Patrol Officer - Examination

civil service commission announcement #

approved c.s.c. Meeting minutes 02/13/2026

public notice is hereby given by the civil service commission of cleveland, ohio, of an open competitive examination for the above classification.

the electronic application period is from 12:01 a.m. On february 16, 2026 until june 28, 2026.

note: applications will not be accepted after 1:00 pm on june 28, 2026.

salary: the starting 2026 salary while in the police training academy is $26.52 per hour. Upon successful completion of the academy, the annual salary range for patrol officer is $66,466.75 - $92,212.18.

• up to $5,000 sign on bonus ($1,000 upon starting academy, $1,000 upon graduating academy, $3,000 upon completing field training)
• increased salary upon graduation for veterans and college graduates with a bachelor's degree and higher. Reimbursement for candidates that completed the ohio peace officer basic training academy.
• tuition reimbursement up to $6,000 a year
• longevity up to $800.00 per year.
• clothing and maintenance of $1,200.00 per year.
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave and 20 hours of prenatal leave.

note: you are not applying for an immediate job opening. You are applying to take an examination, which will be used to create an eligibility list for this job classification.

next police hiring event: june 2026 (dates tbd) next academy start: october 2026 (date tbd)

the life of the eligibility list from this examination will not exceed one year from the date the list is established. Candidates will remain eligible for no more than one year from the date they have been added to the eligibility list.

note: primary correspondence with applicants is made with applicants via email. Please check your email frequently for updates on the next cleveland police hiring event (tentative june 28 2026)

at the time of their appointment to the academy cadet candidates will be required to enter into a training cost reimbursement agreement with the city of cleveland. That agreement will obligate the cadet candidate to reimburse the city of cleveland for training costs if they separate from the division of police within five (5) years, as described in and as provided in that agreement.

Additional information about this agreement can be obtained from the public safety recruitment team by calling .

written examination: applicants will take the law ewnforcement exam administered electronically by the national testing network (ntn). To defray the cost of the exam, the office of the civil service commission will email you a practice test voucher and an actual test voucher. The testing instructions & vouchers will be sent via email after our examiners have approved your application. The final day to test with ntn and attend the hiring event will be june 28, 2026, to be considered for the upcoming academy.

have you earned an ntn law enforcement exam passing score? If you have not done so, please report your score to cleveland police department at the ntn website. There will be a cost to provide your score to the city; please refer to  for pricing. The final day to submit scores and attend the hiring event will be june 28, 2026, to be considered for the upcoming academy.

have you earned an ntn law enforcement exam failing score? Per ntn policy, you must wait for a minimum of three months from the date you last sat for the exam to retake the exam; please refer to  You will need to re-submit your application if you wish to re-take the exam.

engage in an active public safety role by responding to emergencies of various degrees; protecting citizens and property; understanding and upholding the constitution of the united states; understanding and enforcing all state of ohio and city of cleveland criminal and motor vehicle laws; and promoting positive and effective community policing and relations through empathy, service mindset, open-mindedness, willingness to problem solve, adaptability, and self-control.

responds to emergency calls and or calls for service, surveillance work, criminal investigations. Including but not limited to: analyzing the elements of an incident to determine the correct application of laws as necessary; de-escalation of and resolution of physical and verbal conflicts; initiating the physical arrest of violators; administering emergency medical care such as first aid and cpr; and collecting and preserve evidence as required.

community policing. Including but not limited to: routinely and proactively engage and listen to the community through its citizens and business owners to learn community priorities, identify potential safety concerns and create effective partnerships to co-produce public safety.

patrolling neighborhoods. Including but not limited to: vehicle traffic stops and the issuing of citations; directing and rerouting traffic around fires and or other physical disruptions; dispersing unruly crowds and being prepared for physical and/or violent…