The Police IndexStop data: 2024 · Pay and hiring checked Nov 2026

How to get hired at Coronado Police

44 swornStarts at $101,364Applicant Score 26
Hiring new officers, checked Nov 13, 2026
Not offered

Laterals: open now. Official jobs page.

Time to hire
3 to 6 months
Whole hiring process for lateral officers, per the department's recruiting FAQ. It says academy graduates take longer.
Written test cutoff
Not published
Physical test
Not published
Lie detection
Polygraph
Academy
Not published
Not published (the department does not sponsor recruits; applicants must have finished a POST academy)
Pay in the academy
Not published
Not published (no pre-academy recruit rank is being hired)

The 10 steps, in order

  1. 1
    Online applicationApply through the city's governmentjobs.com portal and attach POST certificates, waivers or academy graduation certificates.
  2. 2
    Personal History StatementApplicants who meet the minimum qualifications submit a Personal History Statement and other forms.
  3. 3
    Oral panel interviewPass or fail. Candidates who pass go on an eligibility list for at least six months.
  4. 4
    Polygraph examSelect candidates must pass a polygraph before the final interview.
  5. 5
    Background investigationA licensed background investigator runs a full law enforcement background check.
  6. 6
    Final interview with the Chief of PoliceSuccessful candidates receive a conditional offer.
  7. 7
    Psychological examRequired after the conditional offer.
  8. 8
    Medical exam and drug screenRequired after the conditional offer.
  9. 9
    AcademyMust be completed before an offer. The department does not send new hires to an academy.
  10. 10
    Field trainingNew officers complete a Field Training Officer program before solo patrol. Laterals get a shorter version.

How long hiring takes

La Mesa Police2 to 8 months
San Diego Police3 to 4 months
Chula Vista Police3 to 5 months
Coronado Police3 to 6 months
Harbor Police6 to 12 months
SheriffNot published
Escondido PoliceNot published
Carlsbad PoliceNot published
Oceanside PoliceNot published
El Cajon PoliceNot published
0 mo3 mo6 mo9 mo12 mo

Each agency's own stated figure. They do not all measure the same span, so check the note on each bar.

Academy length

Minimum requirements

  • Lateral: California Basic POST Certificate and sworn full-time California service within two years of the offer
  • Lateral out more than two years: completed POST requalification course
  • Out-of-state lateral: California POST Basic Course Waiver and sworn full-time service within two years of the offer
  • Academy graduate: in the final phase of an accredited POST academy when applying
  • Academy graduate: academy completed and Academy POST Certificate in hand before an offer
  • Legal right to work in the United States (the city uses E-Verify)

Not published by this agency

  • Entry-level recruit or trainee pay
  • Written test and passing score
  • Physical agility test events and standards
  • Field training length
  • Tattoo and grooming policy
  • Age, education and driver license minimums (job description page was not reachable)
  • Hiring timeline for academy graduates
  • Bonus installment schedule details
  • Annual calls for service from an official source
  • Budgeted sworn officer count from an official source

Field training

Not published (laterals get an abbreviated program; length depends on experience)

Coronado is not accepting entry-level applicants without academy training. Only laterals and academy graduates can apply.
Pay figures differ by source. The city posting shows base pay to $135,837, while the recruiting site's $153,496 includes Advanced POST pay and shift differential.

Sources, checked Nov 13, 2026: City job posting 25-00012 (governmentjobs.com) · City job announcement PDF on post.ca.gov · Join Coronado PD recruiting site · Recruiting site: salary and benefits · Recruiting site: FAQs · Recruiting site: hiring process · City police page (blocked automated access) · The Coronado News: labor contracts, Sep 8, 2025 · The Coronado News: ride-along, Aug 16, 2024 · PublicCEO: new police chief, Nov 18, 2024 · California DOJ stop data, 2024

Agency colors not applied yet. They are only used once pulled from the agency's own site.

Photo: San Diego-Coronado Bridge. San Diego-Coronado Bridge by Frank Mckenna.jpg by Frank Mckenna, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and tinted.

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