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Why Loveland?

Located in the heart of northern Colorado just 45 minutes north of Denver and world class ski resorts, and 45 minutes south of Wyoming, Loveland is in a picturesque valley at the entrance to the Big Thompson Canyon. Known as the “gateway to the Rockies,” Loveland is only 35 minutes from Rocky Mountain National Park and is an ideal base camp for all northern Colorado adventures.

Art is appreciated throughout the city, with more than 200 sculptures, some in dedicated sculpture parks, two foundries, and three annual art shows. Due to its’ world-famous Valentine Remaining program, Loveland is also nicknamed “The Sweetheart City.” The Blue Arena at the Ranch is a 7200 seat venue that hosts rodeos, concerts and sporting events throughout the year.

The downtown area includes stellar local restaurants, the Foundry community gathering place of shops, restaurants, eat-in movie theater, and entertainment. From an authentic arts community to unique shopping districts to world-class recreation, including nearby Devil's Backbone, Loveland has everything to love! More detail is available for Visitors as well from the Loveland Chamber of Commerce.

The population of Loveland is approximately 80,000. Loveland PD employs 119 sworn officers and nearly 70 professional staff.

Loveland Police Department is an equal opportunity employer. Applications are accepted whenever there is an active job announcement posted. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the LPD Hiring Disqualifier Policy and other requirements prior to submitting an application. Applicants may schedule a Ride Along with an officer to learn more about the department. Contact the City of Loveland Human Resources Department at 970-962-2371 with general questions about the application process.

Police Hiring & Recruiting Office: 970-962-2213

Background Investigation

We maintain the highest standards in the selection of our personnel since we depend upon them to provide the best quality service delivery possible to the Loveland community.

Part of the hiring process is a complete and extensive background investigation. Applicants must be very up-front and honest regarding their personal and professional history. The information on all documents that are completed as a part of the selection/hiring process will be examined and researched as part of the background investigation. Candidates are given the opportunity to make corrections and update information prior to the start of the selection process. If intentional omissions or misleading / falsified information is detected, it may be grounds for disqualification from the process. The background investigation examines:

Criminal History/Involvement with Illegal Drugs
Past Employment Performance
Residential History
Military Records
Financial History
Driving History
Civil Court Records
Personal References
Education/Campus Disciplinary records

Applicants are also strongly encouraged to review the Loveland Police Department Hiring Disqualifier Policy for questions about eligibility, as well as Policy 3.18 Personal Appearance for questions about tattoos, beards, etc.

Candidates who previously participated in a hiring process and were unsuccessful are subject to a waiting period before reconsideration, according to criteria on the Candidate Eligibility list.

Officer Benefits

View the City of Loveland Benefit Guide, the sworn Officer Retirement Plans, and the current Pay Plan for detailed information.

Medical, dental, and vision insurance
Employee health clinic
Flexible Spending Accounts
Vacation and medical leave
96 hours of paid Holiday Time employees can use throughout the year
In-house gym available to employees 24/7
Incentivized (pay or time off) fitness testing and pro-active check-ins with the department psychologist
Short-term and Long-term disability plans
FPPA Death / Disability coverage paid by department
Employee Assistance Program
In-house staff psychologist available to all employees
Life insurance and retirement plans
- Officers are required to contribute 10% of their base salary to a Money Purchase Plan while the City contributes up to 15%.
Take-home car
All equipment and initial uniforms (except footwear) provided by the department
$900 yearly uniform allowance
Issued Glock and AR-15 style rifle
State of the art Northern Colorado Law Enforcement Training Center facility
Overtime paid for court appearances
Numerous overtime and special event pay eligible extra duty jobs, including City sponsored events and Blue Arena concerts, sporting events, etc.
Over 30 collateral assignment opportunities to include SWAT, K9, drone team

Professional Staff Benefits

View the City of Loveland Benefit Guide and the current Pay Plan for detailed information.

Medical, dental, and vision insurance
Employee health clinic
Flexible spending accounts
Vacation and medical leave
96 hours of paid Holiday Time employees can use throughout the year
Incentivized (pay or time off) fitness testing and pro-active check-ins with the department psychologist
In-house gym available to employees 24/7
Retirement plan with match
Employee Assistance Program
Short-term/Long-term disability and Life insurance plans
In-house staff psychologist available to all employees

Recruit Police Officer

Loveland PD hires approximately six months in advance of police academy, which begin in January and August each year.

The Recruit Police Officer selection process consists of:

Frontline test (video-based Human Relations, Reading, Incident Observation & Report Writing)
Pre-Interview Questionnaire (worksheet)
Oral board interviews (Initial / Executive)
Conditional job offer
Comprehensive background investigation, including a drug screen, psychological exam, medical evaluation, polygraph exam, and fingerprinting
Final job offer

To be eligible for a Recruit Police Officer position, candidates must meet the following minimum requirements by the date of hire:

At least 21 years of age
90 quarter hours or 60 semester credit hours or an Associate's Degree, from an accredited college or university -OR- 3 years of active US military service with honorable discharge accepted in lieu of educational requirement
Must reside within a 25-mile radius within 12 months of hire date
Not meet any disqualifying criteria

POST Certified Police Officer

Residence Radius MapThe POST-certified Police Officer selection process consists of:

Frontline test (video-based Human Relations, Reading, Incident Observation & Report Writing)
Pre-Interview Questionnaire (worksheet)
Oral board interviews (Initial / Executive)
Conditional job offer
Comprehensive background investigation, including a drug screen, psychological exam, medical evaluation, polygraph exam, and fingerprinting
Final job offer

To be eligible for a Police Officer position, candidates must meet the following minimum requirements by the date of hire:

At least 21 years of age
Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) certification from an approved academy or provisional certificate
90 quarter hours or 60 semester credit hours or an Associate's Degree, from an accredited college or university -OR- 3 years of active US military service with honorable discharge accepted in lieu of educational requirement
Must reside within a 25-mile radius within 12 months of hire date
Not meet any disqualifying criteria

Lateral Police Officer

Residence Radius MapThe Lateral Police Officer selection process consists of:

Pre-Interview Questionnaire (worksheet)
Oral board interview (Executive)
Conditional job offer
Comprehensive background investigation, including a drug screen, psychological exam, medical evaluation, polygraph exam, and fingerprinting
Final job offer

To be eligible for a Lateral Police Officer position, candidates must meet the following minimum requirements by the date of hire:

At least 21 years of age
Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) certification from an approved academy or provisional certificate
At least 2 years of sworn Patrol experience (equivalent to a peace officer under CRS 16-2.5-101)
Must reside within a 25-mile radius within 12 months of hire date
Not meet any disqualifying criteria

Pay Plan and Hiring Bonus

Lateral Police Officers with 2-3 years of patrol experience start at step 1 of the Pay Plan, and a $15K hiring bonus.
Lateral Police Officers with 3-5 years of patrol experience start at step 2, and a $15K hiring bonus.
Lateral Police Officers with 5+ years of patrol experience start at step 3, and a $15K hiring bonus.
Lateral Police Officers also receive a 3 week vacation bonus

911 Communications Specialist

The 911 Communications Specialist selection process consists of:

CritiCall Skills Test (remote/online)
Oral Board interview
Conditional job offer
Comprehensive background investigation, including a drug screen, psychological exam, medical evaluation, polygraph exam, and fingerprinting
Final job offer

To be eligible for a Communications Specialist position, candidates must meet the following minimum requirements by the date of hire:

At least 18 years of age
High school diploma
Not meet any disqualifying criteria

To be eligible for a Lateral Communications Specialist position, candidates must meet the following minimum requirements by the date of hire:

Above requirements for Communications Specialist
At least 3 years of experience and employed as a Communications Specialist/Dispatcher within the last 12 months, including:
- Operated an integrated CAD, radio, and phone system with multiple screens
- Been a call taker and dispatcher for police, fire, and EMS
- EMD certified
Not meet any disqualifying criteria

Hiring Bonus

Entry level Communication Specialists receive a $500 hiring bonus upon completion of training, and $500 upon one year anniversary.
Lateral transfer Communication Specialists receive a $2,000 hiring bonus upon completion of training, and $2,000 upon one year anniversary.

Records Specialist

The Records Specialist selection process consists of:

Aptitude test
Oral Board interview
Conditional job offer
Comprehensive background investigation, including a drug screen, psychological exam, medical evaluation, polygraph exam, and fingerprinting
Final job offer

Records unit filing paperwork To be eligible for a Records Specialist position, candidates must meet the following minimum requirements by the date of hire:

At least 18 years of age
High school diploma
Not meet any disqualifying criteria