Careers
The Sylacauga Police Department is organized into three major divisions: Patrol, Investigation, and Administration.
Patrol
Every certified officer begins their career in this division. In Sylacauga, one of four shifts patrol the city, each a group of patrol officers supervised directly by a sergeant. Each shift works 12 hours at a time in two rotating day shifts and two rotating evening shifts. Both day and both evening shifts are supervised by a lieutenant.
Patrol officers are the frontline defense against criminal acts and must develop a high tolerance as they encounter various situations throughout the course of their day. The Patrol Division is the basis of all department operations and the backbone of the agency.
Investigation
Officers may apply for a transfer to this division after two years serving as a patrol officer. A group of investigators and one warrant officer are supervised by a sergeant and lieutenant Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., while rotating an on-call schedule for after-hour crimes. An investigator must be thorough in all aspects of their duties in order to testify accurately against suspects and present evidence that brought them to their conclusion. Investigators work diligently to pursue cases and bring justice for victims, laboring through the judicial process.
Administration
Officers may apply for a transfer to this division after two years of service as a patrol officer. Administration encompasses all of the other duties not generally handled by Patrol and Investigations, with staff responsible for keeping the department both internally and through its involvement in the community.
This is the only department with non-certified staff members. One records clerk, one animal control officer, one ordinance enforcement officer, and school resource officers are supervised by a sergeant and lieutenant. Schedules are generally 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. weekdays.
If you are interested in being hired as a law enforcement officer at Sylacauga Police Department, please note the requirements at the bottom of the page. Law enforcement is consistently changing, so keep our department in mind, and take notice of vacancies posted.
Minimum Hiring Requirements
Physical Agility Standards
Hiring Process
Are you Thinking about a career in law enforcement?
Here are a few things you may need to now before you apply.
1. Attitude is everything.
All aspects from submitting application to the neatness of your appearance and even your mannerisms are taken into consideration. The men and women with whom you could be working are trained to notice details and what they indicate about the type of person you are. For instance, a neatly written application with proper requested documentation provided shows your attention to detail and that you will keep the crucial paperwork involved with police work orderly.
2. Be teachable. Assuming that you know what an officer is instructing you to do can be the difference between life and death in this field. Pay attention and ask questions to get better clarification. Your fundamental lessons build the foundation for all of the new scenarios you will experience every day you work as a police officer. Make sure that foundation is strong enough to make good decisions from later in your career.
3. The Golden Rule applies. Don’t confuse arrogance and confidence. To work in this field, you must have confidence in yourself to be able to react appropriately to situations as they arise. It takes a confident person to effectively control a crowd or disperse a fight, but an arrogant person can escalate the situation into a potentially harmful scenario for both themselves and the parties involved.
4. Law enforcement experience is always a plus. Take advantage of volunteer experience. There are many types of programs available with various law enforcement agencies. The Sylacauga Police Department offers Civilian Ride-Along, Reserve Officer, and AggieVols programs to give you firsthand knowledge of some of the working of the department’s so things will be more familiar when you start training as a police officer.
5. Apply for the right reasons. Being a police officer is more than a job. Most officer positions are not high grossing careers. We don’t recommend this to be a job choice to “get you by” until something better comes along. Being an officer is about making a difference in the community around you, one person at a time.
Patrol
Every certified officer begins their career in this division. In Sylacauga, one of four shifts patrol the city, each a group of patrol officers supervised directly by a sergeant. Each shift works 12 hours at a time in two rotating day shifts and two rotating evening shifts. Both day and both evening shifts are supervised by a lieutenant.
Patrol officers are the frontline defense against criminal acts and must develop a high tolerance as they encounter various situations throughout the course of their day. The Patrol Division is the basis of all department operations and the backbone of the agency.
Investigation
Officers may apply for a transfer to this division after two years serving as a patrol officer. A group of investigators and one warrant officer are supervised by a sergeant and lieutenant Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., while rotating an on-call schedule for after-hour crimes. An investigator must be thorough in all aspects of their duties in order to testify accurately against suspects and present evidence that brought them to their conclusion. Investigators work diligently to pursue cases and bring justice for victims, laboring through the judicial process.
Administration
Officers may apply for a transfer to this division after two years of service as a patrol officer. Administration encompasses all of the other duties not generally handled by Patrol and Investigations, with staff responsible for keeping the department both internally and through its involvement in the community.
This is the only department with non-certified staff members. One records clerk, one animal control officer, one ordinance enforcement officer, and school resource officers are supervised by a sergeant and lieutenant. Schedules are generally 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. weekdays.
If you are interested in being hired as a law enforcement officer at Sylacauga Police Department, please note the requirements at the bottom of the page. Law enforcement is consistently changing, so keep our department in mind, and take notice of vacancies posted.
Minimum Hiring Requirements
- High School Diploma or Equivalent
- 21 Years of Age or Older
- No Felony Arrests
- No Misdemeanor Arrests Involving Force, Violence, or Moral Turpitude
- Good Driving Record
- Discharge Under Honorable Conditions
Physical Agility Standards
- Scale 6 ft. Wall
- Window Crawl
- Balance Beam
- Drag 165 lbs Dummy
- Push a Car
- 1.5 Mile Run in 00:15:28
- 22 push-ups in a minute
- 25 sit-ups in a minute
Hiring Process
- Vacancy Posted
- Applications Accepted
- Physical Agility Examination
- Written Examinations
- Psychological Evaluation
- Interview with Chief of Police
- Medical Evaluation
- Drug Screening
Are you Thinking about a career in law enforcement?
Here are a few things you may need to now before you apply.
1. Attitude is everything.
All aspects from submitting application to the neatness of your appearance and even your mannerisms are taken into consideration. The men and women with whom you could be working are trained to notice details and what they indicate about the type of person you are. For instance, a neatly written application with proper requested documentation provided shows your attention to detail and that you will keep the crucial paperwork involved with police work orderly.
2. Be teachable. Assuming that you know what an officer is instructing you to do can be the difference between life and death in this field. Pay attention and ask questions to get better clarification. Your fundamental lessons build the foundation for all of the new scenarios you will experience every day you work as a police officer. Make sure that foundation is strong enough to make good decisions from later in your career.
3. The Golden Rule applies. Don’t confuse arrogance and confidence. To work in this field, you must have confidence in yourself to be able to react appropriately to situations as they arise. It takes a confident person to effectively control a crowd or disperse a fight, but an arrogant person can escalate the situation into a potentially harmful scenario for both themselves and the parties involved.
4. Law enforcement experience is always a plus. Take advantage of volunteer experience. There are many types of programs available with various law enforcement agencies. The Sylacauga Police Department offers Civilian Ride-Along, Reserve Officer, and AggieVols programs to give you firsthand knowledge of some of the working of the department’s so things will be more familiar when you start training as a police officer.
5. Apply for the right reasons. Being a police officer is more than a job. Most officer positions are not high grossing careers. We don’t recommend this to be a job choice to “get you by” until something better comes along. Being an officer is about making a difference in the community around you, one person at a time.