Prior to the oral interview, the applicant will go over the background packet with a Police Officer and complete a short written essay.
The Interview by personnel from the Bismarck Police Dept. A score of 60% is needed to pass the interview.
At the conclusion of the interview process, a final score is obtained using the interview score. Top candidates will be placed on a certified hiring list.
As positions become available, applicants from the certified hiring list will be offered a job contingent on successfully completing steps 5 through 11.
This will test the applicant’s strength, cardio-vascular function, endurance capabilities and job related function.
A background investigation will be completed on any applicant considered for employment.
The psych test will be scheduled at the Bismarck Police Dept. after the applicant has successfully completed the polygraph exam.
A polygraph exam will be scheduled at the Bismarck Police Dept. after the conditional job offer has been accepted.
The medical exam is conducted by a physician at UND Center for Family Medicine in Bismarck.
Done with a certified test at Sanford Occupational Health Center in Bismarck.
Date of hire begins your 8-week pre-service training with a trip to the City of Bismarck’s Human Resources department. During that time you will fill out necessary employment paperwork: W4, insurance/beneficiaries, sign up for optional coverages, if desired – (dental, vision, FLEX plan, additional life insurance, etc.). Your compensation and benefits begin on that day at 8:00 AM. Most of the morning is spent there. Upon your return to the Police Station, you will begin training.
The 8 week pre-service is quite intensive. We will train you to be a Police Officer with our Department, learning how we take care of the day to day tasks such as: report writing, crime and crash scene investigation, use of force laws/rules/policy, firearms (handgun, shotgun and rifle), use of intermediate weapons (Taser, pepper spray and collapsible baton), emergency vehicle operations (EVOC), First Aid and CPR. You will learn to use our technological assets in a computer which also includes operating the Mobile Data Computer (MDC) in the squad car. You will also be trained in defensive tactics to learn how to effectively overcome physical resistance with personal skills. The course ends with training scenarios pitting you against a trained instructor to evaluate how much of the training you have retained. You will be required, in a variety of scenarios, to correctly interpret and address the situation to direct it to the desired conclusion.
Upon successful completion of the pre-service training, you will be assigned to a Patrol section shift for the Field Training and Evaluation Program (FT&EP). This is designed to last for 3½ months for inexperienced recruits and may be shortened in an accelerated course if the recruit has prior experience. You will be assigned to your Primary Field Training Officer (FTO) for your first phase (6 weeks). In the second phase (4 weeks), you are assigned to a 2nd FTO to further your training, skills and knowledge followed by 2 weeks with a Traffic FTO for specialized training. For the third phase you return to the Primary FTO for the final evaluation period, lasting about 2 weeks. Every day that you work in the field, your FTO will be observing, guiding and evaluating you through your tasks. A Daily Observation Report will be written about the day’s activities and you will be scored in 10 categories. At the end of that time, the Field Training Board meets to discuss the results of your FT&EP program. Most candidates are passed onto the next phase which is solo assignment on your own, without an FTO; almost always on the shift you worked through the FT&EP program.
Sometime in the first year of employment, if the candidate is without a license or eligible to be licensed as a North Dakota Peace Officer, they will have to attend and successfully complete the Police and Sheriff’s Basic Training Course. The course is 12 weeks long, and Bismarck Police Officers will be paid and their benefits will continue while attending. This is held at the North Dakota Law Enforcement Training Academy (LETA) located in Bismarck on the BSC campus. Local officers may stay at home rather than rooming in the attached dormitory, provided they are always on time and don’t miss any of the training. Failing to do so will require them to move into the dorm for the remainder of the training.
During the first year of employment with the City of Bismarck, the candidate is on probation and will be evaluated quarterly. Near the end of that year, a 4th evaluation will be done and a decision is made to change the probation status to regular status or to release.
Your first year of employment will be a whirlwind of learning and broadening experiences. Having an open mind and a strong desire to learn are critical factors to having a successful probationary period. The police field is a somewhat unique profession. Teachers, medical professionals, and lawyers have to have all of their training done and certifications earned before they may be hired. Police agencies may hire minimally qualified people and in essence build a Police Officer from the ground up. We will do our utmost to train you as effectively as possible. However, it is up to every candidate to diligently apply that training in order to succeed.
