Located just west of downtown Chicago, Oak Park offers a distinctive urban/suburban lifestyle in a thriving, multi-cultural community. Well-known for progressive values, tree-lined streets and bustling business districts, this is an ideal place to live, work and play. The Village boasts convenient access to local and regional transit, high-quality public schools, and arts and cultural attractions.

Oak Park, Illinois was officially incorporated as a village under Illinois law on Jan. 25, 1902.

Today, Oak Park is a thriving community of about 54,500 people. Within its 4.7 square miles live one of the region's most diverse mixes of cultures, races, ethnicities, professions, lifestyles, religions, ages and incomes.

The mission of the Oak Park Police Department is to provide high-quality law enforcement services that are accessible to all members of the community. Oak Park Police officers believe in the dignity of all people and respect individual and constitutional rights. The Department follows a community based policing philosophy that relies on citizen involvement, problem solving, ethical behavior, leadership and the value of employees. This philosophy and its values guide interactions both within the Police Department and the community. Oak Park Police Officers work to promote quality of life by maintaining and improving peace, order and safety through excellence in law enforcement and community service.

Union: Fraternal Order of Police

FLSA: Non-exempt

Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.

DEFINITION

To perform a variety a variety of duties in the prevention of crimes; to control traffic flow and enforce State and local traffic regulations; and to perform a variety of technical and administrative tasks in support of the Department.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Receives general supervision from higher level supervisory and management staff.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES- Essential and other important duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Essential duties and responsibilities

1. Patrol a designated area of the Village to preserve law and order, discover and prevent the commission of crimes, and arrest offenders; check buildings for physical security.

2. Respond to general public service calls and complaints including domestic disturbances, civil complaints, property and violent crimes, automobile accidents, and related misdemeanor and felony incidents.

3. Collect, process, photograph and present evidence including fingerprints, fibers, blood and related physical evidence.

4. Enforce traffic laws and ordinances; check speed with radar; issue warnings and citations.

5. Direct traffic at fires, special events, and other emergency or congested situations.

6. Investigate traffic accidents; conduct investigations of serious injury and fatality traffic accidents.

7. Contact and cooperate with other law enforcement agencies in matters relating to the apprehension of offenders and the investigation of offenses.

8. Maintain contact with citizens regarding potential law enforcement problems and preserve good relationships with the general public; take an active role in areas of public education relative to crime and crime prevention.

9. Prepare reports on arrests made, activities performed and unusual incidents observed.

10. Investigate crimes; gather and preserve evidence; interview victims, complainants and witnesses; identify and interrogate suspects; apprehend and arrest offenders; testify and present evidence in court.

11. Promote the Department’s community-based policing strategy through delivery of quality services to members of the community and through positive interactions between police officers and citizens; to open up channels for the exchange of information and ideas.

12. Seek and find ways to solve community problems and affirmatively promote, preserve and foster feelings of security and safety.

Other important responsibilities and duties:

1. Maintain custody of prisoners; transfer prisoners to jail.

2. May conduct a variety of criminal investigations involving crimes against persons and property, auto theft, white collar crime, and narcotics; conduct covert and undercover investigations as assigned; gather evidence and prepare cases for prosecution.

3. May serve as Training Coordinator’ maintain training files; develop training programs; coordinate outside trainings programs with agencies and jurisdictions; review and evaluate current and future training programs.

4. May serve as Crime Prevention Officer; oversee and coordinate crime prevention activities; make presentations to local citizens and community groups.

5. May serve as Evidence Technician; process crime scenes for evidence, etc.

6. May serve as Youth Officer; process juvenile offenders, etc.

7. May serve as field training officer – Teach, guide, observe and evaluate recruit officers, etc.

8. Perform related duties and responsibilities as required.

QUALIFICATIONS-Requiredatthetimeofhireorlearned withinashortperiodoftimeinordertoperformthe essentialduties

Knowledge of:

· Police methods and procedures including patrol, crime prevention, traffic control, investigation and identification techniques.

· Criminal law and criminal procedure with particular reference to the apprehension, arrest and custody of persons committing misdemeanors and felonies, including rules of evidence pertaining to the seizure and preservation of evidence.

· Offensive and defensive weapons nomenclature and theory.

· Use of firearms and other modern police equipment.

· First aid principles, practices and techniques.

· Self-defense tactics.

· Interviewing and interrogation techniques

· Departmental rules and regulations, policies, procedures and directives.

Ability to:

· Observe accurately and remember names, faces, numbers, incidents and places.

· Use and properly care for firearms.

· Understand, interpret and apply laws, regulations, policies and procedures.

· Prepare clear, accurate and grammatically correct written reports.

· Analyze situations quickly and objectively and take necessary emergency action.

· Identify potential crime situations or traffic hazards and take preventive actions

· Meet the first aid requirement as prescribed by the State of Illinois.

· Learn the operation of standard equipment and facilities required in the performance of assigned tasks.

· Meet the physical requirements established by the Department.

· Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

· Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

· Maintain physical condition to perform essential duties as specified by police officer certification.

Maintain physical condition appropriate to the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities which may include the following:

— Effecting arrests.

— Subduing resisting individuals

— Chasing fleeing subjects

— Running, walking, crouching or crawling during emergency operations

— Moving equipment and injured/deceased persons

— Climbing stairs/ladders

— Performing life-saving and rescue procedures

— Walking, standing or sitting for extended period of time

— Operating assigned police equipment and vehicles. 

Effectively deal with personal danger which may include exposure to:

— Armed/dangerous persons

— Dangerous animals

— Communicable disease

— Hazards of emergency driving

— Hazards associated with traffic control and working in and near traffic

— Natural and man-made disasters

Maintain effective audio-visual discrimination and perception needed for:

— Making observations

— Communicating with others

— Reading and writing

— Operating assigned equipment and vehicles

Maintain mental capacity which allows the capability of:

— Exercising sound judgement and rational thinking under dangerous circumstances 

— Evaluating various options and alternatives and choose an appropriate and reasonable course of action.

— Demonstrating intellectual; capabilities during training and testing processes. 

Experience and Training Guidelines

Experience: One year of law enforcement experience is desirable.

Training: Possession of an Associate’s degree or successful completion of sixty (60) semester hours at an accredited college of university.

License or Certificate: Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate, valid driver’s license. Possession of a police officer certificate

WORKING CONDITIONS

Work in an emergency peace control environment; work in intense life-threatening conditions; exposure to dangerous persons, firearms, bodily fluids, and noise; running, walking, crawling, climbing, stopping and lifting; work in inclement weather conditions.

Diversity Equity & Inclusion Statement

The Village of Oak Park commits itself to diversity, equity and inclusion by recognizing that creating a mutually respectful, multicultural and equitable environment does not happen on its own, it must be intentional. This includes providing equal opportunities for everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, ability, military or veteran status or any other characteristics.

Oak Park Police Department - Entry-Level Patrol Officer has 23 vacancies.

Currently we have over 20 vacancies and we anticipate filling throughout 2026. We will continuously accept scores from PST and will conduct interviews monthly. 

$92,716 for entry level

$4,000 signing bonus for each applicant successfully hired as a patrol officer

• Signing Bonus: $4,000 signing bonus for each applicant successfully hired as a patrol officer
• Holidays: 14 designated paid holidays in addition to annual vacation, including: birthday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President's Day, National Peace Officer Memorial Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Day and one personal day.
• Shift Schedule: Officers currently work 12-hour shifts beginning at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily
• Parental Leave: Full-time Officers receive six weeks of paid leave for birth, adoption or fostering of child/children
• Education: The Village provides incentives to obtain a level of education beyond an Associate's degree. The application process for a Patrol Officer requires 60 hours.