If you have a passion for law enforcement, the Mobile Police Department will meet your highest expectations.

This is a career choice with many rewards. As a metropolitan police force of more than 500 officers, the Mobile Police Department offers a wide range of work experience from traditional patrol work to highly specialized assignments.

It's a stable job with good pay and outstanding benefits, such as comprehensive health coverage, 50 percent tuition reimbursement, family medical leave and take home cars. All equipment is supplied by the department to our officers.

At 15 years on the job, an officer is vested in his retirement. At 30 years, a retiring officer earns a pension for life of 72.5 percent of the last three years’ average salary, plus lifetime enrollment in the city’s health plan.

On the job, patrol officers work 12-hour shifts at the Mobile Police Department. By working two rather than three shifts in a 24-hour day, officers end up working a total of seven out of 14 days and are scheduled a three-day weekend every two weeks. It’s a family-friendly work schedule.

Once out of patrol, officers can specialize in a wide variety of assignments. Some of those include The Tactical Response Unit, Youth Services, Narcotics and Vice, the Canine Unit, motorcycle and mounted patrols, Intelligence, Internal Affairs and Community Policing. Our Homeland Security unit takes a lead role in securing the land and water borders of our community.

The level of training at the Mobile Police Department is high to assure that our officers can meet the demands of the job. Recruits receive 600 to 700 hours of academic instruction compared to the state requirement of 480. Course work covers the gamut of law enforcement work: civil and criminal law, traffic law, physical training, driving instruction, weapons training, combat training, defensive tactics and much more. A full 80 hours is devoted to the handling of difficult situations such as domestic violence with weapons, felony traffic stops, difficult pursuits, etc.

The Department utilizes cutting-edge technology and equipment, giving our officers the advantage in intelligence gathering and combat situations. Department-wide computer analysis of crime trends and hot spots provides key data for tactical planning and deployment of resources.

The Mobile Police department has met the stringent requirements of accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc.

QUALITY OF LIFE
The setting and opportunities of the city of Mobile are unique and highly desirable. Located at the foot of the Mobile River, the city offers abundant recreational opportunities that include the pristine river delta, the expansive Mobile Bay waters and the immaculate white sand beaches of the Gulf of Mexico. Mardi Gras and the Mobile Opera exist side by side among a wide array of leisure-time pursuits

The area is exceptionally affordable as well, with the overall cost of living index at 88.8 percent of the national average. The housing cost of living index is ranked at a low of 75.7 percent of the national average, providing exceptional affordability for home purchases. For these and other reasons, Mobile is often ranked in Money Magazine's "Best Places to Live" annual survey.

WAGES & BENEFITS

For a starting police officer, wages vary according to level of education:
  • $26,616 for a high school diploma or its equivalent.
  • $27,946 for an Associate Degree
  • $29,277 for a Bachelor's Degree
  • $30,740 for a Master's Degree
Benefits include:
  • Health and Dental administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama.
  • Prescription drug coverage administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama.
  • Twenty (20) year retirement at age 55 to a maximum benefit of 72.5 percent of base pay at 30 years.
  • Health insurance upon retirement at 20 years.
  • Take home vehicle program.
  • Uniforms, weapons and other police equipment.
  • Basic life insurance and accidental death and disability paying two times annual salary to a maximum of $75,000.
  • Dependent life insurance of $2,000 for each dependent covered by the city health plan.
  • Employee assistance program providing confidential counseling for individual, family, couples, substance abuse, and more.
  • Thirteen (13) paid holidays.
  • Paid sick leave.
  • Built-in overtime.
  • Per diem.

The Civilian Cadet Detail

The Civilian Cadet Detail brings in potential recruits between the ages of 17 and 22 seeking an apprenticeship in law enforcement. (A recruit must be 20 years of age to join the police force.) Cadet candidates must have the equivalent of a high school diploma and are required to apply for a position through the Mobile County Personnel Board. They must pass a written test, a physical fitness test and an interview. A cadet has an advantage over other candidates for the police force in that they will get a variety of assignments throughout the Mobile Police Department, exposing them to many aspects of police work. Cadets are paid employees and receive all city benefits. For detailed information, click here.


HOW TO JOIN

The Mobile Police Department usually operates two Academy Classes per year. The application process starts at the Mobile County Personnel Board. At this time, the board will accept only an ORIGINAL application form. Interested persons are asked to contact the Personnel Board directly for applications and testing dates.

To contact the Mobile County Personnel Board:
Mobile County Personnel Board
P.O. Box 66794
Mobile, AL 36660-1794
[251] 470-7727

All entrance tests for these civil service positions are open and competitive. Public notice is given at least two weeks in advance of the holding of any test. Such notice specifies:

  1. The dates, time, and place of the examination.
  2. The title or class of the position and salary.
  3. The period during which applications will be received.
  4. Age limits, physical qualifications and citizenship requirements, if any.
  5. Minimum qualifications as to experience and education
  6. A general description of the duties.
  7. The weights to be assigned the different elements of the test.
Recruiters with the Mobile County Personnel Department are trained professionals holding baccalaureate degrees in professional/business administration or related fields. In addition to the professional staff, the clerical staff of the Personnel Department provides ongoing information to candidates seeking careers in law enforcement.

You may contact the primary recruiter for the Mobile Police Department, Lt. Kay Taylor, at 251-208-1935, or kay.taylor@cityofmobile.org.

We seek a diverse, highly qualified work force.