The Process The Sherman Police Department is an equal opportunity employer that takes pride in hiring only the most qualified persons for this demanding but rewarding career. This brief outline of the application and hiring process is meant to assist you in your career pursuit. There are eight basic stages in the process to become a Sherman police officer that are outlined below. Thank you for your interest in the Sherman Police Department. Stage 1 – Application for Civil Service Entrance Exam The first stage of the recruiting process is to apply to take the civil service entrance test. There are two ways to accomplish this: First, if a test is not currently scheduled, an applicant will need to go to the Human Resources Department at 405 N. Rusk, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. where the applicant will complete a notification card that will be used to notify the applicant when a test is scheduled. The applicant will also be sent an Application Packet at the time of notification of a scheduled test. The Application Packet must be returned to the Human Resources Department by the specified due date and time. Second, if a test is already scheduled, and the applicant has not completed a notification card previously, the applicant must sign up for the test at the Human Resources Department and obtain an Application Packet that must be completed and turned in by the designated due date and time. * As a thorough background investigation is conducted on all eligible applicants who pass the test, any misrepresentation or omission in the application or other forms will be grounds for rejection or dismissal. Stage 2 – Taking the Civil Service Entrance Exam On the date of the test, those who have successfully completed stage 1 must arrive at the designated testing site, prior to the test time, with a valid driver’s license, in order to be admitted to the exam. The allotted time to take the test, once it officially begins, is 2 hours. The minimum passing score is a 70. Those who pass the test will be ranked in order of highest to lowest passing scores and this ranking will be the order in which each person will be evaluated throughout the remaining application process. After ranking the passing applicants, they will then be given instructions on when and where to meet for stage 3, the physical ability stage, which will be administered on the same afternoon of the Civil Service Entrance Exam test date. Stage 3 – Physical Fitness Testing Qualified applicants will report to the designated location prior to the physical fitness test. Instructions will then be given to the applicants. Police: Physical Agility Test The physical ability assessment utilized by the Sherman Police Department is designed to asses a candidate's ability to perform the physical essential job functions of a police officer. The assessment is a multiple event test and is a Pass/Fail only assessment. The assessment consists of the following events:   Event 1: Warm up: - 3 Minutes   Event:   Applicants are permitted to choose whatever warm up method best suited to prepare themselves for strenuous physical activity.   Failures:   Active participation in this event is optional. Applicants who elect not to warm up prior to completing the remaining events will not receive a failing assessment for Event 1.   Event 2: Vertical Jump: - Minimum reach = 15.5 inches   Event:   Applicants will stand with one side of his/her body toward the wall and reach up as high as possible to mark his/her standard reach. Applicants will then jump vertically, as high as possible, and mark the spot on the wall above his/her standard reach mark. Prior to the jump, one foot must remain stationary on the floor.   Failures:   Applicants will complete three trials. The best of three trials will be the applicant's score for this event. A vertical reach score less than 15.5 inches will be considered a failure. Applicant will not be permitted to continue physical ability assessment testing.     Rest and Recover for 3 minutes   Event 3: 1RM (One Repetition Maximum) Bench Press - 78% of Applicant's Body Weight   Event:   Applicant will lie flat on his/her back on the Bench Press Apparatus. Applicant will perform one complete repetition.   Failures:   Applicants will complete five trials. The best of five trials will be the applicant's score for this event. A 1RM Bench Press score less than 78% of the applicant's body weight will be considered a failure. Applicant will not be permitted to continue physical ability assessment testing.     Rest and Recover for 2 minutes   Event 4: Sit Up Test - Minimum 30 sit ups in 1 minute   Event:   Applicant will lay flat on his/her back, knees bent, heels flat on the floor, with fingers laced and hands held behind the head. Another applicant will hold the applicant's feet firmly on the floor. Applicant will then perform as many correct sit ups as possible in one minute. Applicant's buttocks must remain on the floor with no thrusting of the hips. Applicant must touch his/her elbows to their knees and then return until the shoulder blades touch the floor. Any resting must be done in the up position.   Failures:   Applicants will have one minute to perform as many correct sit ups as possible. Applicants who are not able to complete a minimum of 30 correct sit ups in the allotted time will be considered to have failed the event. Applicant will not be permitted to continue physical ability assessment testing.     Rest and Recover for 5 minutes   Event 5: 300 meter Run - Maximum 66 Seconds   Event:   Applicant will run for a minimum distance of 300 meters using a standard 400 meter track.   Failures:   Applicants who are not able to run a minimum distance of 300 meters within the allotted time will be considered to have failed the event. Applicant will not be permitted to continue physical ability assessment testing.     Rest and Recover for 10 minutes   Event 6: Push Up Test - Minimum 25 push ups in 1 minute   Event:   Applicants will have one minute to perform as many correct push ups as possible. Applicants who are not able to complete a minimum of 25 correct push ups in the allotted time will be considered to have failed the event. Applicant will not be permitted to continue physical ability assessment testing.   Failures:   Applicants will place both hands flat on the floor slightly wider than shoulder width apart, with the fingers pointed forward. A Proctor will place his fist below the applicant's chest (a 3 inch sponge will be substituted for the fist with female applicants). Starting from the up position (elbows extended), the applicant must keep the back straight at all times and lower the body to the floor until the chest touches the proctor's fist. The applicant will then return to the up position completing one repetition. Resting must only be done in the up position and both hands must maintain contact with the floor.     Rest and Recover for 5 minutes   Event 7: 1.5 Mile Run - Maximum 15 minutes: 54 seconds   Event:   Applicants will run for a minimum distance of 1.5 miles using a standard 400 meter track.   Failures:   Applicants who are not able to run a minimum distance of 1.5 miles within the allotted time will be considered to have failed the event.   Cool down/recover for 5 minutes - Applicants must complete the cool down/recover. Applicants who do not complete the cool down/recover will be considered to have failed the physical ability assessment testing.   Those applicants successfully completing the physical fitness testing process will then be given additional instructions, if necessary. Stage 4 – The Background Investigation Applicants who have successfully completed the first three stages will then have an in-depth background investigation conducted on them by a designated background investigator from the Sherman Police Department. Again, the ranking from the Civil Service Entrance Exam, accounting for those remaining after the physical ability test, will be the order in which investigations will normally be conducted. During the investigation, friends, current and ex-employers, and family members will be interviewed. In addition, an intensive criminal history check will be made as well as an in-depth driving record and financial history analysis. This process takes the longest to perform and requires patience on the part of the applicant. Being a police officer requires the highest integrity and moral character and as such we are careful that we only hire those persons that will reflect these qualities and will help to maintain the high degree of public confidence that the Sherman Police Department strives for and enjoys. Stage 5 – Oral Board Interview Those who are successful in passing the background investigation will then be scheduled to appear before the Sherman Police Department Oral Board. This board is comprised of 5 officers of varying ranks who are trained in the oral interview process. During the oral interview, these officers will ask questions of the applicant based on the information provided by the applicant and the background investigator. In addition, questions may be asked based on any other information that arises in the oral interview itself. There are no trick questions nor is the interview designed to push an applicant to try and elicit a negative response. It is a straight forward interview process designed to give the interviewers a quantifiable glimpse into the character and suitability of the applicant for police work. The results of the interview are scored using a specific scoring system resulting in either a pass or fail outcome. Those passing will be given a conditional job offer which leads to the next stage. Stage 6 – Polygraph and Psychological Assessment Those who pass the Oral Board will then be given a date and time, as well as instructions and directions, on where to report for a polygraph examination and a psychological assessment. Those who pass both of these examinations will proceed to stage 7. Stage 7 – Physical Exam The final stage, prior to being actually hired, is the physical examination. The Civil Service Director, or his/her designee, will set a date and time for the physical examination and coordinate this stage with the applicant. Once medically cleared to be hired as a police officer, the person is then hired as a full-time employee. Stage 8 – Recruit/FTO Training If the successful new hire is a Texas certified peace officer, they will enter the Field Training Officer (FTO) program and begin their on-the-job training (normally 17 weeks). If the new hire is not already certified, they will then be enrolled into a State certified police academy. The City of Sherman will pay all normal expenses of the academy as well as provide a salary to the recruit while they attend. Upon their successful completion of the academy they will then begin the FTO program as outlined above. Good luck and see you at the next test!