ANNOUNCEMENT OF EXAMINATION
POLICE SERGEANT
DUTIES: Provides leadership, supervises, plans, organizes, coordinates and directs the activities of assigned squad, unit, or work shift in general law enforcement, investigations, technical or support operations.
SALARY: $3,258.40 - $4,475.20 is a complete bi-weekly salary range effective July 12, 2026, Collective Bargaining Agreement.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Candidates must indicate their interest by submitting an online City job application by Friday, July 24, 2026. Candidates must meet the minimum qualifications by the announcement closing date to be eligible for testing. Transcripts must be submitted with the application or be in the candidate's personnel file, as maintained by the Department of Human Resources, to verify education requirements are met.
NOTE: According to Merit rule 10.1(c), no
City Employee "shall be deemed eligible for promotional examination whose last service rating was not satisfactory."
SELECTION PROCESS: The selection process will consist of multiple phases. The phases include:
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Written Exam
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Assessment Center
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Past Performance Evaluation
Top candidates will move to a background investigation and any required post-offer testing. Post Offer Testing may include a medical examination, polygraph, and psychological exam.
Please Note: The City reserves the right to adjust scheduled dates and locations as needed.
Written Exam:
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Wednesday, September 30, 2026, the exact time and location of the written exam will be announced at a later date.
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Written exam scores will be rounded to the nearest whole number.
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Candidates must have a score of 70 or above to proceed to the Assessment Center phase of the selection process.
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Candidates will be notified via email when materials may be picked up. (The issuance of study materials is not a guarantee a candidate has met all eligibility requirements. Human Resources will verify candidate eligibility.)
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Candidates will need to sign a confidentiality agreement at the time they pick up their study guide from Human Resources.
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Questions or concerns regarding written exam questions will be accepted after completion of the examination. In accordance with Merit Rule 5.12, written protests must be submitted in writing no later than 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
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All candidates will be notified of any scoring adjustments in writing.
Assessment Center:-
Week of October 19, 2026
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Candidates will be scheduled at a specific time to begin the assessment.
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Location to be announced.
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Assessors from outside agencies will be selected by the City.
The Assessment Center may consist of several exercises such as a written exercise, in-basket, role-play, panel interview, oral presentation and/or group discussion exercises, and will measure a set of dimensions from among the following:
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Leadership
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Judgment and Decision-Making
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Honesty and Integrity
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Oral Communication
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Problem-Solving
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Interpersonal Skills
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Planning and Organizing
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Written Communication
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Management and Supervisory Skills
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Conflict Resolution
Candidates will be provided an Assessment Center Orientation, which will provide Assessment Center information and define the plausible dimensions to be measured during the process. Candidates will receive a notification at a later date regarding the orientation information.
Past Performance Evaluation:
The Police Department supervisory staff will conduct a structured review of a candidate's past job performance over the candidate's most previous three (3) years of department tenure. Evaluators will include a minimum of two (2) supervisors, typically from the candidate's chain of command. The evaluation instrument will measure dimensions such as: Job Knowledge, Public Relations and Contacts, Written Communication, Ethics & Integrity, Oral Communication, Problem-Solving, Initiative, Work Relationships, Decision-Making, Responsibility, and Safety. Other items to be evaluated include attendance, sustained Internal Affairs complaints, and work performance. Resource documents available to evaluators will include the candidate's file as maintained by the Police Department and internal affairs demeanor reports.
SCORING: In accordance with Merit Rule 6.2, final scores will be rounded to the nearest whole number. Weights for final score calculations are as follows:
Written Exam: 30%
Assessment Center: 60%
Past Performance Evaluation: 10%
Leadership Philosophy
The City of Springfield’s leadership culture is grounded in processes, relationships, and trust. Leaders across the organization operate within the principles of The Trust Edge Framework®, which emphasizes:
Clarity, Compassion, Character, Competency, Commitment, Connection, Contribution, and Consistency
These principles guide how we work together, build relationships, and serve our community.
ELIGIBLE LIST: Per Merit Rule 6.2, candidates will be ranked on the eligible list in order of final score, beginning with the highest final score. In addition, the Springfield Police Officers' Association (SPOA) Collective Bargaining Agreement, Article 12.5, states all ties in final scores will be broken by department seniority. If there is still a tie, the tie will be broken by Department Serial Number (DSN), lowest to highest, or respective Police Academy records per the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The eligibility list established by the examination process shall expire six (6) months from the date established or when exhausted unless extended per Merit Rule 6.4.
FEEDBACK REPORTS: Each candidate who completes the Assessment Center testing phase will receive a written feedback report by the middle of March 2025.
CERTIFICATION OF NAMES: Names will be certified to the Police Chief in accordance with Merit Rule 7.2, regarding Certification of Eligibles, and the SPOA Collective Bargaining Agreement. The number of vacancies determines the number of names certified. Future appointments to the position of Police Sergeant from this selection process are expected to take place no earlier than March 2025.
The City of Springfield promotes equal employment opportunities to all without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with a disability, or other legally protected status. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment.
Individuals with disabilities who believe they will need an accommodation to undergo any part of the interview, examination, or pre-employment process, should request a reasonable accommodation in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act prior to the testing or appointment. Requests should be requested by contacting City of Springfield Human Resources by phone, 417-864-1607, or in person at the Municipal Busch Building, 840 Boonville Ave. Springfield, MO 65802.
Proof of United States Citizenship/Authorization to Work in the United States as established by the Immigration Reform Act of 1986 is a condition of employment. We are committed to a drug-free workplace. Pre-employment drug testing is required.
All interested candidates MUST complete the City of Springfield on-line application in its entirety. The candidate profile must include all employment history with accurate and complete information prior to submission. Resumes alone will not be accepted as the application, but they may be submitted as supplemental documentation.
