UCPD Careers

Consider a career in public safety or law enforcement at the foremost public institution of higher learning in the nation.

The University of California Police Department (UCPD) provides a full range of public safety and law enforcement functions in support of the academic, research and public service missions of the University of California, Berkeley.  We serve a diverse population of more than 43,000 students, over 14,000 employees and thousands of community members and visitors.  The historic UC Berkeley campus is tucked between the Oakland Hills and downtown Berkeley in one of the most densely populated parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, yet is easily accessible via BART and other public transportation.

Community Hiring Panel

We have added a Community Hiring Panel interview to our rigorous selection process to open the door for full community engagement and transparency in our career staff hiring.

Interested in participating on the Panel? Contact us: 

ucpd_admin_division@berkeley.edu

Services Tailored to Our Unique Community

In addition to the traditional role of a police department UCPD delivers a variety of proactive services and programs tailored to the unique needs and concerns of the UC Berkeley community.  We take pride in providing meaningful public service, a philosophy of partnership with the campus and community, and the goal of consistently assessing and improving our efforts.  We are interested in ethical, intelligent, creative and motivated candidates who possess the desire and talent required to address the unique challenges of our urban campus environment. We offer a wide variety of assignments and a public service experience unlike any other agency.

To search and apply for currently open career positions at UCPD, please visit https://jobs.berkeley.edu/ and filter for University Police jobs.

Find Out More

For additional information about these and other career opportunities at UCPD, please contact Administrative Sergeant Jacob Westlie at (510) 642-1157 or jwestlie@berkeley.edu.

The following job descriptions are only for general information – refer to any current job listings for the most up-to-date and accurate description of job duties, requirements and qualifications.

Police Officer

Salary Range : $100,641 - $165,000 (with max. incentives)

$12,000 Hiring Bonus!

3% at 50 Retirement Plan

Police Officers are the primary representatives of the University of California Police Department, directly responsible for delivery of public safety and law enforcement services on and near the campus and other properties owned, controlled or occupied by the University. Police Officers work under the general direction of, and report directly to, a Sergeant of Police. Police Officers must work independently as well as collaboratively, carrying out instructions and self-initiating activity in a manner consistent with law, regulations, department policies and standard procedures.

Police Officers engage in preventative patrols on foot and by vehicle, and respond to calls for service from University affiliates and the general public. They make arrests, conduct investigations, prepare necessary documentation and testify in court. They maintain custody of and arrange for the proper disposition of evidence, contraband and lost & found property. Police Officers provide for security and safety of persons and property at University ceremonies and events. Police Officers may routinely work evening, night and weekend shifts, and all officers can be required to work mandatory overtime assignments, to attend off-site training and to provide mutual aid to other agencies or locations, based on the needs of the department.

Police Officers are provided with On Duty Workout time.

Candidates for the position of Police Officer must:

  • Be at least 21 years of age at the time of appointment
  • Possess a valid California Driver License
  • Have earned a valid high school diploma or the equivalent
  • Be a US citizen or have applied for citizenship (and achieve citizenship within three years)
  • Have no felony convictions
  • Be a sworn peace officer in the State of California within the previous three years, hold a valid California POST Basic Police Academy certificate or hold a valid California POST Basic Course Waiver (Lateral or Academy Graduate)
  • Meet all other requirements for peace officers as established by law and the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST).

Candidates for the position of Police Officer should have:

  • A Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience
  • Excellent verbal and written skills and the demonstrated ability to interact with a diverse community
  • Ability to use vehicles, computer systems, weapons and other technologies and tools employed by police agencies
  • Understanding of modern policing issues, philosophies, practices and trends as applied within the University environment.

Additions to base pay include:

  • Intermediate POST: 6% or, Advanced POST: 10%
  • Specialty Assignment: 5%
  • Special Response Team: 5% (stackable with up to two (2) other special assignments)
  • On-Call Stipend: 2%
  • Allowance: $2,000/annually
  • Bilingual Stipend: $1,950/annually
  • Education Stipend: A.A. $100, B.A. $200, M.A. $300/monthly
  • Tuition Discount

Public Safety Dispatcher

Salary Range : $80,701 - $107,574

$5,000 Hiring Bonus!

A Public Safety Dispatcher (PSD) is responsible for maintaining communications between the Police Department and the public, as well as between officers in the field and other public safety employees and agencies. PSDs wear a police-style uniform and work under the general direction of, and report directly to, a PSD Supervisor. PSDs operate the University of California Police Department (UCPD) communications center, which is a fully computerized environment and a 911 Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). PSDs are required to multi-task and prioritize according to department need in a manner consistent with law, regulations, department policies and standard procedures.

Public Safety Dispatchers assign and coordinate personnel and resources in response to emergency situations, in-progress crimes and other calls for service. PSDs operate a police radio, Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system, telephones and other various law enforcement telecommunications and computer systems. They monitor campus alarm systems, security cameras and provide customer service via telephone and at the department's main public counter after business hours. PSDs work evening, night and weekend shifts, with some mandatory and volunteer overtime assignments available. Occasional duties include general administrative functions such as data entry, filing and record-keeping, assistance with booking prisoners, processing warrants, and other assigned duties based on the needs of the department.

Public Safety Dispatchers are provided with On Duty Workout time.

Candidates for the position of Public Safety Dispatcher must:

  • Be at least 18 years of age at the time of appointment
  • Possess a valid California Driver License
  • Have earned a valid high school diploma or the equivalent
  • Have the legal right to work in the United States on a permanent basis
  • Have no felony convictions
  • Meet all other requirements for public safety dispatcher as established by law and the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST)

Candidates for the position of Public Safety Dispatcher should have:

  • Prior experience as a Public Safety Dispatcher
  • An Associate's degree or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience
  • Excellent verbal and written skills and the demonstrated ability to interact with a diverse community
  • Ability to use vehicles, computer systems and other technologies and tools utilized by police agencies
  • Understanding of modern policing issues, philosophies, practices and trends as applied within the University environment

Security Patrol Officer

Salary Range : $55,770 - $62,807

$3,000 Hiring Bonus!

Security Patrol Officers (SPO), are full-time, non-sworn career employees of the University Police Department. SPOs wear a police-style uniform and work under the general direction of, and report directly to, a SPO Supervisor. SPOs provide high profile, uniformed public safety services on campus and other nearby sites owned or controlled by the University. SPOs provide premise security, engage in preventive patrols in vehicles, on bicycles, and on foot, and perform other support tasks for the police department.

SPO responsibilities include:

  • Handle routine and emergency calls for service, and respond to certain types of alarms
  • Work at strategic stationary posts, in order to control access and provide public safety or other assistance to the public
  • Provide for the safety of persons and property at University special events and can be called upon to assist with transportation, booking, and searching of prisoners
  • Make written reports and issue certain types of citations as necessary
  • Report security violations or hazardous conditions, and are expected to take action to correct situations or to ensure that correction takes place
  • Shift work, including night and weekend assignments.

Work hours and days off are subject to change based upon SPO program operational needs and at the discretion of the SPO program manager based upon department needs. It is important to maintain a flexible work schedule in order to ensure the SPO program can meet its obligations and accomplish its mission.

Candidates for the position of Security Patrol Officer must:

  • Be 18 years of age at time of appointment, and must possess a valid California driver's license.
  • Have excellent communication skills and good judgment under pressure.
  • Applicants may be required to provide proof they have a legal right to work permanently in the United States.
  • Applicants convicted of felonies or serious misdemeanors will not be considered, and successful candidates are subject to an extensive background investigation.

Records Analyst

Salary Range : $67,275 - $92,352

The Records Analyst is tasked with a wide variety of customer service and clerical support duties within the Police Department. Records Analysts wear a police-style uniform and work under the general direction of, and report directly to, a Records Supervisor. Records Analysts must perform accurate electronic data entry and review, efficient processing and routing of police reports and other official and confidential information, excellent front-counter assistance to members of the public and answering and effectively routing routine and urgent calls from multi-line telephone systems. At times, Records Analysts may be required to assist with the booking and processing of prisoners or perform a wide variety of other tasks in support of the mission of the police department.

Records Analysts must be flexible and willing to adjust their schedule at times to meet the needs of the police department – they may be required to work overtime, nights, holidays and weekends. Attention to detail, strong customer service skills, the ability to multi-task, the ability to use a wide variety of electronic systems and programs, and the ability to work with minimal supervision are all highly valued abilities of the Records Analyst.

Records Analysts responsibilities include:

  • Complex data entry into the Records Management System and checking the quality of the data to ensure accuracy
  • Processing incoming and outgoing police reports in an efficient and timely manner in accordance with unit procedures
  • Providing assistance and answer questions for members of the University community and the general public who contact the police department for both routine and emergency services
  • Taking fingerprints and processing necessary paperwork for job applicants
  • Handling incoming cash and receipts
  • Assistance to the Records Supervisor with other reports, projects and duties as assigned.

Candidates for the position of a Records Analyst must:

  • Be 18 years of age at time of appointment, and must possess a valid California driver's license.
  • Have excellent communication skills and good judgment under pressure.
  • Applicants may be required to provide proof they have a legal right to work permanently in the United States.
  • Applicants convicted of felonies or serious misdemeanors will not be considered, and successful candidates are subject to an extensive background investigation.

If you are interested in student jobs with UCPD, please visit the Community Service Officer (CSO) Program page.

Picture of UC Berkeley Police Department's career hiring flyer