Employment & Recruitment

Required Qualifications:

1. Must be at least 18 years of age
2. Must have a high school diploma or equivalent
3. Must have an unblemished background free of any felony convictions, most misdemeanor convictions, careless or reckless driving habits, or history of moral turpitude.
4. Pass all written and physical tests, including the MMPI, as required by the Vermont Criminal Justice Council to the satisfaction of the Rutland City Police Department.​ (The Vermont Criminal Justice Council has currently suspended the written test portion of this process)
5. Successfully complete an interview process including an assessment center test
6. Successfully complete a polygraph examination to the satisfaction of the Rutland City Police Department
7. Undergo an in depth background check
8. Must be in excellent physical condition and pass a thorough medical examination
9. Have vision corrected to 20/20 with glasses or contacts, and pass a hearing test
10. Undergo a mental health evaluation with the department’s psychiatrist
11. Possess a valid driver’s license upon employment

The application Process

1. After obtaining an application, fill it out thoroughly, completely and HONESTLY.  As police officers, integrity is vital to our profession; any dishonest, misleading or otherwise false information you provide on the application or during any phase of the hiring process will result in immediate termination from the hiring process. Once it is completed you may scan and email it to ryan.brady@vermont.gov, mail it to the Rutland City Police Department, attn: Ryan Brady 108 Wales Street, Rutland, VT, 05701, or drop it off in person at the Rutland City Police Department any time of day or night.  Please let the dispatcher or officer you give your paperwork to know it is an application.
2. Once your application is received and reviewed you will be contacted to notify you that it has arrived and to answer any questions that you might have.  Normally, you will be contacted within 3 business days after we receive your application; however, occasionally due to holidays and other department events it may take a couple of days longer.  Your application will then be reviewed to ensure that you meet at least the minimum requirements to begin the hiring process.
3. If your application does meet the minimum requirements, you will be scheduled to go to the Vermont Police Academy to take the Vermont Criminal Justice Training Council written test, physical assessment test, and the MMPI.  Information about these exams can be found at https://vcjc.vermont.gov/training/three/entrance-standards You must bring a photo ID to the test and there is a $30 non refundable entrance test fee that must be paid by the applicant at the academy.  The academy only accepts cash and personal checks for this fee.  Applicants will also be responsible for a $25 fee for the processing of the MMPI. (The Vermont Criminal Justice Council has currently suspended the written test portion of this process)
4. If you pass the written test, the physical fitness test, and score satisfactorily on the MMPI, you will be scheduled to come to the Rutland City Police Department for an oral board and assessment center testing.  The oral board and assessment center testing normally take approximately 2 hours to complete. (The Vermont Criminal Justice Council has currently suspended the written test portion of this process)
5. If you pass the oral board and assessment center testing, a detective or a sergeant will be assigned to you and will provide you with a comprehensive Personal History Questionnaire which again must be completed thoroughly, completely and HONESTLY.  Once it is completed, the detective or sergeant who is assigned to you will arrange a polygraph examination for you.  Polygraph examinations are normally held at the police department.  If you pass the polygraph to the department’s satisfaction, the detective or sergeant will begin a comprehensive background investigation into your character and personal history.
6. If you pass the background investigation your packet will be referred back to the recruiting officer, who will arrange for the medical, vision and hearing tests to be administered.  The medical, vision and hearing examinations are generally administered through the Occupational Health Partners office in Rutland.
7. If you pass the medical examinations, an appointment will be made for you to meet with the department psychiatrist for a mental health evaluation.
8. Once all of the previous steps are completed to the satisfaction of the Rutland Police Department you may be asked to meet with the Chief of Police for a Chief’s interview.  Your name will be placed on a list of qualified applicants, and an employment offer may be made to you.
9. If an offer is made and accepted and you are hired by the department, the department will immediately begin the process of getting you on the list of recruits at the Vermont Police Academy Level III Certification course.  The academy is a 16 week residential course in the Town of Pittsford, Vermont, just 10 minutes north of the City.  Upon graduation from the academy you will be assigned to a Field Training Officer who will guide you through the approximate next 10 to 12 weeks of training at the department.
10. Space for academy recruits at the Level III academy can be very limited, and if space at the next scheduled class is not available, the department has the option to send you to the Level II academy, which is a non residential two week course at the same location.  Upon completion of that course, you will be a uniformed officer assigned to a Field Training Officer while you await the start of the Level III academy.  Your field training can begin at this time, and you can begin to gain experience and knowledge on the street from your FTO that will greatly benefit you when you arrive for the Level III training.
11. Upon successful completion of the Level III basic training course and the Field Training process you will be designated as a solo beat officer, and assigned to a shift to begin your career.

What we have to offer

Salary:

The Rutland City Police Department has a 15 step pay plan in place that all officers’ salaries are based upon.  The salaries are negotiated between the Police Union and the City as part of their contract. As of 7/1/21, the current salary range is $25.65-$32.53. The current step plan has a starting salary for an officer with no experience of $22.19 per hour (called an academy rate). Upon graduating from the Vermont Police Academy and obtaining Level III Law Enforcement Certification, the pay increases to $25.65 per hour.  Generally, it takes approximately 8 to 10 months from the date of hire to obtain Level III certification.  Currently certified Level III officers starting salary is at least $25.65, and a currently certified Level III officer has the potential to be hired into range, at the discretion of the Chief of Police.  Officers assigned to night shift also receive a night differential.  Based on the current union contract, pay rates will increase by 1.5% for contract year 2022 and another 1.5% increase for contract year 2023.

Overtime:

Overtime rate is calculated as 1.5 times the normal rate of pay. Per contract, there are 2 hours of built in overtime each week. Based on the current union contract, if an officer is ordered to work more than one shift a month, their overtime rate for ordered shifts increases to 2 times their normal rate of pay.

Hours:

The Rutland City Police Department Patrol Division works 12 hour shifts, beginning at 0600 each day.  Day shift is from 0600 – 1800 and night shift is from 1800 – 0600 hours.  Officers assigned to the patrol division have a three day weekend every other week.  Three day weekends begin on Friday, and a patrol division officer will have Friday, Saturday and Sunday off on a weekend they are not scheduled to work.

Holidays:

The Department recognizes 14 paid holidays per year, with three (3) of those holidays being “super holidays”.  Officers who work those holidays on their regularly assigned shift are paid at two and one half times their normal rate of pay.

Sick Leave:

Employees are granted 12 sick days per year, with a maximum accumulation of 120 days (960 hours).  Under the current bargaining unit agreement, employees are entitled to receive a portion of their accumulated sick time at retirement or resignation.

Annual Leave:

Employees are granted 10 annual leave days per year for their first four years.  The hours an employee accrues per year increases with longevity past the four year anniversary.  Employees may accumulate a maximum of 30 days (240 hours).

Comp Time:

Employees may elect to accumulate “comp time” in lieu of cash for overtime hours worked at a rate of 1 ½ hours per hour worked for a maximum accumulation of 60 hours.

Outside Jobs:

The department is regularly contracted to provide outside job services to private entities for events, road construction, and the like.  The current pay rate for an officer who elects to work an outside job is $55/per hour, regardless of rank or longevity.

Health Insurance:

Employees are offered health insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield with a 20% employee contribution and an 80% City contribution (beginning 30 June, 2021).  Effective 1 January, 2021, the City pays 80% of any applicable deductible for medical services rendered through the plan, and the employee pays 20%.  The City also offers a health insurance buyout offer for those employees who have health insurance coverage from other sources.

Dental Plan:

The City offers dental insurance to all employees and pays 60% of the insurance premium.

Vision Insurance:

All employees are enrolled in a vision plan which is completely funded by the City.

Military/Education Bonuses:

The department offers a bonus for those employees who have obtained college degrees or who have served in the United States Armed Forces.

Wellness Incentives:

The department offers wellness incentives in the form of annual leave accumulation for officers who excel at the annual physical fitness test.

Uniforms:

All uniforms and equipment are furnished by the department.  The City pays for the cleaning of uniforms.

Training:

The department provides all required basic and in service training, and is committed to offering continuing law enforcement training to interested officers.

NEPBA Membership:

All officers at the Rutland City Police Department below the rank of sergeant must be members of the New England Police Benevolent Association as a condition of employment.  The NEPBA is the bargaining unit for the union members of the department.

Paid Call Time:

All bargaining unit officers are generally assigned to two, twelve hour on call shifts per month.  The officer is compensated at a rate of pay of 1/8^th their regular hourly salary.

Pension:

The Rutland City Police Department offers a pension plan to its employees under VMERS Group C.  Information about Group C retirement can be found at https://www.vermonttreasurer.gov/content/retirement/vsers-plans/group-c .

Currently, the employee pays 10% of the employee’s gross pay and the City pays 13.5%.

Special Assignments:

All persons employed by the Rutland City Police Department are assigned to the Patrol Division as Patrol Officers upon their hire.  The department has numerous other opportunities for the officer to expand and enhance their careers, including promotional opportunities, canine officer, detective, street crimes unit, school resource officer, downtown beat officer, domestic violence investigator, SIU (crimes against children) detective, instructor positions, and much more.

Job satisfaction:

Probably the most important thing we have to offer our employees is the satisfaction of working in a fast paced and rewarding career with lots of potential for personal and professional growth.  The Rutland City Police Department has a very community oriented outlook on policing, and we also work hard to take care of the people who work hard for us.

Thank you for your interest in becoming a Police Officer for the City of Rutland, Vermont!  Any questions regarding any part of the application and hiring process may be directed to Ryan Brady at ryan.brady@vermont.gov or by calling (802)773–1816.