Hiring new officers, checked Nov 13, 2026
Closed right now
Laterals: open now. Official jobs page.
The 8 steps, in order
- 1
Online applicationgovernmentjobs.com
- 2
Written testPELLETB, minimum T-score 42. Scores from the last 6 months accepted.Prep for this step - 3
Physical agility testObstacle course in 3:40, then a 1.5-mile run in 15:00.Prep for this step - 4
Personal history statement and background orientation
- 5
Polygraph, ride-along and background investigationAbout 6 months to 1 year.
- 6
Chief's interview and conditional offer
- 7
Medical and psychological exams
- 8
Academy and field training25 weeks, then at least 5 months.
12 hired from 2,662 applications
July 2025 to June 2026. About 1 in 222 applicants was hired.
Officer applications2,662
Moved forward69726% of the step before
Sent to background16624% of the step before
Conditional offers2213% of the step before
Hired1255% of the step before
The report does not define "moved forward". Applications may include laterals. Source: Harbor Police update to the Port board, Aug 11, 2026.
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
- Age 20 and a half to apply, 21 at appointment
- High school diploma or GED
- California Class C driver license
- Vision 20/70 uncorrected, correctable to 20/30
- No felony convictions
- Able to swim or willing to learn
Not published by this agency
- Drug use policy
- Tattoo policy
- Shift schedule
- Budgeted officer count
Field training
At least 5 months, plus marine firefighting and vessel schools
Two official Port sources disagree on trainee pay ($95,368 on the recruiting page, $89,128 on an older posting). The recruiting page figure is shown.
The stated 6 to 12 months covers the background investigation only, so it is not directly comparable to another department's whole-process figure.
Sources, checked Nov 13, 2026: Port recruiting page · Trainee posting · 2025 use of force report · Union job page (bonus) · Port board update, Aug 11, 2026 · California DOJ stop data, 2024
Colors and logo from portofsandiego.org. The Port's Gotham typeface is licensed, so a system font is used.
Photo: North San Diego Bay, looking toward Coronado. Aerial - looking across North San Diego Bay to Coronado 03.jpg by Joe Mabel, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and tinted.
