The San Francisco Police Department was established in 1849 and continues to evolve as an effective, inclusive, and modern police organization. We are focused on maintaining the trust of the people who live, work, and visit San Francisco by reviewing our initiatives, learning from best practices, and adapting to the changing needs of the City.

The San Francisco Police Department stands for safety with respect for all. We are committed to just, transparent, unbiased, and responsive policing carried out with dignity and in partnership with the community. We collaborate with community members and City partners to promote safety, fairness, and trust across San Francisco, with an emphasis on strong relationships and support for the well‑being of our neighborhoods.

The Department is dedicated to excellence in law enforcement and to the people, traditions, and diversity of San Francisco. Our mission is to keep the public safe by protecting life and property, preventing crime, and reducing the fear of crime. We provide service with understanding, respond with compassion, and perform with integrity as we continue to grow as a forward‑thinking organization serving one of the most dynamic cities in the country.

Specific information regarding this recruitment process are listed below

Application Opening: June 26, 2026
Application Deadline: Apply immediately, announcement may close any time after two weeks from posting date.
Class & Compensation: $131,872.00 - $172,588.00
Appointment Type: Temporary Exempt - This position is excluded by the Charter from the competitive Civil Service examination process and shall serve at the discretion of the Appointing Officer.
Work Location: SFPD Headquarters, 1245 3rd Street, San Francisco, CA 94158
Work Schedule: This position may require occasional travel and extended work hours to support recruitment events, community outreach, and hiring activities

Role description

Under general direction, the Police Recruiter serves as a key member of the San Francisco Police Department's Recruitment Unit and is responsible for attracting, engaging, and guiding qualified candidates through the Police Officer hiring process.

This position functions as both a recruiter and candidate success advisor, building relationships with prospective applicants from initial outreach through academy appointment. The Police Recruiter develops and executes innovative recruitment strategies, conducts outreach to diverse communities, and provides individualized guidance to candidates navigating SFPD's multi-stage hiring process. The Recruiter serves as an ambassador for SFPD, ensuring candidates remain informed, engaged, and competitive throughout the hiring process.

Key Responsibilities

Police Officer Recruitment & Outreach

Develop and execute recruitment strategies focused on increasing applications for Police Officer.
Represent SFPD at career fairs, community events, colleges, universities, military transition programs, athletic organizations, and public safety recruitment events.
Build partnerships with educational institutions, community organizations, veterans’ groups, and workforce development programs to create sustainable candidate pipelines.
Deliver presentations promoting careers in law enforcement and the benefits of serving with the San Francisco Police Department.
Develop targeted outreach campaigns designed to attract diverse and highly qualified candidates.

Candidate Engagement & Hiring Process Navigation

Serve as the primary point of contact for prospective police officer candidates throughout the hiring process.
Educate candidates on hiring requirements, timelines, testing procedures, background investigations, academy preparation, and appointment expectations.
Conduct applicant orientation sessions, hiring workshops, and examination preparation seminars.
Monitor candidate progress through each stage of the hiring process and proactively address barriers that may impact candidate success.
Maintain regular communication with applicants to improve engagement, reduce attrition, and increase hiring conversion rates.
Assist candidates in understanding and preparing for the written examination, physical ability testing, oral interview, background investigation, and other onboarding requirements.
Collaborate with Command staff, Sworn, and Civilian staff to understand workforce needs, provide recruitment updates, and recommend strategies to strengthen candidate pipelines.

Recruitment Marketing & Employer Branding

Develop recruitment marketing campaigns utilizing social media, digital advertising, video content, and community outreach initiatives.
Create compelling recruitment materials that showcase career opportunities, compensation, specialized assignments, advancement opportunities, and community impact.
Collaborate with sworn and professional staff to develop authentic recruitment messaging and candidate success stories.
Evaluate recruitment trends and recommend innovative strategies to increase applicant volume and improve candidate quality.

Data Analysis & Program Improvement

Track applicant movement through the recruitment funnel and identify areas contributing to candidate drop-off.
Analyze recruitment metrics including application volume, testing participation, background completion rates, academy appointments, and hiring outcomes.
Develop reports and recommendations to improve recruitment effectiveness and hiring efficiency.
Collaborate with background investigators, hiring staff, and command personnel to improve candidate experience and reduce time-to-hire.
Maintain accurate and confidential recruitment records in accordance with departmental policies.

Performs other related duties as required.

Education: Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. AND
Experience: Two (2) years of verifiable full-time professional-level experience in recruitment.

Education Substitution: Additional years of experience as listed above may substitute for up to 2 years of the required degree on a year for year basis (30 semester/ 45 quarter units equals one year).

Desired Qualifications

Experience recruiting, conducting outreach, or engaging communities within public safety, law enforcement, military, or other uniformed service environments.
Strong ability to build relationships and engage effectively with diverse communities, including delivering presentations or representing an organization at public events.
Experience using applicant tracking systems, recruitment analytics, or digital outreach tools to support data‑informed recruitment strategies.

Note: One year of full-time employment is equivalent to 2000 hours. (2000 hours of qualifying work experience is based on a 40-hour work week.) Any overtime hours that you work above forty (40) hours per week are not included in the calculation to determine full-time employment.

Verification of Education and Experience:Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://sfdhr.org/how-verify-education-requirements

Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

All work experience, education, training and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.

Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility or disqualification.

Background Investigation:Prior to employment with the San Francisco Police Department, a thorough background investigation will be conducted to determine the candidate’s suitability for employment. The investigation may include, but not be limited to: criminal history records, driving records, drug/alcohol screening, and other related employment and personal history records. Reasons for rejection may include use of controlled substances and alcohol, felony conviction, repeated or serious violations of the law, inability to work with co-workers, inability to accept supervision, inability to follow rules and regulations or other relevant factors. Candidates may be required to undergo drug/alcohol screening and must clear Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation fingerprinting. Criminal records will be carefully reviewed; candidates who do not report their complete criminal records on their applications will be disqualified. Applicants will be fingerprinted.

Recruiter Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the Recruitment Analyst, Danny Wan, at danny.wan@sfgov.org

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco

SFPD Recruitment: https://www.joinsfpd.com/

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.

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