Hiring Process

Lateral and Certifiable Candidates: Accelerated Hiring Process

Current law enforcement officers and recent police academy graduates are eligible for our streamlined hiring process. Qualified applicants can move through the process quickly and efficiently.

To get started, submit your application along with your college transcript(s) and an ACADIS professional history report (or the equivalent for non-Wisconsin law enforcement certification). Once your materials are reviewed, we will schedule an assessment with our staff, followed by a panel interview with the Police and Fire Commission.

Candidates who successfully complete these steps will advance to a background investigation, medical examination, and psychological evaluation. Upon completion of all requirements, you’ll be ready to begin your career as a Wauwatosa Police Officer. 

Lateral and Certifiable Candidates do not have to participate in physical agility testing.

Academy Candidates: Application and Hiring Process Overview

Candidates seeking academy sponsorship will complete a comprehensive application and hiring process designed to identify motivated, high-quality applicants. The steps outlined below guide you through each stage of the process.

Application Scoring

All applications are scored and may receive up to 50 points based on the following allocations:

Education

(14 points maximum: Points awarded for highest level earned)

• • Graduate Degree:          14 points
  • Bachelor’s Degree:         12 points
  • Associate’s Degree:          8 points
  • 90+ College Credits (no degree):     6 points
  • 60-89 College Credits (no degree):  2 points
  • 30-59 College Credits:      1 point

Law Enforcement Certification & Sworn Service

(18 points maximum)

Certification: WI Certified / Certifiable; Out-of-State Certification eligible for reciprocity; or Actively enrolled in a WI Law Enforcement Academy:   8 points

Sworn Law Enforcement Experience / Full-Time (min. 32 hrs./week)

• Must be employed with a single agency for a minimum of two years to qualify for service points from that agency.
• Each year of completed full-time experience: 2 points (Maximum: 10 points)

Sworn Law Enforcement Experience / Part-Time (15-21 hrs./week)

• Must be employed with a single agency for a minimum of two years to qualify for service points from that agency.
• If part-time years are concurrent with full-time years, the part-time years cannot earn points.
• Each year of completed part-time experience: 1 point (Maximum: 8 points)

Non-sworn Law Enforcement Agency Service

(6 points maximum)

Non-Sworn Police Agency Employment

• Ex: Community Service Officer, Police Aide, Tele-communicator, Police Clerk, Dispatcher, Corrections. Must be paid positions. Must have a minimum of one year of service to earn points, and must have a minimum of 240 hours in one year to earn points for that year.
• Internships do not earn points.

Non-Sworn Police Agency Volunteer Positions

• Ex: Police Reserve, Explorer, etc. (volunteer). Must be unpaid positions. Must have a minimum of one year of service to earn points, and must have a minimum of 100 hours in one year to earn points for that year.

Both both paid and volunteer service outlined above:

• Wauwatosa Police Department positions (CSO or Reserve): 3 points per year, maximum of 6 points
• All other agencies: 1 point per year, maximum of 3 points

Military Service

(12 points maximum)

Active Duty

• Military Police: 2 points per year, maximum of 12 points
• Non-Military Police: 1 point per year, maximum of 12 points

Guard / Reserve

• Military Police: 2 points per year, maximum of 12 points
• Non-Military Police: 1 point per year, maximum of 12 points

Physical Readiness Test

After applications are reviewed for minimum qualifications and scored, the top 60 candidates will be invited to participate in the Physical Readiness Test (PRT), as required by the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Standards Board (LESB).

To pass the PRT, candidates must meet the following entrance standards:

• Vertical Jump: 11.5 inches

• Agility Run: 23.4 seconds

• Sit-Ups (1 minute): 24 repetitions

• 300-Meter Run: 82 seconds

• Push-Ups (untimed): 18 repetitions

• 1.5-Mile Run: 20 minutes, 20 seconds

Candidates who have successfully completed a PRT administered by a certified LESB PRT Assessor within six months of the anticipated academy start date may use those results to continue in the hiring process. Verification of scores through Wisconsin’s PRT database is required.

To view a demonstration of the PRT events, click “Learn More” in the video window below.

Written Evaluative Survey

Applicants who pass the physical agility test will complete a written evaluative survey. The top 25 applicants, based on application score, will have their evaluative survey scored to produce a combined application and survey score. The top 12 finalists will be invited to participant in the Assessment Center, and 3 additional finalists will be invited as alternates.

Assessment Center

• The assessment center is a comprehensive evaluation process. It involves four exercises that allow candidates to exhibit their abilities in decision making, communication, initiative, adaptability, judgment, interpersonal sensitivity, and maturity.
• The candidates will be evaluated by current Wauwatosa Police employees of all ranks.

Oral Interview with Police and Fire Commissioners

Candidates who successfully pass the assessment center will be invited to take place in a formal interview with the Wauwatosa Police and Fire Commission. Candidates approved by the Wauwatosa Police and Fire Commission will receive a conditional offer of employment to be hired as a Wauwatosa police officer. If there are no immediate openings, successful candidates will be placed on an eligibility list, which is valid for 18 months.

Final Pre-Hire Background and Testing

When a candidate is selected for hire, he or she must complete the following pre-hire steps:

• Background Investigation
• Medical Examination
• Drug Screening
• Psychological Evaluation
• Final Approval of the Chief of Police