Public Safety Officer; PSO - Date

Public Safety Officer (PSO) - Hire Date May 2026

Public Safety Officers (PSOs) protect and serve the community by responding to calls for service involving police, fire, and medical emergencies. They work professionally and caring to enhance the quality of life for all people in the City of Kalamazoo.

Work schedule:

PSOs assigned to patrol work 12‑hour shifts. In a 28‑day rotation, PSOs work 14 days and have 14 days off, including two weekends off every month and a 7‑day stretch of consecutive days off.

• 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. Training is provided at each level.

• Starting wage effective January 1, 2026 varies with training and experience. Top pay $92,907.36.
• Recruits (no experience) and Police Academy Graduates earn $55,779.36 plus overtime.
• Paid to train: full‑time wages for Police Academy, Fire Academy, MFR Academy, Advanced Police Academy, and Field Training Officer Program.
• Residency bonus: annual $5,000 for living within the City of Kalamazoo.
• Military on‑job training benefits available.
• Student loan forgiveness program available.
• Lateral transfer hiring bonus: $15,000 for certified police officers and full‑time firefighters with MFR licensure.
• Defined‑benefit pension plan after 25 years of credited service.
• Additional benefits:
  Spanish language bonus, longevity payments, shift differential pay, 13 paid holidays, assignment bonuses.

• Respond to calls for police, fire, or medical service.
• Police: patrol zone, respond to high‑risk situations and mental health crisis, enforce traffic laws, conduct investigations, make lawful arrests.
• Fire: respond to active fires, investigate alarms, provide vehicle extrication, conduct traffic control during investigations, mitigate hazardous materials.
• Medical: respond to medical emergencies, assist in advanced life support, perform CPR, monitor patient status.
• Collaborate with community to solve problems and build trust.
• Perform any other duty as assigned by command or policy.

• Minimum of high school diploma; associate or higher preferred.
• Must be 21 years old by December 17, 2026.
• Character fitness (good moral character).
• Valid driver’s license.
• U.S. citizen.
• Must meet Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) licensing requirements.

• Initial application/questionnaire.
• MCOLES testing.
• Initial interview.
• Background investigation.
• Chief’s interview.
• Psychological/medical/drug screening.

Applicants must qualify for and maintain licensure with the governing body for each discipline:
Police (MCOLES), Fire (Bureau of Fire Services), and EMS (Michigan Department of Health and Human Services).

The City of Kalamazoo is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive organization where different perspectives and experiences are welcomed and encouraged. If you have transferable experience, please tell us about it.