DPS Recuirement FAQ

• One year of work experience (does NOT have to be law enforcement).
• High school diploma or equivalent to graduation from high school date of application.
• Appropriate valid driver's license date of application and maintenance thereafter.
• Be at least 21 years of age at the time of job offer.
• Be a United States citizen at time of job offer.

• Conviction of a felony in the state of Nevada, or any offense which would be considered a felony if committed in the state of Nevada.
• Conviction of any crime for which you were required to register and/or a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence including use or attempted use of physical force.
• Conviction of unlawful use, sale, or possession of a control substance.

The department has several personal appearance standards.

• While on duty, and/or representing the City of Las Vegas, uniformed or otherwise, all department employees will be neat and clean in their appearance in public.
• Employees are prohibited from attaching, affixing, or displaying objects, articles or jewelry on or through the nose, tongue, eyebrow, or other exposed body part, except females are allowed one post or stud earring per ear, while on duty.
• All employees are prohibited from stretching or "gauging" their earlobes.
• Any jewelry implants will not be exposed or visible while on duty.
• Tattoos or branding will not be exposed or visible while on duty and/or representing the City of Las Vegas or the Department. Such markings must be covered by clothing and may NOT be covered by make-up or bandages.
• Tattoos or branding anywhere on the body that promote racism/discrimination, indecency, extremist or supremacist philosophies, lawlessness, violence, or contain sexually explicit material are prohibited.

View the list of department hiring standards.

You can email our recruiter Ron Prewitt atrprewitt@lasvegasnevada.gov

Most positions within the department require some type of civil service test in order to place candidates on an eligible list. The type of test required is specific for each recruitment and can be found on any active job posting on our career page.

We are currently using National Testing Network (NTN) for our sworn officer positions. The test for our Deputy City Marshal recruitments is the Law Enforcement exam. The test for our Corrections Officer recruitment is the REACT test.

Look for our NTN job posting under the state of Nevada heading.

The job of a peace officer can be very physical. To ensure candidates can handle the physical requirements of the job and the rigors of the academy, we administer the Nevada POST Physical Fitness Test for the candidates who are moving on from the background process.

The Nevada Administrative Code Section 289.200 sets the physical fitness standards required for a law enforcement recruit. These standards must be achieved to successfully complete an academy. The City of Las Vegas uses these standards to test applicants for sworn officer positions. This is a PASS or FAIL test. Failing any one of the standards is considered a failure for the entire test. Watch the video.

City of Las Vegas Testing Standards:

• Vertical Jump (15 inches)
• Agility Run (19.5 seconds)
• Sit-Ups (30 qualifying sit-ups in 60 seconds)
• Push-Ups (23 qualifying push-ups; no time limit; but can rest in up position)
• 300 Meter Run (69 seconds)
• 1.5 Mile Run (16 minutes, 57 seconds)

Yes, candidates for all sworn and non-sworn positions will need to complete an intensive background review, which includes a polygraph.

The background investigation will include, but is not limited to, a comprehensive review of a candidate’s:

• Personal data and citizenship information, including an applicant’s birth certificate, citizenship or naturalization papers, and the presence of tattoos, brands, or other body art, dermal piercing and scarification;
• Current and past residences, temporary or permanent;
• High school and college grades, achievements, extracurricular activities and programs, history of absenteeism and/or tardiness, and disciplinary history;
• Military service, if any, including branch of service, service records, and discharge;
• Employment/work history, including interviews of current and former employers, discipline, terminations, and unemployment records;
• Financial status, including assets, debts, reported income, liens, civil judgment, and liabilities;
• Fraternal, societal, and workplace affiliations such as clubs, social networking sites, fraternities, sororities, and charitable and volunteer organizations;
• Adult and juvenile criminal history including arrests, convictions, or pretrial intervention for state, county, or local crimes or other offenses, whether or not expunged; and
• Motor vehicle history, including accidents, driving records, summonses, surcharges, license revocations, failures to appear in court, warrants, vehicle ownership information, and insurance information.

Applicants who demonstrate derogatory conduct that conflicts with the expectations of the position may not move forward in the process.

You are expected to provide complete and truthful answers to the questions on the application and other documents throughout the selection process. All responses and documents submitted will be subject to verification.

An applicant who intentionally provides false information, any deception or fraud in the application, or in any examination, interview, application, or any other part of the selection process for appointment will be disqualified from the selection process at any time.

• Birth Certificate
• Current Driver's License
• Social Security Card
• Court documentation of any legal name changes
• Copy of driving history/abstract from each state you have been licensed to drive
• Copy of marriage license for each marriage
• Copy of divorce decree(s) if applicable
• Copy of high school diploma, college certificates or degrees
• Sealed transcripts (unopened/sealed envelope directly from academic institution) for each educational institution attended
• Copy of DD214 if prior military service
• Copy of personnel file/internal affairs file/evaluations from previous law enforcement agencies if previously employed in law enforcement
• P.O.S.T. certificates from other states (if applicable)
• Names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth of spouse and/or cohabitant you have a child in common with

No, only certain positions require the candidate to complete a psychological suitability assessment.

Sworn Officer Positions:

• Deputy City Marshal
• Corrections Officer

Non-Sworn Positions:

• Animal Control Officer
• DPS Communication Specialist
• Law Enforcement Support Specialist
• Locksmith
• Materials Management Technician (evidence control)

The PSA is a screening designed to evaluate whether you can handle the stress that accompanies a career in law enforcement. It helps the department determine whether you can mentally handle the violence, long work hours and shocking crime scenes.

Every day as a police officer can present situations that can be emotionally and mentally challenging and the police psychological exam is the police department's method for evaluating whether a candidate is mature, responsible and stable enough to manage it.

 For our non-sworn positions which require a PAS, the assessment results are scaled to relate and reflect the duties of each particular position.

 Generally, the PSA will measure:

• History of drug use
• Any personal biases the candidate may have
• Integrity
• Impulse control
• Judgment
• Ability to successfully manage stress
• Dependability
• Appropriate attitudes about sexuality
• Ability to handle supervision
• Reasons the candidate chose a career in law enforcement
• Honesty
• General intelligence
• Reasonable courage

Candidates who make it to the PSA are being actively considered for hire and should expect a very competitive process with only a percentage of candidates receiving a job offer.

Command Staff meet to hear the results of each candidate’s background investigation, polygraph, and psychological suitability assessment. An overall evaluation of each candidate is developed during this meeting.

Academy selections depend on many factors. The department always evaluates more candidates than they have open positions. Other considerations include, academy availability, budget, and approvals to hire.

Recruits selected for our entry-level positions will attend academy training with the Southern Desert Regional Police Academy. The academy for Deputy City Marshal is approximately 22 weeks and the academy for Corrections Officer is approximately 12 weeks.

 Recruits are city employee during the academy and receive pay and benefits.

Training is both tactical and academic, with a strong emphasis on physical fitness.