Patrol Officer/Lateral Entry Emergency Hire Process

Griffith Police Department

Police Officer Emergency Hire/Lateral Entry Program

Emergency Hire

The Griffith Police Department is seeking to hire an Indiana Certified Officer through the department’s emergency hire process.  Indiana Certified Officers must be a current member of, or meet the guidelines required by, the Indiana Public Employment Retirement Fund for Police Officers (PERF).

Lateral Entry

The Griffith Police Department recognizes the value of experienced law enforcement officers.  To benefit from the experience of those applicants, the Griffith Police Department is providing starting salary/benefit incentives commensurate with an applicant’s law enforcement officer experience.

About the Lateral Entry Program

The Lateral Entry Program will provide accelerated salary/benefit incentives for qualified candidates up to first class patrol officer.  The Lateral Entry Program does not recognize merit rank or seniority rights from the officer’s prior employment.  In addition, calculation for years of service will not include reserve or “part-time” years of service.

The following information is provided as a guide regarding lateral entry level salaries/benefits* 

Lateral Salary**

13 – 36 months of experience: $59,084
37 – 60 months of experience: $62,356
60+ months of experience: $69,196

Lateral Vacation

One year of experience: 1 work week
Two years of experience: 2 work weeks
Five years of experience: 3 work weeks

Overall Benefits

Longevity:

5 – 9 years at Griffith PD:            $85.42 per month
10 – 14 years at Griffith PD:        $170.83 per month
15 – 19 years at Griffith PD:        $256.25 per month
20 years at Griffith PD:                $341.67 per month

Health and Life Insurance:

Excellent coverage at industry best price

Take-home Vehicle

Provided for officers living within Lake County and within 15 miles of the town’s corporate limits, with some restrictions.

Positive Work Environment***

92% (26 respondents) recommend Griffith PD as a good place to work
8% (4 respondents) neither agree nor disagree that Griffith PD is a good place to work
0% (0 respondents) somewhat disagree that Griffith PD is a good place to work
0% (0 respondents) strongly disagree that Griffith PD is a good place to work

Applications will be made available at the Griffith Police Department and at www.griffith.in.gov, starting on March 16th, at noon.  Completed applications must be received at the Griffith Police Department by noon, on April 6th. 

* Law enforcement experience is defined as: employment as sworn officer with full arrest powers with a local, county, or state agency.  For purposes of the Lateral Entry Program, military experience does not qualify.

** All candidates accepting employment through the Lateral Entry Program will begin at the entry level starting salary.  Once lateral entry candidates successfully complete the Field Training Program, they will begin receiving the lateral entry pay rate; depending on their level of prior experience.  Lateral entry officers will also be considered “Probationary Officers” during their first year of employment as defined in the Griffith Police Department General Orders.

*** Based upon a December 5, 2019 Employee Viewpoint Survey of responding Griffith Police Department employees.  Survey completed anonymously by employees and facilitated impartially by Indiana University Northwest.