Officer Recruitment
2025 Entry-Level Officer Recruitment
The Board of Fire and Police Commissioners approved the 2025 Final Eligibility List on April 30, 2025. The Village will contact candidates on the eligibility list in rank order to move forward in our recruitment process.
Interested applicants who missed this testing window can contact the PD Recruitment Team via email to be notified the next time we are accepting applications.
Lateral Officer Recruitment
The Village is currently seeking applicants for patrol officer by lateral appointment. Applications for lateral candidates are being accepted through our employment opportunities page and are regularly reviewed. Candidates should include a cover letter, resume, copy of their current ILETSB Law Enforcement Officer certification, copy of a POWER test card obtained in the last six months, and a copy of their high school diploma or transcripts with the application.
Lateral applicants follow the same recruitment process as entry-level candidates except for completing the written exam. Candidates hired through a lateral appointment may be eligible for accelerated salary step placement upon hire.
Qualifications:
- At least 21 years of age and under 35 years of age at the time of application deadline, unless exempt from such age limitation as provided in section 5/10-2.1-6 of the Fire and Police Commissioner’s Act. A 20-year-old may apply if the person will likely pass their 21st birthday by the completion of police academy.
- U.S. Citizen or legally authorized to work in the U.S.
- Valid driver’s license
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Vision correctable to 20/40, normal peripheral vision and free from color blindness
- POWER test card dated no earlier than six months before the application deadline
- Ability to pass all selection and training requirements. New officers must sign a repayment agreement for expenses should they voluntarily leave employment within three years
Why Work in Winnetka?
Winnetka is primarily a residential community located in north suburban Chicago (read more about the Village here), and is described by many as a great place to work. The following is compensation and benefits information for patrol officers:
- Patrol Officer Salary Range:
- 2026: $88,386 - $124,480
- Retention Bonus for Actively Employed Officers:
- June 1, 2026: $5,000
- December 1, 2026: $5,000
- Village-provided equipment and uniforms; plus annual uniform allowance
- Excellent health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits
- Paid vacation, personal, holiday, comp time, and sick leave
- Police pension plan
- Fitness and firearms incentives
- Patrol Officers are represented by the Metropolitan Alliance of Police (MAP) collective bargaining agreement
About the Position
New officers are assigned to a patrol function to support the mission of the Winnetka Police Department. The Department consists of 31 sworn officers and eight civilian employees. Patrol officers do the following while on duty:
- Patrol an assigned beat
- Initiate criminal investigations
- Prepare reports
- Provide traffic and parking enforcement
- Arrest and process offenders
- Prepare for and testify in court
- Respond to calls for service
- Mostly non-emergency service calls
Patrol officers primarily work 12-hour shifts, which routinely include:
- Opportunities to work both day and night shift on a rotating schedule
- Normal shift rotations include every other weekend off
- Overtime opportunities
- Emphasis on scheduled training when available
Development opportunities for sworn officers include:
- Training and career development
- Multi-jurisdictional assignments
- Community relations
- Specialty assignments:
- Investigations Unit
- Evidence Technician
- New Trier High School School Resource Officer (SRO)
- NORTAF and NIPAS Specialty Teams
- Motorcycle Officer
- Bicycle Patrol Unit
- Training Instructor
- Crime Prevention Officer
- Business Liaison Officer
There is a mandatory physical fitness test twice a year for patrol officers, with financial incentives based on performance.
Training
New officers attend a mandatory 16-week training program at either the Police Training Institute at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy at the College of DuPage, or the Illinois State Police Academy.
Hiring Process
Candidates can expect the following in the recruitment process:
- Physical agility test (P.O.W.E.R. Test)
- Orientation and written exam
- Police Department oral interview
- Board of Fire and Police Commissioners (BFPC) oral interview
- Background investigation
- Polygraph
- Psychological Evaluation
- Pre-employment physical examination
- Two-year probationary period (post-hire)
The BFPC is responsible for the appointment of patrol officers.
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Police Recruitment Team