Employment Overview

The Great Falls Police Department offers a challenging career and opportunities to those interested in serving their community as a law enforcement officer. Typically, two to three officer positions are filled each year. Testing for police officers occur on a continuous basis through the Montana Law Enforcement Testing Consortium (more info below). The eligibility of an applicant is maintained for a period of one year.

The testing process, from beginning to end, including background investigation, takes two to three months. The final list and ranking order will determine which applicant will be sent to the Montana Law Enforcement Academy for training and when.

To Begin the Process

All candidates (including Entry level and Lateral Officers) who wish to test for the Great Falls Police Department must pass a written exam and physical fitness assessment. The exam and assessment is conducted and proctored by members of the Consortium with support from the Montana Law Enforcement Academy. Following registration, a study guide will be mailed prior to the scheduled examination to help you prepare for the written test.

For your convenience, it is not necessary for you to take the test in Great Falls. If distance or timing is an issue, you may schedule your examination at a different testing site. At the conclusion of the testing cycle, all Consortium members receive a final list of those eligible.

The Great Falls Police Department holds applicants to high standards. You must pass both parts of this process, to include the written and physical fitness assessment to be considered eligible.

Lateral officers, see the Lateral Police Applicant page for eligibility information and additional details.

For information regarding the application process, please contact Lt. Lockerby, (406) 455-8556.

The hiring process consists of several steps:

STEP 1

1. Complete and pass a written exam and physical fitness assessment. The written exam requires a passing score of 70% and the physical fitness requirements are established through the Montana Law Enforcement Academy.
   
2. The Great Falls Police Department is a member of the Montana Law Enforcement Testing Consortium (MTLETC). The purpose of the Consortium is to provide a combined testing process for multiple Montana law enforcement agencies which will create a qualified applicant pool of candidates.

In simple terms, this is one-stop shopping for the police applicant to apply with multiple (participating) police agencies. MTLETC will conduct testing in different locations around the state at different times throughout the year. The Great Falls Police Department considers a qualified applicant to be eligible for hire for one year from their original date of MTLETC testing. The MTLETC, on the other hand, allows eligibility for 18 months from the date of testing. For full details on the application process and how to register, follow the link to http://mtletc.org/index.php

The Great Falls Police Department only recognizes applicants who are on the MTLETC hiring list. Once you have succeeded with this step, each agency then processes applicants differently as their hiring protocols dictate. The GFPD proceeds with the following…

STEP 2

1. Behavioral Personnel Assessment Devices (B-Pad) Video Assessment - pass/fail basis (Entry Level officers.) Lateral officers, click here.
2. If pass, then complete and return the Personal History Statement within two weeks of receipt. The Personal History Statement may also be downloaded from this link, however, a password must be entered which can only be provided by Lt. Lockerby.

STEP 3

Formal Oral Board - Each applicant will be asked a series of ten questions, which are worth ten points each (total of 100 points). There is also a pass/fail standard for this portion.

Applicants who successfully complete the above three steps will be ranked in order. The list will be determined from each applicant's performance (score) from the following areas:

1. Written score
   -weighted at 30% of total score
2. Oral Board score
   -weighted at 50% of total score
3. B-Pad Video Assessment score
   -weighted at 20% of total score

HIRING LIST

From the results of the steps above, a ranked list will be developed. There will be two lists of eligibility; one for entry level applicants and one for lateral officers. Management will make the final decision as to what list it draws from based on circumstances, department needs, basic academy slots, applicant availability, and training cycles.

Because testing is always on-going, be aware that the hiring list is fluid. Eligibility and ranking with applicants can change during each testing cycle. Final test scores, expired eligibility, withdrawal for consideration, or failed background investigations can quickly move applicants up and down the list.

After the list is compiled, background investigations will be initiated and will be completed in order of ranking on the list. If candidates are successful in passing the background investigation, a Conditional Offer of Employment will be made provided there are openings. Upon acceptance, the candidate will proceed to Step 4.

STEP 4

1. Medical Physical
2. Drug Screen test
3. Psychological exam
4. Review by Great Falls Police Commission for approval or denial

Minimum Qualifications:

• U.S. Citizen
• Eighteen years of age
• Height & weight in proportion
• Visual acuity - correctable to 20/20
• Able to pass a color vision test
• High school diploma or equivalent (college degree preferred)
• MT driver's license, or ability to obtain within 60 days
• No convictions for which imprisonment could have occurred in a federal or state penitentiary
• Good moral character
• Ability to establish and maintain an effective working relationship with supervisors, co-workers and the public
• Interpersonal and problem-solving skills
• Willingness to work with community

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