Schedule: 

Officers work 12-hour shifts with every officer getting one weekend (Friday/Saturday/Sunday) off per pay period.

2024 - 2025 Police Officer Salary Information:

Lateral Transfers:

• $15,000 hiring bonus for in-state transfers - $7,500 paid in first paycheck & $7,500 paid after six months
• $10,000 hiring bonus for out-of-state transfers - $5,000 paid in first paycheck & $5,000 paid after passing the Iowa test and reaching the one-year mark.
• 80 hours sick leave provided upon hire
• Credit given for each year of prior continuous law enforcement service. For example, an officer with seven years of prior service would start at $82,876 per year and earn 120 hours of vacation and 12 sick days per year.
• Out-of-state applicants will have one year from hire to complete a written exam to become certified in Iowa. Study materials will be provided by ILEA.

Additional information about police benefits

• Physical Fitness Testing
• POST Test – Written exam on arithmetic, reading comprehension, grammar and report writing
• Oral Interview
• Background Investigation
• Psychological Assessment (MMPI)
• Interview with the Chief
• Polygraph
• Medical Assessment

Basic Qualifications:

• Must be a citizen of the U.S and a resident of Iowa or intend to become a resident upon employment.
• Must be 18 years of age.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license.
• Must have a high school diploma or GED.

Disqualifiers:

The following is not an all-inclusive list of instances that may disqualify you from being a police officer with the Marion Police Department. Other standards may make you subject to disqualification as well.

• Felony conviction
• Illegal drug use in the last three years of application date
• Release or discharge from the Armed Forces of the United States under dishonorable conditions.

Practice Tests:

Police Practice Test (free)

Apply to Serve Exams (for purchase)

Special Response Team (SRT): The Marion Police Department’s Special Response Team (SRT) is a group of highly trained and specially equipped police officers who respond to emergencies requiring advanced police tactics and equipment. The SRT is deployed in a variety of elevated risk and highly evolving incidents including high-risk warrant executions, forced building entries, hostage situations, barricaded subjects and other incidents requiring specialized weapons, tactics and equipment. SRT officers have access to an array of specialized equipment including thermal/night vision, drones, robots, ballistic shields, diversionary devices, precision rifles and many other tools designed to keep officers and the community safe. The team meets twice per month to conduct tactics and shooting range trainings. Due to the various trainings and specialties provided to and required of this team, it is a highly valued position within the Police Department. 

K9 Handler: The K9 program was started in 1998 with one drug dog (Yuri). The K9 Unit currently has three dogs: two narcotic K9s and a bomb K9. All the K9s are also trained in apprehension, handler protection, building searches and tracking.

Investigations: The Investigations Division has four Investigators, a Investigation Sergeant and a Lieutenant that oversees the Division. The Investigators all are assigned different cases and are not specialized; each Investigator is trained to investigate a wide array of cases. The Investigation Division also has three Task Force officers assigned to the Division. One Task Force Officer is assigned to the FBI, one is assigned to the DEA and one is assigned to the United States Marshalls Service. The Task Force officers allow the police department to have a lot more resources available to them through the FBI, DEA, and Marshalls. 

Crime Scene Analysis: At the Marion Police Department, we utilize high tech crime scene equipment. On site we have a cyanoacrylate fuming chamber for the detection of latent fingerprints, as well as an electrostatic dust print lifter. A copy stand camera mount is also in our CSI lab to take accurate evidentiary photographs. We have an outfitted van organized with the best tools for our crime scene investigations. These are just a few of the many tools we utilize at our agency.

SRO (School Resource Officer): The Marion Police Department currently provides an SRO to each school district within the city of Marion. Both the Linn-Mar Community School District and the Marion Independent School District pay for half of an officer and, in turn, receive an officer, assigned by contract, to assist them in such functions as safety planning, attendance issues, petty crimes that occur on school property, classroom lessons, D.A.R.E. instruction, student requested interactions, interventions and more. Officers assigned to this role serve as liaison ambassadors between the schools, the staff, the students, the parents and the police department during the school year. In the summer months, the SRO's attend various conferences and are members of the Iowa Association of School Resource Officers, the National Association of School Resource Officers and D.A.R.E Iowa.

Bike Patrol: The Marion Police Department bike division includes officers that are collaterally trained to work on two wheels instead of four. The bike officers are trained at the state level to be certified-bicycle police officers and can be seen (during the summer months, primarily) on the city's extensive trail system, highways/byways, the Uptown District, City events, bike rodeos, parades and other community events. An added bonus for bike officers is a partnership with the University of Iowa Police Department (since 2006) to assist with gameday operations for home Iowa Hawkeye football games. The best thing about being a bike cop (other than impromptu conversations with our community stakeholders) is getting paid to exercise on the streets and trails through the many wonderful neighborhoods that call Marion home.

Instructors:

• ALICE
• Peer Support
• CPR/AED
• Driving
• Defensive Tactics
• Firearms
• Field Training Officers
• OWI

• I have already passed the POST test with another agency. Can I use that score?
  • Yes, we will receive a list of people who have passed the POST within the last year and that score can be used for our testing.
• I passed the physical test at another agency or when I was certified. Do I have to test again?
  • Yes, we require everyone who tests with us to take the physical test. Whether you have tested at another agency, are certified in Iowa or certified in another state you still have to take the physical portion of the test with us.
• What should I wear for testing day?
  • Please wear clothes suitable for the physical testing portion. You may wear those clothes for the written testing and the oral interview that day.
• I haven’t received an invitation to test, so how do I know if I should go?
  • Anyone who has applied for the position is expected to be present for the testing day in order to be considered for the position. An informational email will be sent to all applicants about a week before the test date, but there is no formal invitation.