Application Opening: September 8, 2023
Application Filing Deadline: October 13, 2023

Do you feel a calling to help protect your community? Are you dedicated to integrity, customer service and keeping San Francisco safe? The San Francisco Police Department is constantly seeking civilian professionals at all levels who are seeking a career with law enforcement. Under general supervision, a Community Police Services Aide performs a variety of police related duties for the San Francisco Police Department. 

Essential Duties

According to Civil Service Commission Rule 109, the duties specified below are representative of the range of duties assigned to this job code/class and are not intended to be an inclusive list.

The class specification can be found at: 9209 Community Police Services Aide

Duties may also require occasional lifting, moving or carrying materials weighing up to 55 lbs.; extended standing, walking and/or sitting; working in inclement weather; climbing up and down a 4 - 6 feet ladder and working in a noisy environment.

Appointees must have flexibility with their work schedules to work nights, weekends, holidays, and/or rotating shifts as needed. This job also requires mandatory overtime.

1. One (1) year (2000 hours) of satisfactory full-time public contact or military experience; AND
2. Possession of a High School Diploma, or proof of successful completion of an equivalency test (GED, or California High School Proficiency Exam).
3. Must be at least 18 years of age.

Verification:

Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. Information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://sfdhr.org/how-verify-education-requirements

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco. All work experience, education, training, and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.

Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility, disqualification or may lead to lower scores.

Selection Procedures:

After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following:

Multiple-Choice Exam (Weight 60%)
Candidates self-certifying meeting the Minimum Qualifications will be invited to participate in the online Multiple-Choice Exam. Candidates will be sent a web link via email that will allow them to take the online Multiple-Choice Exam that is designed to measure knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in job-related areas which have been identified as critical for positions in the Community Police Services Aide classification.

This computer-administered test can be taken at home or at a time and location of one’s convenience, but only within the time period specified on the test notification. Candidates must have access to a computer and reliable internet connection to participate in this exam.

The first selection component is a multiple-choice exam which will include scenario-based questions. This exam is designed to measure knowledge, ability and judgment level in one or more of the following job related areas: ability to accept guidance and direction from others, such as superiors, and more experienced co-workers; ability to draw appropriate inferences and sound conclusions from observations; ability to propose appropriate and reasonable courses of action to resolve problems; ability to persuade others to comply with applicable rules, policies and procedures; ability to establish and maintain courteous, cooperative, business-like relationships with peers, superiors and personnel from other departments; ability to handle hostile exchanges with citizens and to respond in a manner that diffuses the hostility; ability to use proper English grammar, spelling, punctuation and sentence structure in writing reports; and ability to write clear and complete records describing activities, problems, incidents and special circumstances.

A minimum passing score will be established after the written exam and only candidates scoring at or above the minimum passing score will be invited to advance in the hiring process.

Writing Sample (Pass/Fail)
Candidates will be given information and then required to summarize and organize that information into a written narrative. The areas that may be evaluated include the: ability to use proper English grammar, spelling, punctuation and sentence structure in writing reports; ability to complete standard forms and reports carefully, legibly, accurately and in proper format; and ability to write clear and complete records describing activities, problems, incidents, and special circumstances. This test component will be administered in conjunction with the written test described above. Only the responses of those candidates who meet the minimum passing score will be evaluated.

Oral Exam (Weight 40%)
Candidates who pass the written Exam will be invited to participate in an oral exam. The job related abilities that may be evaluated include the: ability to retain and recall important details from discussions, observation and written materials; ability to propose appropriate and reasonable courses of action to resolve problems; ability to establish and maintain courteous, cooperative, business-like relationships with peers, superiors, and personnel from other departments; ability to handle hostile exchanges with citizens and to respond in a manner that diffuses the hostility; and ability to communicate orally with citizens in a helpful, courteous and professional manner.

Physical Ability Test (Pass/Fail)
Candidates will be required to: 

1.    Lift a carton of copy paper [10 reams] from a table.
2.    Walk the length of the testing room [approximately 100 feet].
3.    Set the carton of paper on a table.
4.    Lift up a stack of traffic cones from the floor.
5.    Walk back across the testing room carrying the cones.
6.    At the end of the room set the cones on the floor.

The time limit for the test is 80 seconds. Candidates who are successful in completing the physical ability test will be eligible for hire.

After the eligible list has been adopted, and as vacancies arise, the Police Department will contact candidates to obtain additional information to select the most suitable candidates from the eligible list. Additional selection procedures include: Personal History Questionnaire evaluation, Background Investigation, Polygraph Exam, Psychological Exam, and Medical Exam.

Personal History Questionnaire (PHQ) will be evaluated to identify candidates most likely to pass the background investigation.

Background Investigation
Prior to employment with the San Francisco Police Department, a background investigation will be conducted to establish suitability for employment. The investigation may include, but not be limited to, criminal history records, drug/alcohol screening, and other related employment and personal history records. Reasons for rejection may include use of controlled substance, felony convictions, repeated or serious violations of the law, inability to work with co-workers, inability to accept supervision or other relevant factors. The background investigation will also meet Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Security Clearance:
Candidates for employment with the San Francisco Airport Commission are required to undergo a criminal history check, including FBI fingerprints, and Security Threat Assessment to determine eligibility for security clearance and may be required to undergo drug/alcohol screening. Per Civil Service Commission Rule Section 110.9.1, every applicant for an Exam must possess and maintain the qualifications required by law and by the exam announcement for the exam. Failure to obtain and maintain security clearance may be basis for termination from employment with the Airport Commission.

A Polygraph Exam will be used to verify the veracity and accuracy of information submitted by candidates regarding, but not necessarily limited to, subjects within the background investigation.

The Psychological Exam consists of written tests and a clinical interview to determine the candidate's suitability for public safety work.

The Medical Exam is currently provided by Occupational Health Services at San Francisco General Hospital. Each candidate will be individually evaluated and any current or past medical condition that is likely to compromise the candidate’s ability to perform the essential functions of the position may be cause for rejection. The medical exam may include taking blood and urine samples. Candidates will be notified of the date, time, and place to report for the exam.

Applicants with disabilities requiring reasonable accommodation for this process must contact the Public Safety Team by email at [email protected]

Eligible List/Score Report: A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service exam process will be created, and used for certification purposes only. An exam score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service exam process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission.

The duration of the eligible list resulting from this Exam process will be of 12 months and may be extended up to 12 months with the approval of the Human Resources Director.

Certification Rule
The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this Exam will be “Rule of 5 Scores.”

General Waiver:
Candidates will be placed under General Waiver until they successfully complete the background check.  Candidates will be considered in accordance with the Certification Rule upon successfully completing the background check.

Terms of Announcement and Appeal Rights: Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations. [Note: The correction of clerical errors in an announcement may be posted on the Department of Human Resources website at https://careers.sf.gov/.]  The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 110.4. Such appeals must be submitted in writing to the Department of Human Resources, 1 S Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103-5413 by close of business on the 5th business day following the issuance date of this Exam announcement. Information concerning other Civil Service Commission Rules involving announcements, applications and exam policies, including applicant appeal rights, can be found on the Civil Service Commission website at https://sf.gov/departments/civil-service-commission.

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:

Information About the Hiring Process
Conviction History
Employee Benefits Overview  
Equal Employment Opportunity 
Disaster Service Worker
ADA Accommodation
Veterans Preference
Right to Work
Copies of Application Documents
Diversity Statement

HOW TO APPLY
Applicants will receive a confirmation email from [email protected] that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.

Exam Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the Public Safety Team at [email protected]

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.