Job Description
The City of Mankato Public Safety is actively recruiting police officer candidates with strong critical thinking skills, effective communication, and a proven dedication to community policing. We welcome both entry-level and experienced lateral entry candidates. - Candidates that are not currently eligible for licensing but expect to complete the MN POST exam by September 1, 2025, are encouraged to apply.
Minimum Qualifications of Education and Experience: - Associate’s Degree in Police Science, Law Enforcement or Criminal Justice from an accredited university, college, or vocational technical institute. (Must have completed a program requiring actual classroom instruction and training, excluding programs exclusively by correspondence, or such other education as may be considered equivalent.)
- Licensed by the Minnesota Police Officers Standards and Training (P.O.S.T) Board or be eligible to be licensed by the Minnesota P.O.S.T. Board by September 1, 2025. (both academic and skills training completed)
- Must possess a valid driver's license and be able to drive in the state of Minnesota.
What the City of Mankato offers: 2025 SALARY SCHEDULE - Police Officers starting at Entry Wage Progression Officers starting at Entry Wage will move to the next step upon successful completion of FTO during the next compensation increase cycle (March 1, July 1, November 1)
Police Officers who receive "meets expectations" during their annual performance evaluation will move to the 1 year step.
2025 | Entry Wage | Upon FTO Completion Step | 1 Year Step |
| Base Wage + 1.75% add to base for all hours worked in lieu of time and half for holiday pay | $37.51 | $39.24 | $41.06 |
2025 Full Salary Schedule Police Officer wage rates include base wage + 1.75% add to base for all hours worked in lieu of time and half for holiday pay.
| 2025 | Entry | Upon FTO Completion | 1 Year | 2 Year | 3 year | 4 year | 5 year | 6 year | Senior Step |
| Base Wage | $36.86 | $38.57 | $40.35 | $42.22 | $44.08 | $46.01 | $47.93 | $49.80 | $51.27 |
Base Wage + 1.75% add to base for all hours worked in lieu of time and half for holiday pay
| $37.51 | $39.24 | $41.06 | $42.96 | $44.85 | $46.82 | $48.77 | $50.67 | $52.17 |
Wellness and Growth Benefits - Peer Support Program
- Comprehensive officer health and wellness resiliency program (Provicta)
- Physical, mental, nutritional, spiritual, and financial wellness
- Variety of 10-to-12-hour workdays (promote more days off)
- On-site workout facilities with on-duty use and/or 24-hour access.
- Continual training opportunities to develop successful officers.
- In-field, online, in-person, in-house, and external development opportunities
Specialized Unit Opportunities Detective Division, Tactical Response Team, Police Training Officer, BCA ICAC Task Force,
School Resource Officer, Auxiliary Units, Drug & Veterans Court, Toward Zero Deaths, Hostage Negotiator, Predatory Offender Monitoring Team, Drug Task Force
Instructor: Taser, Firearms, Defensive Driving, Field Force, Defensive Tactics, Integrated Communications and Tactics, PepperBall, Use of Force
I f you have any questions about the application process, please email Melissa Weston, Human Resources Specialist at
[email protected] If you have any questions about the roles of a Mankato Police Officer, please call or email Jeremy Clifton, Director of Public Safety , at 507-387-8782 or
[email protected] - The hiring process will include but is not limited to review of qualifications; departmental orientation, panel interviews; background check, psychological evaluation, physical and drug screen.
If interested, apply here - Get to know our department! How Mankato Police Officers Impact their community: Mankato Police Officers are progressive problem solvers who partner with the community to build trust and to help prevent crime from occurring. Police Officers serve as the primary arm to promote safety and to protect the public. The partnership between the Mankato police and community members is critical in helping to find solutions to solve community problems.
Learn more about Mankato Public Safety!
Primary Essential Work Functions: - Performs all duties assigned in connection with the operation of the Police Division. Actively supports, demonstrates understanding of, and participates in the Department of Public Safety Community Policing Philosophy.
- Detects and responds to law violations and hazards to public safety; inspects businesses and residential areas for signs of criminal activity.
- Identifies and utilizes progressive nuisance and crime prevention techniques. Identifies and monitors areas, whether self-identified or identified by the community, where public nuisances or criminal activities are occurring or are likely to occur.
- Conducts proactive patrol activities within assigned areas of the city, concentrating on assigned areas of responsibilities or assigned neighborhoods.
- Enforces state and federal laws and City ordinances and apprehends those suspected of committing crimes.
- Enforces laws governing the operation of motor vehicles and their operators and laws relating to bicycle and pedestrian traffic; observes and corrects hazards to motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic; assists disabled or distressed motorists; investigates motor vehicle accidents; issues citations and warnings; makes arrests.
- Promotes the Community Policing Philosophy within the department; maintains good community relations through communication and interaction with citizens and businesspeople of the community; participates and represents the City and department at various functions.
- Responds to and secures crime scenes; directs other responding units; identifies, obtains, and secures evidence.
- Provides enforcement when crimes are committed or in incidents of criminal activity and responds to and takes reports of incidents; completes follow-up investigation when possible; interviews victims, witnesses, suspects, and others.
- Prepares crime reports and assists investigator as needed. Assists prosecuting attorneys with the preparation of cases as directed; testifies in court.
- Operates automobiles for extended periods of time in all environmental conditions. Operates vehicles at high speeds and in congested traffic.
- Responds to identified problems to situations that may be perceived as problems by members of the community, whether criminal or non-criminal. Initiates appropriate responses by partnerships, including other non-public safety resources.
- Conducts preliminary investigations on non-criminal matters, and documents facts necessary to provide for appropriate responses by other non-police resources to community issues and/or nuisances as necessary to maintain public order and safety.
- Performs strenuous activities wearing body armor and other equipment in all weather conditions.
Other Work Functions: - Performs physical and mental demands and work environment requirements for this position.
- Attendance during regularly scheduled work hours and outside regular hours as necessary.
- Effective and respectful communication and interactions with other employees, supervisors, individuals from other organizations, and community customers.
- Performs other related work as assigned or apparent.
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Conditions of Employment: - Must maintain a primary residence within sixty (60) minutes’ drive to the Public Safety Center driving under normal conditions and posted speed limits within one (1) year of employment.
- Must be a citizen of the United States or eligible to work in the US under federal requirements.
- Must possess a valid driver's license and be able to drive in the state of Minnesota. A Minnesota driver’s license must be obtained within thirty (30) days of employment.
- Must satisfactorily complete a background investigation, physical examination, and drug testing.
- Must satisfactorily complete a psychological evaluation from a licensed psychologist.
- Must complete EMR training or equivalent according to MN POST board minimum selection standards (MN Rule 6700.0700) within six (6) months of employment.
- Ability to pass medical standards for self-contained breathing apparatus; and ability to wear self-contained breathing apparatus while performing work duties.
- Shall not have been convicted in any state or federal court of any felony. All applicants shall be fingerprinted, and a thorough search be made of the fingerprints through local, state, and federal fingerprint files to disclose any criminal record.
- Must meet MN P.O.S.T Board Standards of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officers (6700.0700 and 6700.1600) which prohibits use of force, misuse of officer authority, misconduct, conviction or engaged in conduct unrelated to law enforcement responsibilities and criminal history.
- Must refrain from consuming and utilizing tobacco and nicotine products on and off duty.
- Must comply with organizational and departmental policies.
- Must comply with data practices policies and standards relative to not public data. Any access to not public data should be strictly limited to accessing the data that are necessary to fulfill the employment responsibility. While data are being accessed, incumbent should take reasonable measures to ensure the not public data are not accessed by individuals without a work reason. Once the work reason to access the data is reasonably finished the not public data must be properly stored according to city policy and the Minnesota Statutes.
- This is a safety sensitive position and is prohibited from use of cannabis on and off duty and use of alcohol on duty.
- Safety Sensitive Notice. This is a safety sensitive position which requires cannabis pre-employment drug testing. Safety sensitive position means a job, in which an impairment caused by drug, alcohol or cannabis usage would threaten the health and safety of any person.
HOURS OF WORK: Hours and days of work for this position will vary by shift assignment.
Job Tags
Holiday work, Full time, Local area, Felony friendly, Shift work,