400 Turn Out to Apply for 10 Police Positions

More than 400 people showed up at Anaheim Police Department on Monday in hopes of landing one of 10 openings for a police officer.

People started lining up at 4:30 a.m., and by 6 the line stretched around the station and down Harbor Boulevard, police spokesman Sgt. Joe Vargas said.

Police Lt. Joe Reiss said as many as 10 job openings are anticipated for entry-level police officers due to retirements and vacancies.

Officials said the demand to work as an Anaheim police officer is high for a number of reasons, such as the pay and benefits and the variety of work assignments offered. Entry-level police officers earn about $42,800 a year, officials said.

Reiss said that by 8:30 a.m., 400 people had been given applications and many others were turned away. Testing will be held this month with background checks on applicants done in July. Hirings will follow as positions become open, Reiss said.

“We have more opportunity and more advancements than other departments,” said Councilman Lou Lopez, a 28-year Anaheim police officer.

For those lucky enough to be hired, Reiss said, it will be their first job in law enforcement and they will start as patrol officers.

The city currently has 389 sworn police officers. A City Council priority in recent years has been to hire more officers.

Since 1990, 49 police officers have been added to the force. Last year, the city hired five new police officers.