Public Safety Officer; PSO Certified Process

Public Safety Officer (PSO)
- * CERTIFIED PROCESS ONLY*

2 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants

Direct message the job poster from Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety

*$15,000 HIRING BONUS FOR LATERAL TRANSFER POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS**

We will ONLY accept applications from CERTIFIED POLICE OFFICERS and/or full‑time CERTIFIED FIREFIGHTER I & II AND LICENSED MFR. If you are NOT currently CERTIFIED as noted, your application will not be considered for this process.

Public Safety Officers (PSOs) protect and serve the community by responding to calls for service involving police, fire, and medical emergencies in a professional and caring manner to enhance the quality of life for all people in the City of Kalamazoo. KDPS offers a meaningful career that promotes balance between life and career and has opportunities for professional development and advancement through promotion.

PSOs assigned to patrol work 12‑hour shifts. During a 28‑day rotation, PSOs are scheduled to work 14 days and have 14 days off. Workdays vary during a 28‑day rotation, creating two weekends off every month and a run of seven days off in a row, starting on a Friday. This stretch of days commonly referred to as the ‘7‑day’ allows PSOs to reset, take a trip, or complete a project every month.

KDPS offers one badge, but endless career opportunities. PSOs can pursue more than forty professional growth tracks, including:

• Aviation Unit
• Bike Response Unit
• Bomb Squad
• Crime Reduction Team
• Crisis Negotiator
• Community Police Officer
• Community Service Team
• Court Officer
• Crowd Management Team
• Detective
• Equipment Operator
• Explorer Advisor
• Field Training Officer
• Fifth District Technical Team
• Fire Marshal
• Hazmat Team
• Honor Guard
• K9 Team
• KVET (Drug) Investigator
• Lab Specialist/Technician
• Motorcycle Unit
• Peer Fitness Trainer
• Peer Support Team
• Pipe and Drum Unit
• Polygraph Examiner
• Recruiter
• School Resource Officer
• Strategic Planner
• SWAT Team
• Task Force Officer (ATF, DEA, FBI)
• Traffic Unit
• Training Officer
• Technical Rescue Team

PSOs can advance through the ranks to include Sergeant, Lieutenant, Executive Lieutenant, Captain, Inspector, Assistant Chief, Deputy Chief, and Chief. KDPS provides training at each level to enhance PSOs leadership abilities.

Recruits (no experience) and Police Academy Graduates: $53,093.04 + overtime opportunities.

Experienced Police Officers (full or part‑time/MCOLES certified or able to be certified through RPTE program) and/or Fire Fighter I & II (full time and licensed MFR):

• $59,426.64 (less than 1 year of service)
• $62,877.36 (1 year to less than 2 years of service)
• $65,872.08 (2 years to less than 3 years of service)
• $68,708.64 (3 years or more of completed service)

As of 1/1/2026, Public Safety Officer top pay is $92,907.36.

• Paid to Train—full‑time hourly wages for basic training, plus tuition, fees, uniforms, and equipment covered.
• Residency Bonus—annual $5,000 for living within Kalamazoo (restrictions apply).
• Military on‑the‑job training benefits while attending academies.
• Student Loan Forgiveness Program.
• Lateral Transfer Hiring Bonus—$15,000 for certified officers and full‑time firefighters with MFR licensure.
• Defined‑Benefit Pension Plan—normal retirement after 25 years (4.5% employee contribution).
• Additional benefits:
  Spanish language bonus, longevity payments, shift differential pay (starting at 12 pm), 13 paid holidays, assignment bonuses, and more.

PSOs perform a wide range of duties related to police, fire, and medical services:

• Respond to calls for service that require police, fire, or medically trained professionals.
• Police: Patrol assigned zone, respond to high‑risk situations and mental health crises, enforce traffic laws, conduct criminal investigations, and make lawful arrests.
• Fire: Respond to working fires, investigate fire alarms and smoke, provide vehicle extrication, conduct traffic control during crash investigations, and mitigate hazardous material incidents.
• Medical: Respond to medical calls including heart attacks and trauma, assist advanced life support services, render CPR and other lifesaving…