures anaerobic capacity. This is your ability to perform short, intense bursts of effort like foot pursuits. You must sprint 300 meters – about 3/4 of a lap around the track – for this event.

Event #2 - Maximum Push-up Test
Push-ups measure the endurance of your upper body muscles including your shoulders, chest and the back of your upper arms. This test measures your ability to use force involving a pushing motion. The test ends when you can no longer continue due to muscle fatigue.

You assume a push-up position with your feet together or up to twelve inches apart. Your hands are placed approximately shoulder-width apart with fingers facing forward. An instructor places a three inch push-up block beneath your sternum.

A proper push-up is when you lower your body, touch the block with your sternum, then return to your starting position with elbows in a soft lock. Resting position is up, and proper form is closely monitored.

Event #3 - Vertical Jump
The vertical jump measures the difference between your standing reach and your jumping reach. This event relates to the explosive power that is needed in operational or pursuit tasks that require jumping and vaulting.

With the use of the Vertec Jump Apparatus, the instructor measures your standing reach, then you may choose from two stances to gain explosive power: feet parallel with one jump up, or feet apart and then gather and jump. You will jump three times reaching as high as possible. The instructor records the highest jump. If you achieve a jump measurement of 24 inches or more, no more jumps are required.

Event #4 - One-Minute Sit-ups
Sit-ups measure your abdominal muscle endurance, which relates to your ability to perform tasks that involve force. Performance sit-ups are not crunches. You lie on your back with knees bent and hands cupped behind your ears or interlocked behind your head. Your elbows must touch the top of your thigh or knee. An instructor holds your feet down during the test. You complete as many sit-ups as possible in one minute. Resting position is up, and proper form is closely monitored.

Event #5 - 1.5-mile Run
The 1.5-mile run measures your cardiovascular endurance. This relates to your ability to perform sustained activities such as a long foot pursuit followed by a physical confrontation. The test is conducted on a 440-yard track. One lap equals one-quarter mile and six laps equals 1.5 miles.

Following the Exam:
After a background investigator reviews the applicant's personal history, the applicant will go through the following steps below. The order is determined by needs and schedules. Applicants will only move to the next step after successful completion of the previous step.

• Preliminary interview
• Thorough background investigation
• Oral review board
• Interview with the Chief
• Conditional job offer
• Polygraph
• Psychological examination
• Medical examination

The hiring process for candidates that complete all portions of the pre-employment screenings may take 3-6 months.

Police Officer Step Plan:
Non-TCOLE-Certified Applicants
If you do not have a Texas Peace Officer Certification through the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE), you will start out as a police recruit. After you graduate from a law enforcement academy and obtain your Texas Peace Officer Certification, you will be at Step 1 of the Police Officer pay scale and progress through the steps on an annual basis.

TCOLE-Certified & Experienced Police Officers
If you already have a Texas Peace Officer certification through TCOLE or service in another state, your training and experience will be reviewed by the Chief to determine eligibility for a lateral position. If approved, laterals will enter the pay scale based on their years of full-time peace officer experience. If you are an out of state certified officer you will be required to attend another academy, however you may enter the lateral pay scale based on years of experience. 

STEPS – SALARY
Recruit - $  64,078.13
Step 1 -  $  67,450.66
Step 2 -  $  70,084.38
Step 3 -  $  72,718.10
Step 4 -  $  75,351.82
Step 5 -  $  77,985.55
Step 6 -  $  80,619.27
Step 7 -  $  83,252.99
Step 8 -  $  85,886.71
Step 9 -  $  88,520.43

Physical Demands/Supplemental

Tasks involve the ability to exert heavy physical effort in heavy work, with greater emphasis on climbing and balancing, but typically also involving some combination of stooping, kneeling, crouching, and crawling, and the lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling of moderately heavy objects and materials (20-50 pounds); may occasionally involve heavier objects and materials (up to 100 pounds).

REQUEST FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION OF DISABILITY FOR THE POLICE EXAMINATION

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disabilities. The City of McKinney does not discriminate on the basis of disability status in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in its programs, services or facilities. To request reasonable accommodations for the Police Officer Examination, please submit your written request one week prior to the established test date. Request must be submitted to:

City of McKinney Human Resources Director
P. O. Box 517
McKinney, TX 75070
iobi@mckinneytexas.org 

Requests for reasonable accommodation should specify the name of the applicant, the type of accommodation needed and the reason for the accommodation.