THE CITY OF OCEANSIDE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.
EXAMINATION DATES:
PELLET B: Thursday, June 18, 2026
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Monday, August 10, 2026
PIQ: Will receive via E-Mail once qualified
PAT: Saturday, June 27, 2026
Thursday, July 30, 2026
Saturday, August 22, 2026
NEW HIRE ORIENTATION: October 2026
ACADEMY: November 2026
Exam dates are posted as a courtesy and may be subject to change and/or cancellation.
COMPENSATION:
UPON GRADUATION FROM THE ACADEMY
Police Officer:
$7,585 - $10,306 per month
$91,021 - $123,677 per year
WHILE IN THE ACADEMY
Police Officer Recruit:
$34.37 per hour
(In the event the academy requires a COVID vaccination, verification of full vaccination will need to be provided prior to the start of the academy.)
A bilingual premium (Samoan, Spanish or ASL) of $1.73 per hour will be paid to those employees who pass the bilingual examination.
The City of Oceanside is accepting applications for the position of Police Officer - Entry Level. This recruitment will be used to fill vacancies for the Regional Peace Officer POST Academy.
Are you interested in a career in law enforcement? Look no further than the Oceanside Police Department, serving the City of Oceanside. The City of Oceanside, CA (population 178,000) is a thriving beachfront community centrally located in the heart of the beautiful Southern California coastline. Located just 35 miles north of San Diego and 83 miles south of Los Angeles, Oceanside offers a unique combination of outstanding location, affordable housing, excellent schools, and multiple community resources. The City enjoys proximity to all major Southern California destinations, while maintaining its coastal beauty and unique character.
With an authorized budgeted strength of 228 sworn and 84 professional staff members, the Oceanside Police Department handles approximately 110,000 calls for service each year. Our team is organized under the Chief’s office and three divisions: Patrol, Support Operations and Investigations. Our motto, "Service With Pride," speaks to our focus on quality customer service and efficient service. We are committed to public safety and to implementing innovative crime-prevention techniques to ensure a safe and healthy community.
This is a POST PELLETB written examination. A T-score of 46 or higher is required to continue in the selection process.
Candidates must pass a thorough Police background investigation, polygraph examination, psychological evaluation and medical examination which will include a pre-employment drug screening.
The City of Oceanside is a proud participant in the Veterans Affairs On-the-Job/Apprenticeship Training Program.
The applicant examination process is divided into separate phases: written, a pre-background questionnaire, and physical agility. Individuals must successfully complete each phase prior to advancing to the next. Candidates who successfully complete the examination process will be placed on the eligibility list and will remain eligible for employment consideration for a minimum of six months.
The Examination Process:
All properly completed applications will be screened and the most appropriately qualified candidates will be invited to continue in the examination process which includes.
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A written examination (POST PELLETB) designed to assess job-related skills.
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A Pre-Investigative Questionnaire (PIQ).
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Physical Agility Test (PAT) consisting of four events:
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25 push-ups in 1 minute;
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30 sit-ups in 1 minute;
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165-pound dummy drag - 32 feet within 28 seconds; and
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1.5 mile run in 14 minutes and 55 seconds (14:55).
NOTE: Candidates who are not selected in the PIQ process must wait a year from the date of initial PIQ appointment to re-submit an application for testing and reconsideration.
The POST PELLETB is a multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank written examination designed to measure reading and writing ability. Candidates are given 2.5 hours to complete the POST PELLETB. Additional information regarding the POST PELLETB examination can be found on the POST website at www.post.ca.gov.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT POST PELLETB TEST WAIVERS:
The City of Oceanside WILL ACCEPT other agencies P.O.S.T. Test T-scores in lieu of taking the written exam under the following conditions:
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Other agency POST Test must have been taken within 6 months prior to the City of Oceanside's test date.
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Written exam test must be a POST PELLETB exam. No other type exam.
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Applicants must attach, to their application, a copy of their T-score on agency letterhead indicating the score received for Reading, Writing and Total T-score (46+) before the PAT/PIQ examination date.
The City of Oceanside WILL ACCEPT an associate's degree or higher in lieu of taking the written exam under the following conditions:
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The associate's degree of higher must be from an accredited college or university, OR
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There must be a foreign equivalency certificate issued by an accredited association.
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Applicants must attach, to their application, a copy of their degree or transcripts confirming the degree before the PAT/PIQ examination date.
NOTE: Any applicant who has taken the POST PELLETB exam within the last thirty (30) calendar days, with any other agency, from our examination date, need not retake the exam.
If you have taken the POST PELLETB exam within the last thirty (30) calendar days, submit a copy of your exam results with your application. If you received a t-score of 46+, you will be contacted, by email, regarding the PAT/PIQ examination time and location.
To be considered for the upcoming exams all application materials must be received before the examination date. Candidate will be notified via email when the examination has been scheduled.
A RESUMÉ WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR A CITY APPLICATION BUT MAY BE ATTACHED.
CANDIDATES WHO REQUIRE A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION IN THE SELECTION PROCESS SHOULD STATE THEIR NEEDS IN WRITING WHEN SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION.
THE PROVISIONS OF THIS BULLETIN DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED CONTRACT. ANY PROVISION CONTAINED IN THIS BULLETIN MAY BE MODIFIED OR REVOKED WITHOUT NOTICE.
