About Sacramento Police Department Test

Accredited by CALEA (Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies) as an Advanced Law Enforcement Agency, Sacramento Police Department (Sac PD) is one of the only two police departments to receive this accreditation in Northern California. Sacramento police department is known for its use of cutting-edge technology, social media, and efficient man-power management in carrying out law enforcement in the city. As Sacramento is the fastest-growing major city in the state of California, the Police Department plays a pivotal role in keeping crime well under control. The department is staffed by over 800 full-time sworn officers and close to 440 civilian personnel. Here, you can learn more about the agency, how to pass the Kansas City police department test progress onto the police academy.

Mission Statement: “to work in partnership with the community to protect life and property, solve neighborhood problems, and enhance the quality of life in our City”

History: Sacramento police department was founded in 1849, making it one of the oldest police departments in California. Due to the discovery of huge amounts of gold, the city saw a sudden surge in population in the early 19^th century. Along with the increase in population, came a sudden spike in crime. This led the city council to formally establish a public-funded police department for patrolling and law enforcement in 1849. Since then Sac PD has experienced major institutional modifications. 34 officers have laid down their lives in the line of duty since the department’s founding.

Size: Sacramento Police Department covers an area of nearly 100 square miles, in which a population of over 486,000 people resides. The city is divided into 6 patrolling divisions for more systematic and efficient law enforcement and each patrolling division has a major substation.

Headquarters: 5770 Freeport Blvd, Sacramento, CA

Divisions: The department is divided into 4 major offices: Office of Operations – responsible for carrying out patrolling; Office of Investigations – which carries out training and recruitment of personnel and officers, carries out criminal investigations, and maintains records; office of specialized services – responsible for the functioning of specialized units. Each of these offices is headed by a Deputy Chief, who is in turn accountable to the Chief of Police.

How to become an officer: Candidates must take the Sacramento police department test, which is conducted by the City of Sacramento Human Resource Department, which consists of a written test, a personal history questionnaire, an oral panel interview, a physical agility test. The written test is the standard PELLETB exam that is certified by the California POST. The physical agility test (PAT) is as per the POST Work Sample Test Battery, in which candidates must secure a minimum score of 384 points.  

Average salary: $56,900-$60,900 annually, rising with position and experience.

Police academy: Candidates who successfully pass all the phases of the Sacramento police department test are admitted into the academy. The academy is P.O.S.T certified and offers a Basic course that is public-funded and free of charge for recruits. The training conducted by Sacramento Police Academy is for a duration of 24 weeks (942 hours in total). Recruits learn how to operate firearms, basic law enforcement principles, and best practices and other core competencies.

Registration: Further information on the Sacramento police department exam can be found on their website. The department holds frequent recruitment programs and competition for places is high. Only the best candidates will be admitted into the academy.