Police Officer

Overview

The Wauwatosa Police Department’s mission is:
Dedicated service and protection for all and our vision is:
To foster a safe and secure community through collaboration, trust, and
exceptional police service.

A Wauwatosa Police Officer will be ready to serve and committed to the mission and vision of the department. Police Officers are responsible for providing protection of life and property; promoting and preserving peace through cooperation; enforcing municipal, state and federal laws; and delivering police-related services for all residents and visitors of Wauwatosa, WI.

The starting pay for this position is $32.32 per hour ($67,229.88 annually), moves to $35.91 per hour ($74,692.21 annually) after six months, and $39.46 per hour ($82,085.66 annually) after one year. There are annual step increases until completion of the sixth year, when top pay is reached, currently $46.13 per hour ($95,948.49 annually). Pay rates are based on the 2026 collective bargaining agreement.

Lateral candidates who are WI LESB certified and currently working for a law enforcement agency may be given consideration for years of service when determining starting pay and vacation.

Police Recruitment Website:

This position is responsible for the essential duties below and other duties as assigned.

• Preserves the peace by responding to calls for assistance involving altercations between people, including but not limited to domestic disturbances, fighting, and neighborhood disputes; performs crowd and traffic control; enforces state and local laws and ordinances relating to keeping of the peace; provides foot patrol to residential and business areas in order to maintain community relations.
• Protects life by responding to calls for service and emergency assistance; renders aid to the physically injured, handicapped, and others requiring assistance, including but not limited to victims of accidents, criminal incidents, and mental or physical disabilities; investigates safety hazards and takes action to correct potential problem areas, including road hazards, defects, and environmental hazards.
• Protects property by performing security checks of residences and businesses, physically walking through residential areas and viewing all areas of buildings to ensure their physical integrity; observes potential hazards including but not limited to natural disasters, fires, alarms, gas leaks, hazardous material spills, roadway debris, and other structure and infrastructure defects, and take corrective action by contacting proper authorities for assistance and/or securing areas through the use of barricades or other devices;
  
  takes found property into custody for safekeeping.
• Investigates violations of state laws and local ordinances, and arrests violators using the degree of force necessary in accordance with state law and department policy; secures and protects crime scenes in order to identify and collect any physical evidence present; obtains descriptions of suspects and vehicles involved in crimes or criminal activity; enforces traffic laws on order to curtail violations which endanger lives and property, including excessive speed, driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs, and careless driving.
• Prepares incident and accident reports, affidavits, citations, legal documents, memorandums, and other job-related forms and documents; prepares and testifies in court as to report information and action taken; uses computers to enter and query information as necessary in the performance of official duties.
• Participates in job related training and courses to maintain skills, knowledge, and abilities necessary to perform duties and maintain law enforcement certification.
• Maintains physical condition necessary to perform official duties and day to day operations, and to operate job related equipment, including lethal and non-lethal weapons, radios, handcuffs, fire extinguishers, first aid kits, crime scene kits, and other equipment as needed.
• Performs service related activities including assistance to broken down, lost, or locked out motorists, animal complaints, nuisance calls, and other calls for service as warranted.
• Dri…