Youngstown Police Department looking to hire additional officers

As Youngstown police officials welcomed four new officers yesterday, they said there is still a need for 24 additional full-time officers to be fully staffed.

Youngstown police detective Jason Simon said the department has 131 sworn officers, but are authorized and budgeted for 155.

He said Youngstown police uses the same hiring criteria as other Ohio departments, but offers an incentive other departments don’t.

“The individual must be at least 21 years old and have completed the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy (OPOTA),” Simon said. “However, YPD will hire a candidate without OPOTA. We will then not only pay for their academy, but also pay them their salary while they are attending (4 months). This is a big benefit to the candidate.”

He said candidates for YPD must generally pass a Civil Service test (given by the Youngstown Civil Service Department) and a physical fitness standards test after that.

“They are thereafter ranked on an eligibility list,” Simon said. “YPD then takes the certified eligibility list and conducts the following: thorough background check by a trained investigator, psychological assessment, truth-verification test, interview with the Chief of Police and Command staff, drug screen and medical exam (a requirement of the OP&F pension system). An individual passing all of the aforementioned can then be hired.”

But he added that the city has recently bypassed the civil service test “and offered an application process where the candidates were scored on a qualitative matrix to assess their eligibility for employment.”

“Once this rubric was scored YPD conducted the background-check process as previously described,” Simon said. “This, or a similar process, may be offered again in the future. Additionally, the City is considering the possibility of lateral transfers from other agencies but that process has yet to be established.”

How much do Youngstown police officers typically make?

SImon said the salary for a patrol officer ranges from $43,700 ($21/hr) to $62,500 ($30/hr) depending on years-in-service.

“Those salaries are being presently negotiated to be higher,” he said. “In addition, because of the request and need for officers throughout the City and for the innumerable events held here, an officer can generally make a much higher salary by working overtime. There are a myriad of other stipends built into the collective bargaining agreement, including longevity pay, college incentives, and so forth.”

Is the Youngstown Police Department actively looking to hire? Where can people apply?

“There is not an active civil service list; you would have to contact the Civil Service Department to see when one is being offered,” Simon said. “Other options for hiring are being explored with the City Administration prior to this next test. Anyone looking to apply can continue to watch social media (we advertise on there), look for ads on television and radio, and check the City’s website for employment opportunities.”

How can people be notified about Youngstown Police Department employment opportunities?

“Individuals interested in applying can contact Officer Michael Bodnar (YPD Planning & Training) to have their name put on an email list for employment opportunities. His email is PtlBodnar@YoungstownOhio.gov.

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