Job Details

As a proud member of the Temple Police Department, you have an opportunity to protect and serve a community made up of diverse, hardworking, creative, and passionate people.

The TEMPLE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION announces an open competitive examination to fill position(s) in the Temple Police Department.

Date: Saturday, January 31, 2026
Exam Time: 9:00 a.m.
Location: Temple College Pavilion
130 East Marvin R Felder Drive
Temple, TX 76504

Register online at:

Online registration must be completed by 5:00 p.m. CST on Monday, January 26, 2026. Please note that those in possession of a DD214 should upload it at the time of registration.

APPLICANTS WHO PASS THE WRITTEN EXAM & ROW TEST WILL BE PROVIDED A LINK AND INSTRUCTIONS TO UPLOAD THE COMPLETED PERSONAL HISTORY STATEMENT (PHS) AND REQUIRED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION by 5:00 p.m. CST on Friday, February 6, 2026.

Download the fillable Personal History Statement (PHS) here:


RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT FOR EMPLOYMENT: MUST BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO A CIVIL EMERGENCY WITHIN A FORTY-FIVE (45) MINUTE TRAVEL RESPONSE TIME.

BASE SALARY: $35.25 / hourly - Effective 9/26/2025, uniforms furnished - (Non-Certified Officers and TCOLE Certified Officers with LESS than one year of prior service as a police officer)

HIRING INCENTIVE:

No Law Enforcement experience - $5,500
3+ Years of Law Enforcement - $7,500
In-State TCOLE Certified Officer - $15,000
RELOCATION INCENTIVE
In-State - $3,000
Out-of-State - $5,000

***Newly hired police officer applicants are eligible to receive the moving incentive, provided that the move is into the city limits of Temple and occurred after the date of the conditional job offer, but prior to 90 days after the completion of the field training program. The move must be greater than 45 minutes from Temple PD Headquarters to within 45 minutes of Temple PD Headquarters.

Applicants certified by the State of Texas as a police officer with MORE than THREE (3) years of continuous service are eligible for a sign-on incentive and will be evaluated as outlined in the Meet & Confer Agreement between the City of Temple, TX and the Temple Police Association and placed in the appropriate pay scale.

Upon completion of the required probationary period, police officers receive pre-set step increases based on years of service with the Temple Police Department through YEAR SEVEN (7); one year below highest step per Meet & Confer Agreement.

HOURS OF WORK: As assigned

Examination Eligibility:
• Be a United States citizen
• Be at least 21 years of age at the time the applicant presents himself / herself to TCOLE for the state licensing exam and be no more than (56) years of age on the date they apply for employment with the Department.
o Be at least twenty (20) years of age, will turn twenty-one (21) years of age by academy graduation date, and obtains approval from the Chief of Police.
o An applicant younger than twenty-one (21) years of age may apply if the applicant is at least 18 years of age and meets the educational qualifications as set forth in section 23 (viii) of the Rules and Regulations of the Temple Fire Fighters' and Police Officers' Civil Service Commission.
• Never been convicted of a felony offense
• Be of good moral character and reputation
• Education Requirement: a high school diploma or a high school equivalency certificate or an honorable discharge from the armed forces of the United States after a minimum of 24 months of active duty
• Valid driver's license issued by the state of Texas
• An honorable discharge (if a veteran) from the armed service of the United States
• Proficiently read, write, and fluently speak the English language
• Meets all the requirements of the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement for licensing Police Officers.

LATERAL ENTRY PROGRAM:

To be eligible, an applicant must:
• Have a current TCOLE Peace Officer license or challenge the TCOLE exam and complete the required training within 6 months from the date of hire.
• Be no more than 56 years of age on the date they apply for employment with the Department.
• Be currently employed with a law enforcement agency or have been substantially engaged in law enforcement duties within the twenty-four (24) months immediately prior to application with the Department.
• Have an honorable standing within their previous department.
• Not be under any type of investigation with their previous department.
• Have two (2) or more years of work experience as a sworn state or federal law enforcement officer.
• Take and pass a Civil Service entrance examination.
• Complete and pass a background investigation and the City of Temple and Temple Police Department hiring process.
• Successfully complete a Field Training Program of not less than eight (8) weeks at the discretion of the Department Head, and
• Successfully complete a twelve (12) month probationary period.

RE-HIRE PROGRAM:

To be eligible, an applicant must:
• Have a current TCOLE license
• Be no more than 56 years of age on the day they apply to be re-hired
• Be in good standing with their current employer
• Have been previously employed as a Temple Police officer for at least two (2) years
• Have been in good standing with the Temple Police Department at the time of separation
• Apply for re-hire no more than:
o Six (6) months after the applicant's date of separation from the Temple Police Department, or
o Twelve (12) months after the applicant's date of separation from the Temple Police Department on the condition that the officer has maintained their TCOLE license, or
o Twenty-four (24) months after the applicant's date of separation from the Temple Police Department on the condition that the applicant was employed by another law enforcement agency in Texas during the entire 24-month period.
• Have separated from the Department no more than once during their law enforcement career at the time of application,
• Complete and pass a background investigation and the City of Temple and Temple Police Department hiring process, and
• Successfully complete a twelve (12) month probationary period.

OTHER INFORMATION: An eligibility list is established as a result of this open competitive examination.

Applicants that possess an Honorable Discharge from any branch of the armed forces of the United States, served in the armed forces for not less than one year on active duty, received an honorable discharge and score a passing grade on the entrance exam will receive an additional five (5) points to their grade (a copy of the DD214 Member 4 form must be turned into Human Resources no later than 5:00 PM on the first business
day following the exam).

Any person requesting an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act in taking the entrance exam must request the accommodation in writing and present the documentation to the Director of Civil Services at least three weeks prior to the closing date for registration.

Applicants who pass the examination and who are certified for appointment are required to pass a physical examination to confirm the applicant's ability to perform the essential functions of a police officer.

THE LIST OF ELIGIBLE CANDIDATES ESTABLISHED AS A RESULT OF THIS EXAMINATION are considered for appointment to vacancies that may occur in the Temple Police Department for a period of one (1) year, unless the list is otherwise exhausted.

SIGN-ON INCENTIVE: Applicants certified by the State of Texas as a police officer with MORE than THREE (3) years of continuous service are eligible for a sign-on incentive and will be evaluated as outlined in the Civil Service Local Rules and placed in the appropriate pay scale.