Hiring new officers, checked Nov 13, 2026
Closed right now
Laterals: open now. Official jobs page .
The 10 steps, in order 1 Written examination Tests reading, grammar, spelling, writing and reasoning, with waivers for a degree or a recent PELLETB score. Prep for this step 2 Physical ability test Covers a 1.5-mile run, obstacle course, dummy drag and two fence climbs. Prep for this step 3 Pre-screen interview A recruiter reviews your background right after the physical test.
4 Oral interview A panel of department members assesses communication, judgment and motivation.
5 Background investigation Includes a personal history statement, polygraph, criminal history, credit check and driving record.
6 Captains interview You meet command staff, and a conditional job offer may be made.
7 Psychological evaluation A written assessment and a clinical interview with a licensed psychologist.
8 Medical examination A physician's exam that may include a treadmill stress test, vision and hearing checks.
9 Police academy Recruits attend the 26-week regional academy at Miramar College on full salary and benefits.
10 Field training New officers are assigned to a field training officer. The length is not published.
How long hiring takes Each agency's own stated figure. They do not all measure the same span, so check the note on each bar.
Minimum requirements At least 21 years old at appointment High school diploma or GED Vision no worse than 20/100 uncorrected in both eyes, corrected to 20/20 Valid California Class C driver's license U.S. citizen, or permanent resident who has applied for citizenship No felony convictions and free of most misdemeanor convictions Not published by this agency Pass times for the physical ability test Pass mark for the city written test How long the hiring process takes Field training length Hiring or lateral bonus Patrol shift schedule Tattoo and grooming policy Sworn officer count First assignment after field training Field training Not published
Officer pay differs by source. The recruiting site lists $112,242 to $136,182, the January 2026 lateral posting $104,416 to $126,922, and the January 2026 schedule $109,120 to $132,634.
No Police Recruit posting was open on the city jobs board on Nov 13, 2026. A lateral officer posting was open.
Sources, checked Nov 13, 2026: Carlsbad PD recruiting site · Recruitment process overview · Recruits page · Laterals page · Salary page · Incentive pay page · Retirement page · Take-home vehicles page · CPOA hourly salary schedule · Police Officer Lateral 2026 posting · City police About Us page · City FY 2026-27 budget · City fact sheet (undated) · City jobs board · California DOJ stop data, 2024
Color taken from the department's own logo.
Photo: The coast near Carlsbad from the air. Aerial view of California Coast, looking east by NE, toward Carlsbad and Encinitas.jpg by Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and tinted.
How to read this. Stop figures count people stopped in 2024, from the California Department of Justice stop data for San Diego County. A stop is a detention or search, so calls with no detention are not counted. "On foot" means any stop that is not a vehicle or bicycle. Pay is base pay a year, without overtime. Hiring and pay details come from each agency's own pages on the date shown and can change. "Not published" means the agency does not publish it.
The Police Index covers 11 agencies in San Diego County. It is independent and not affiliated with any agency. Figures come from public records and can be out of date, so confirm with the agency before you rely on one. Report an error .
