Careers at Tampa Police Department

Visible tattoos that do not detract from the professional appearance of the person, uniform, or the police department are authorized while on duty.  Any unauthorized tattoos (as determined by the department) shall be covered while in uniform.  For more information about the tattoo policy please ask our personnel unit.  

The P.A.T. (Physical Agility Test) is an obstacle course style assessment that the Tampa Police Department uses to evaluate applicants. 

The P.A.T. includes:

• Exiting a vehicle/opening a trunk
• Running 220 yards
• Completing an obstacle course
• Dragging a 150-pound dummy
• Running an obstacle course (repeat)
• Running 220 yards (repeat)
• Dry firing a weapon six times with each hand
• Placing items in a trunk/entering a vehicle

Applicants begin the P.A.T. seated in a full-size automobile with their seatbelt on, and their hands on the steering wheel at the ten and two o'clock positions. Each applicant wears a pull-away flag belt, with a flag over each hip, around their waist. The trunk key is in the vehicle's closed glove compartment. A handgun and a baton are lying in the vehicle's closed trunk.

Applicants must complete the course in 5m:04s.

If you have no prior military or law enforcement experience you will need to attend a Police Academy in the State of Florida. Hillsborough Community College, St. Petersburg College and Pasco-Hernando State College all offer a full time and part-time academy in the Tampa Bay area.

• Hillsborough Community College
• St. Petersburg College
• Pasco-Hernando State College

The Tampa Police Department sponsors a determined amount of candidates each year to attend the Police Academy.  These candidates receive full-time wages and benefits in addition to paid tuition, equipment and books, while they are enrolled in the Academy.

No. Depending on your actual job in the military you may qualify for a two week Equivalency of Training Course.  Review the FDLE Equivalency of Training webpage or locally review the St. Petersburg College Equivalency of Training Academy.

If you were an officer in the state in which you finished the police academy for at least one full year, you may qualify to complete a two-week equivalency of training course (EOT) in Florida. Contact the Florida Department of Law Enforcement at (850)410-8600 or visit the website for information on the Equivalency of the Training process.

The entire hiring process generally takes 3-6 months, which is dependent on several factors, including how quickly our inquiries are answered by your previous employers, personal references, and neighbors.

Possession of an Associate’s Degree or completion of 2 years of college coursework from an accredited college or university (60-semester or 90-quarter hours) OR high-school diploma and three (3) years of prior law enforcement or corrections experience at a department of medium-to-large size OR high-school diploma and three (3) years of full-time, active military experience OR   High-school diploma and five (5) years of experience as a member of the Tampa Police Department Reserve Force OR  An equivalent combination of college education, related work experience, or TPD Reserve Force experience.

Yes. New hires having previous full-time sworn law enforcement experience, accumulated within the four-year period prior to the hiring date may be eligible to start at a higher pay grade.

• Less than two years previous full-time sworn law enforcement experience will start at the first step of their particular classification.
• Two years or more, but less than four years will start at the second step.
• Four years or more previous experience will start at step three.
• You may buy up to five years of previous experience into our pension plan.  Cost is dependent on several factors that are determined by the pension office.

• New officers earn a base salary of $72,051 (Up to $78,561 with prior experience).
• Senior officers (Master Patrol Officers) earn at Least $117,000 after 10 years of service.

The Tampa Police Department offers a tuition reimbursement program which pays $3,500/semester for undergrad studies, $4,500/semester for master studies, and $6,000/semester for a doctoral studies. Officers also receive additional payment for having a degree; Associates-$30/month, Bachelors-$50/month. 

Officers work a 4 day on 4 day off schedule, virtually working half of the year. In addition, Officers earn 12 paid holidays, 4 flex days, and 2 floating holidays.