Police Officer

• Base Pay $31.35 / Hour
• Employee Type Full Time / Non-Exempt

• Phone

Great policing starts with a great team. At the Pella Police Department, you’ll work alongside professionals who hold high standards, support your work, and take pride in protecting our community. We serve a community that expects excellence- because wearing the badge here means living the mission every day. If you’re driven by service, integrity, and real community impact, we want you on our team.

The Pella (IA) Police Department is currently accepting applications for the position of Police Officer. The starting annual salary for the Police Officer position is $65,208.00 ($31.35 per hour). We encourage you to apply if you are interested in working in a great community and with an agency that supports both personal and professional development, growth, and wellness. Qualified certified lateral officers within Iowa may be eligible to receive an $8,000 sign-on bonus.

Out-of-state certified officers may qualify for a $6,000 sign-on bonus.

We’re looking for professionals who can think critically and act decisively while analyzing rapidly evolving situations, de-escalating conflict, and applying the law with fairness, respect, and sound judgment. Officers perform a full spectrum of modern law enforcement duties, including preventive patrol, criminal and traffic investigations, crash investigations, and have the opportunity to thrive in specialty positions, including criminal detective, narcotics investigator, mental health crisis intervention officer, tactical team member, or school resource officer.

Success in this role requires strong communication skills, attention to detail, and the ability to build trust across the community while upholding the highest standards of integrity and accountability. If you’re motivated by meaningful service, teamwork, and continuous professional growth, you’ll find a place to thrive here.

The Pella Police Department employs 19 full-time officers and 9 civilian employees who work together to provide public safety services to Pella's residents.

Successful candidates must meet minimum hiring standards for law enforcement officers as defined in Iowa Administrative Code 501 Chapter 2 https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). . Applicants who have attained an associate degree from an accredited college or university, 64 college credit hours, or a combination of college and applicable training and experience are preferred. The target dates for the written examination (POST Exam), physical fitness testing, and interviews will be held in September 2026.

Applications must be received by Friday, August 28, 2026, at 4:59 P.M.

The Iowa Law Enforcement Academy establishes the physical fitness assessment requirements, and the Pella Police Department will utilize those guidelines for our candidate testing. The test is gender and age-based and includes sit-ups, push-ups, and a 1.5-mile run. These tests will provide department staff with an assessment of the candidate’s strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular health. Certified officer candidates must take the physical fitness assessment per departmental guidelines.

The Iowa Law Enforcement Physical Testing Standards can be found at -standards

The National Police Officer Selection Test (P.O.S.T.) is used as an entry-level written test to gauge mental skills, essential intelligence, and education level in police applicants. According to Iowa Law Enforcement Academy standards, a score of 70% on each section is required. ILEA-certified or non-certified applicants with a passing post score within one year of applying are not required to take the POST.

A study guide for the POST exam may be found at:

The Pella Police Department is committed to recruiting and hiring individuals with personal integrity, high ethical standards, and a dedication to service. We offer equal opportunities to all applicants and employees, regardless of their race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, or any other classification or status protected by law.