Recruitment

Become an Ohio University Police Officer!

**Applications are currently being accepted, apply through OHIO's online job site. **

There are many benefits to becoming an Ohio University Police Officer:

WAGES AND LATERAL TRANSFER (Effective July 1, 2023)

  • $5,000 signing bonus
  • Top base pay for officers is $36.16 per hour ($75,212 per year base)
    • Educational incentive:
      • Officers with an associate's degree earn an additional 2% per hour ($36.89/hr, $76,731 per year base)
      • Officers with a bachelor's degree or higher earn an additional 4% per hour ($37.62/hr, $78,250 per year base)
  • New employees who do not have an OPOTA commission earn $21.95 per hour while in the academy.
    • Upon graduation from the academy, new officer starting pay is $26.34 per hour ($54,787 per year base, plus educational incentive if applicable)
  • New officers with OUPD who have prior law enforcement experience may be eligible for advanced placement in the wage steps upon initial hire (up to Wage Pay Step 4 - $33.64 per hour) and are also exempt from the physical fitness testing component (current and valid OPOTC certification required for exemption).
  • Opportunities to work overtime as they arise for 1.5X hourly rate.

SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL

  • Shift differential paid at 0.45/hr for any hours worked on patrol between 5PM and 7AM

LONGEVITY INCENTIVE

  • Officers with 10 years of service or more and a sick leave balance of at least 200 hours may cash out up to 40 hours of sick leave for pay each December.

EQUIPMENT

  • All newly hired officers are issued 5 new full uniforms to include duty gear and equipment.
  • Quartermaster system for uniforms and equipment - old or damaged items are replaced as necessary at the department's expense.
  • Officers have a declining balance allowance of $525 (Effective July 1, 2022) for cleaning and pressing uniforms.  The department contracts with a local laundromat to arrange for weekly pickup and drop-off directly from the department for ease of use for employees.

VACATION

  • Officers immediately begin earning vacation time at a rate of 2 weeks per year
  • At 5 years of service, officers earn 3 weeks of vacation per year
  • At 10 years of service, officers earn 4 weeks of vacation per year
  • At 20 years of service, officers earn 5 weeks of vacation per year

HOLIDAYS

  • Officers have 12 paid holidays throughout the year, one of which is the officer's birthday as a floating holiday.

SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS

  • Once an officer has completed his/her probationary period, she or he is eligible for assignments such as:
    • Bicycle Officer
    • Field Training Officer
    • Firearms Instructor
    • RADAR/LIDAR Instructor
    • Less Lethal Instructor (Taser, OC Spray, baton, etc)
    • Evidence Room Manager
    • Explosive Detection Canine Handler
    • Detective
    • Narcotics Detective
    • Community Relations Officer
    • Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) Instructor
    • Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) Instructor
    • Other opportunities as available

RETIREMENT

  • Officers contribute to the Ohio Public Employee Retirement System - Law Enforcement (OPERS-LE). Contributions to the plan are tax-deferred and deducted automatically each pay period.

TUITION

  • Free tuition (with the exception of general fees) at Ohio University and Hocking College.
  • Free tuition (with the exception of general fees) for the employee's spouse or domestic partner and dependent children at Ohio University

LIFE INSURANCE

  • Officers are provided basic life insurance at no charge. In the case of an officer's death, your beneficiary will receive two and one-half times your salary, up to $50,000.
  • Officers may buy additional life insurance at a low group rate.

MEDICAL BENEFITS

  • Ohio University offers a PPO medical plan administered by Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
  • Vision coverage is administered by Vision Service Plan (VSP) and varies depending on employment type.
  • Dental plan
  • Optional orthodontia plan

For a full listing and explanation of Ohio University benefits, please visit the Human Resources Benefits page.

QUESTIONS? Contact Lt. Brittney VanBibber at (740) 593-1911 or cottrilb@ohio.edu