Recruitment Policies
Officers at the Austin ISD Police Department are committed to creating a safe working and educational environment and protecting Austin’s future by providing diverse levels of service, using problem-solving techniques and embracing lasting partnerships for all community members. We are always looking for qualified applicants who are willing to dedicate themselves to professional public service, team-building and having a true effect on student lives and the communities that AISD serves.
Basic Qualifications
All applicants for police officer or police cadet must be 21 years of age, have a high school diploma or United States equivalency certificate. College or university hours from an accredited institution are preferred. All applicants must comply with the hiring standards set forth in the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement requirements for peace officer licensing.
Find a TCOLE-licensed law enforcement academy.
Police Officer I & II
Currently Open: To apply for a Police Officer I or II position, you must:
- Have graduated from a TCOLE-licensed police academy.
- Be currently working as a police officer or have a current peace officer license that is in good standing with TCOLE.
To apply, visit Austin ISD vacancies and select Police Officer.
Police Officer Cadet
Now Accepting Applications: The Austin ISD Police Department periodically accepts applications for Police Cadet. This position is for people who want to become a police officer, but have not yet attended a police academy.
Applicants selected for this position will be sponsored by the Austin ISD Police Department to attend a local police academy for the Basic Peace Officer’s Course (BPOC).
Austin ISD Police Cadets will be provided with uniforms and equipment necessary for the academy, along with a Police Cadet salary (see job posting).
Once the Police Cadets graduate the BPOC and pass the State Licensing Exam, they will be sworn in as full-time Police Officers with the Austin ISD Police Department, with a competitive salary, stipends for education, bilingual, shift differential, and more!
Applicants who are selected and hired through this program must commit to a two-year service agreement with the Austin ISD Police Department.
To be considered, all applicants must comply with the hiring standards set forth in the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement requirements for peace officer licensing.
Applicants who have never attended or graduated from a TCOLE-licensed police academy may apply for the Police Cadet position when it is opened by viewing Austin ISD vacancies online.
How to Apply
Complete an online application. After registering on the site, applicants must then select a job ID code and submit the application. Our department will contact applicants via email when the application has been processed and applicants are scheduled for testing. Please be sure to supply a valid email address, complete address and telephone numbers. Ensure that all sections, including work experience and contact information for References, are completely filled out.
Applicant Testing
An email invitation to test with the department will include a set of instructions and a personal history statement that contains a list of documentation and paperwork that must be completed and submitted to the hiring coordinator on the test date. Invitations are typically sent out at least two weeks before the test date. The first two phases of the hiring process will likely occur in one day to accommodate applicants who need to travel long distances. Phase 1 consists of a physical agility test and a written test; Phase 2 consists of an oral interview board.
Modified Hiring Process for Experienced Officers
AISD Police has initiated a temporary change to the hiring process. The department is now accepting applications from police officers with a current Texas peace officer commission in good standing who have at least three continuous years of full-time law enforcement experience in Texas. Applicants for this modified process must have less than a 180-day break in full-time law enforcement service. Officers who meet this requirement, as well as the other requirements listed for a police officer position with the agency, will immediately move to Phase 2 of the hiring process upon submission of their personal history statement and related paperwork. This means that current officers with at least three years of experience will not be required to wait for the next testing day, nor will they be required to undergo the physical fitness or written tests.
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Applicants with three or more years of current or recent full-time paid law enforcement experience may be exempt at the discretion of the Hiring Coordinator.
The Austin ISD Police Department has moved to a new physical testing system that will consist solely of a rowing test on a Concept2 Rower. Please use the below link for more information, including standards based on the applicant's age, gender, and weight, and a link to learn proper technique.
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The National Police Officer Selection Test by Standard and Associates Inc. covers arithmetic, reading comprehension, grammar and writing skills.
- Study guide/practice tests available for purchase at ApplyToServe.com/Study.
- Applicants must score at least a 70 percent average on all four sections to pass.
- Applicants will be notified of their score the same day.
- Applicants with five or more years of current or recent full-time paid law enforcement experience may be exempt at the discretion of the Hiring Coordinator.
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Applicants who pass Phase 1 will return in the afternoon for an oral interview with a board consisting of sworn law enforcement personnel and civilian staff. Depending on number of applicants, interviews may be scheduled for another day.
Applicants who meet the requirements for the Modified Hiring Process will be scheduled for their board upon submission of their personal history statement and related paperwork.
Applicants from outside the immediate Austin area should bring a suitable change of clothes.
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A trained background investigator will conduct the inquiry for applicants who pass Phase 2 and move into the background investigation phase.
- Be Honest – Lying is grounds for immediate disqualification, and possible criminal charges.
- Be Thorough - Information left out of your Personal History Statement could result in disqualification.
- Be Accurate – Incomplete personal history statements will not be accepted.
- Applicants who pass Phase 3 will be scheduled for an interview with the Chief of Police
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Applicants who pass all phases of the hiring process will be placed in an Eligibility Pool
- Applicants will be selected based upon who the Department believes will best serve the District’s stakeholders and the Department’s Mission Statement.
- A Request for Employment will be made by the Austin ISD Human Resources Department.
- Applicants in the Eligibility Pool will be eligible for hire up to six (6) months after their test date.
- Applicants who are not selected within those six (6) months will need to reapply and retest.
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If selected, the applicant will be sworn in as a police officer for the Austin ISD Police Department by the Chief of Police. Applicants will then be placed into a mandatory Field Training Program, which lasts at least sixteen weeks, but could last longer or shorter based on years of prior full-time law enforcement experience and the officer-in-training’s ability to grasp the concepts of the job.
Upon completion of the program, officers will be assigned to a high school or middle school campus as a School Resource Officer, or will be assigned to the 24/7 patrol division. Newly hired officers will be on probationary status for the first year after their hire date.
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Austin ISD does not discriminate on the basis of sex, disability, race, religion, color, age, gender, sexual orientation and/or national origin.
- Police Officer 1 (0-2 years of full-time law enforcement experience) starting at $24.87/hr (yearly ranging from $51,928 to $63,329.04).
- Police Officer 2 (2 or more years of full-time law enforcement experience) starting at $26.61/hr (yearly ranging from $57,169.44 to $67,755.60).
- Cadets earn $22.18/hr [PD1] while attending the police academy (yearly $46,311.84).
- Stipends for bilingual ($100 per month) and field training officer ($100 per month).
- Shift differential of $1.10 per hour for overnight shift.
- Associate, bachelor's and master's degree stipends ($75, $150, $225 per month).
- Intermediate, Advanced and Master Peace Officer stipend ($75, $150, $225 per month).
- Comprehensive health coverage, including medical, dental, life insurance and flexible spending accounts.
- Participation in Teacher Retirement System of Texas, Social Security participation employee discount program and attendance incentive program.
- Minimum two-week TCOLE-approved summer training.
- Extensive opportunity to earn extra income through overtime and extra-duty assignments serving Austin ISD and surrounding communities.
- Full-time, year-round employment.
- Paid holidays (e.g., Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break, etc.), plus 10 paid vacation days.
The Austin ISD Police Department is an equal opportunity employer.
For more information, contact:
Austin ISD Police Department
Training & Recruiting Division
4000 S. I-H 35 Frontage Rd.
Austin, TX 78794
Recruiting: 512-414-1129
recruiting@austinisdpolice.org