Police Recruit

Final Day To Apply:

12/31/2026

It's fun and rewarding to work for the City of Steamboat Springs!  Our employees are passionate and proud to serve our community with excellence and distinction.  Our teams are awesome, and we are committed to our community and the very special place that is Steamboat Springs, Colorado! 

Job Description:

When joining the City of Steamboat Springs, you can expect to work for an organization with:

• A team that strives to make this the best place you’ve ever worked!

• A focus on supporting our employees’ mental, physical, and financial well-being

• A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion that creates a welcoming city 

• A highly engaged workforce proudly serving our community with excellence and distinction

• A passion for strategically providing outstanding municipal services

• A promise to each other to support the work we all do for the city, community & Yampa Valley

Uniqueness Fuels Our Innovative Spirit
Our commitment to inclusion across race, gender, age, religion, identity and experiences drives us forward every day. It's the collective sum of our experiences that makes Steamboat Springs and the Yampa Valley a powerful, insightful and welcoming community.  
 

The Steamboat Springs Police Department is now accepting applications for Police Officer Recruit!

2026 Police Recruit Pay Range: $49,269-71,440 ($23.69-$34.35 Hourly)
2026 Police Officer Pay Range: $83,264 - 111,944 ($40.03-53.82 Hourly)

We are seeking future leaders eager to embrace a meaningful profession of community service. 

The qualified individual

Serves as an ambassador of the City of Steamboat Springs and upholds City values of Service, Teamwork, Integrity, Well-being, Respect and Compassion, while espousing safety at all times.

The Steamboat Springs Police Department is looking for an energetic and team-oriented person to fill the position of Police Officer Recruit. The person who occupies this position will be an integral part of promoting and maintaining the high level of professionalism and community focused actions of the Steamboat Springs Police Department.

The City of Steamboat Springs is a beautiful Colorado mountain resort community with year-round activities: world class skiing, biking, hiking, camping, fishing, boating, hunting and more. Our city has excellent public schools and a community college. The ideal officer recruit is one who loves the mountain lifestyle and an active community.

The Steamboat Springs Police Department values integrity, compassion, and service. We strive to provide exceptional public service and encourage creativity and innovation in meeting our mission. Police officers work ten-hour shifts in a team concept.  

The City of Steamboat Springs offers an excellent benefits package that supports quality work life balance including health and dental insurance, retirement, paid leave and a wellness program. Advancement through the pay range is based on a skills-based progression that may be achieved in as few as five years.

 Our police officer recruits earn a weekly training wage while attending the academy with fulltime benefits. The City of Steamboat Springs will cover the cost of tuition and all academy related costs, including room/board.

 Upon successful completion of the academy and Colorado POST Certification, individuals will transition from the recruit training assignment to a police officer position. A Field Training Program supports new officers as they operationalize their academy experience and put their knowledge, skills and abilities into action on our patrol team.

Applications will be accepted through the City's website. Start date of the Academy is in August 2024.

We are seeking the following qualifications

This position requires:

• A good driving record and ability to operate a motor vehicle under adverse conditions 
• Aptitude for police and investigative work 
• Strong communication skills 
• Dedication to public safety 
• High moral standards and a high degree of integrity 
• Emotional stability and ability to deal successfully with stress 

  General:

• Must possess, or be able to obtain by time of hire, a valid State driver's license without record of suspension or revocation in any State;
• No felony convictions and disqualifying criminal histories;
• Applicants must be currently certifiable by the State of Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training Board  

Other

All supplemental questions must be answered for your application to be considered.

 The hiring process will include the following:

 Written/Report writing exam
 Physical Fitness (Cooper Single Norms)
 Oral Interviews
 Police ride along
 Polygraph
 Job Suitability Evaluation
 Chiefs Interview

 An eligibility list may be created from this process.

 To be employed by the Steamboat Springs Police Department the candidate must satisfactorily complete a criminal background check, psychological exam, and polygraph exam prior to commencing employment. A complete job description is available upon application. 

EOE.

If you like serving in a role that will directly and positively impact our great community, you'll enjoy your career with us!

Pay Range:

$50,918.40 - $50,918.40

Offers will be negotiated based on each candidate's qualifications.

Merit:
This role is eligible for merit within our pay-for-performance philosophy via our annual performance review process.  Hires after September 1st will take the next year's compensation data into account but would not be eligible for merit until the following year.

Benefits:
Full-time roles are eligible for our comprehensive benefits program which includes medical, dental, and vision coverage options as well as other program offerings such as our Employee Assistance Program and more. You may also contribute to our 401(a) plan that includes a company match.  Seasonal roles are not eligible for medical, dental, and vision coverage, but have benefits such as Paid Sick Leave, Ski and Skate Pass, Employee Assistance Program, etc.