Garner Police Department, Garner NC

We are currently hiring Certified Police Officers - The current hiring range is $54,708 - $71,113. The full salary range is $54,708 - $91,876. The current starting salary for police officers is $54,708. However, salary incentives may be provided for the following credentials as determined by the Chief of Police: • Prior sworn law enforcement experience (2.5% per year) -- as determined by the Chief • Specialized Skills/Experience (2%) -- as determined by the Chief • Certified Instructor (2%) • Military experience (2%) • Associates (1%), Bachelors (2%), or Masters (3%) degree • Foreign language fluency (2%) The Garner Police Department offers a robust dual career path program. This program encourages professorial development by providing a 5% increase with each advancement. Career path salary increases would be in addition to any merit and cost of living adjustments approved by the Town Council. The steps included in the career path are as follows: Police Officer I Police Officer II First Class Officer Senior Officer With tenure, training, and above-average levels of performance, officers can compete for a variety of specialized positions and promotions. They include Canine Handler, Traffic Safety Officer, School Resource Officer, Investigator, Special Response Team, Crisis Negotiator, Field Training Officer, Community Liaison, and others. A robust benefits package can be found on the job application link. The closing date for applications is February 8, 2024, at 11:59 PM Eastern. Selected candidates will be notified by February 9, 2024, and must participate in an Information Session and successfully complete a written evaluation (POST) on February 15, 2024. Candidates selected to continue will be required to participate in an oral panel interview on either February 15 or 16, 2024. Please keep the above dates available. Candidates issued a conditional offer will be required to qualify with a Garner Police-issued handgun, submit to a background investigation, CVSA (truth verification) exam, drug screening, medical exam, and psychological exam. The above-listed items will occur between February 16 and March 15, 2024. The projected hire date for the candidates selected will be April 8, 2024. Contact Corporal Gomes with any questions at jgomes@garnernc.gov or by phone at 919-772-8810 ext. 6067.

Officer Cruz is the Garner PD July Employee of the Month! She embodies our core values of commitment, integrity, and professionalism and has become a predominant figure within the department and the town. Her work within the schools and the relationships she has cultivated have been life-changing for some of our younger citizens. Whether passing out a sticker to a child, playing on the playground, participating in reading programs, or using her Spanish-speaking abilities to make an alienated child feel welcome, her capacity for caring is second to none. Officer Cruz has quickly become known for her reliability among her peers and supervisors. Many people have benefited from her ability to speak Spanish or her willingness to fill in the gaps during patrol shortages. She is well known for her law enforcement competency and calm demeanor during stressful situations. We all benefit from Officer Cruz’s strong work ethic, organizational skills, and creativity. She is extremely dedicated to her job and regularly sets the bar for others to follow. We appreciate the work she does every day in the Community Engagement Unit. Congratulations Officer Cruz!

Officer Cabrera has been selected as the June Employee of the Month. Officer Cabrera routinely goes above and beyond in the performance of his duties. He is a leader and mentor to the other officers on his squad and a great source of knowledge for the new officers he trains as a field training officer (FTO). Officer Cabrera comes to work daily with a good attitude and a desire to do good police work. This is reflected in the results he produces and the credibility he has among his peers. Officer Cabrera gets along well with community members and always positively represents the department. He attends numerous community events and is always willing to speak with members of the public. Congrats Officer Cabrera! 

Senior Officer Rodney McGee Recognized as a Garner Local Hero Throughout his career with the Garner Police Department, Senior Officer McGee has served as a patrol officer, platoon leader, and field training officer. He began his career in law enforcement 32 years ago when he attended Basic Law Enforcement Training at Wake Tech Community College. Since then, he has served as a North Carolina law enforcement officer. He started his tenure with the Garner police department in 1999. He has served as a field training officer (FTO) for many years, training dozens of officers. He was well-known as an even-tempered and fair training officer. He provided valuable feedback about the recruits he trained over the years and taught them to be successful officers. He is a great asset to the Garner Police Department and the citizens he serves. No matter the assignment, he was well known as a dedicated and tireless worker who never complained about his duties. He is always honest and puts his community first when making decisions. He has always had a fantastic attitude and did well to foster positive relationships within the community. His supervisors and teammates all enjoyed working with him. He is a friend to everyone and always greets you by saying “Hey Pal”. Senior Officer McGee has never forgotten what it means to serve the community. For many years he was an integral part of the department’s efforts to build positive relationships with business owners and the youth in the community. He has always continued to do what he does, working to the best of his ability and trying to make the Garner citizens, his family, and everyone proud. Rodney has demonstrated that service is at the center of what he does. He has never done it for the recognition, as he prefers not to be in the spotlight. He genuinely cares about serving the community and helping others. He is a humble person and never looks for recognition, even when it is well deserved. Our department has been fortunate to have Rodney McGee as a Garner Police Officer, and he comes highly recommended as a “Hometown Hero”.

Today marks the start of National Public Safety Telecommunicator’s Week, which is celebrated annually every second week in April. National Public Safety Telecommunicator’s Week is a time to honor and appreciate our public safety telecommunicators, often referred to as dispatchers, for their vital role as the first point of contact during emergencies. Law enforcement agencies nationwide recognize 911 Telecommunicators for their hard work, resilience, and dedication to serving the public.

The Garner Police Department has announced Officer Guzman as the March Employee of the Month. Officer Guzman has been a part of the department since August 2022 and previously served with the Raleigh Police Department for six years. He is a valuable asset to the squad, thanks to his extensive experience. Officer Guzman is a respected leader who trains recruits and less experienced officers on A squad. He is always willing to guide and teach others to achieve the best possible outcomes for the department and the community. His strong sense of responsibility and ability to make good decisions in high-stress situations have not gone unnoticed. Officer Guzman is known for his hard work and dedication. He handles his cases efficiently and rarely passes them to detectives. Additionally, he volunteers to help his colleagues with search warrants and court orders, thanks to his expertise in these areas. He is considered trustworthy, liked among his peers, and has a servant attitude in everything he does.

Did you know that according to Pew Research, Apps Annie, and E-Marketer, 94% of individuals between 18 and 49 years of age own a smartphone? Additionally, people check their phones an average of 150 times daily, including within 15 minutes of waking up.   We are excited to announce the launch of our new Police App for your smartphone. This app provides quick access to information about community events, recruiting, resources from around the area with driving directions, sex offender registry information, and the latest news. You can also express your concern or compliment an officer, submit tips, and contact us.   The FAQ section of the app contains valuable information on how to get your child's car seat inspected, register animals, renew your driver’s license and vehicle registration, request traffic enforcement, hire off-duty officers, and obtain crash reports. To receive up-to-date information on police events in your area, please ensure that you have enabled push notifications. However, please note that the push notification feature does not replace the Emergency Alert System or Ready Wake Alerts.   Deputy Chief Mike McIver states, "Since over 80% of people in the United States use their smartphones as their primary means of communication, we wanted to use this technology to improve communication within our community." "This is another tool at the tip of our fingers that enhances citizen engagement, provides transparency, and increases overall communications."

The February Employee of the Month is Sarah Cuda   The Employee of the Month for February is Sarah Cuda, who works as a School Crossing Guard at Rand Rd. Elementary School. Sarah and her furry friend, Champ, are well-liked by the students, parents, and staff of Rand Rd. Elementary. Sarah previously worked as a school crossing guard in the City of Raleigh before joining the Garner Police Department in 2020. Her previous experience has made her a perfect fit for her role as a school crossing guard with us. She has volunteered for several events in the past year, including the Christmas and Fireman’s Day parades. Sarah has been an exceptional addition to the Rand Rd. Elementary School community. We are proud to have her as a member of our team. Please join us in congratulating her on being named the Employee of the Month!

Captain Adams, our lead public information officer, recently completed the Master PIO (Public Information Officer) course along with many other police department public information officers from the region. This course is designed to advance the participant's knowledge from the tactical level to the strategic level of media and brand management. The course is an extension of the FBI-LEEDA Media & Public Relations course. During the week-long program, the participants explored the business model of media engagement, learned how to cultivate a brand image through internal and external communications, and acquired skills on how to pitch stories proactively in today’s 24/7 news environment. If you want additional information about the Master PIO class offered by FBI-LEEDA, you can visit https://lnkd.in/ePZ5J7XT. You can reach Captain Adams at cadams@garnernc.gov.

Yesterday, friends, family, and coworkers gathered in a standing-room-only celebration to officially honor Officer McCarter's retirement. Officer McCarter dedicated 30 years to serving the Garner community as a law enforcement officer at the Garner Police Department. For over half his career, he served as a school resource officer at Garner Magnet High School, forming relationships with thousands of students across multiple generations. Officer McCarter's infectious smile and positive attitude will be sorely missed. We wish him the best of luck and success in his future endeavors.