Civil Service
Overview
City Council Meeting
June 23, 2026
Agenda Item 10.2
Agenda
Civil Service Rules & Regulations
Civil Service Commission
Examination Procedures
Eligible Lists
Miscellaneous Recruitment Process
2025 Miscellaneous Hiring Data
Police Safety Recruitment Process
2025 Police Department Hiring Data
Fire Safety Recruitment Process
2025 Fire Department Hiring Data
Civil Service
Rules &
Regulations
Civil Service Rules establish an equitable, merit-based system for employment, ensuring the best-qualified candidates are hired and personnel matters are handled uniformly.
Authorized by the City Charter, these rules regulate hiring, promotion, discipline, and dismissals for city employees, including specific guidelines for Police and Fire personnel.
The Role of the
Civil Service
Commission
The Civil Service Commission was created to establish an equitable and uniform procedure for dealing with personnel matters and to place municipal employment on a merit basis for the City. (§ 2.36.0210, § 2.36.030 )
Examination
Procedures per
Civil Service
Rules
Rule VI, Section 4 states that examinations
(assembled or unassembled) may be the
following to test the candidate's ability to
perform the job:
• Written
• Oral
• Performance
• Demonstration
• Physical fitness
Eligible List Per
Civil Service
Rules
An eligible list is a ranking of candidates from the
classified competitive process who are eligible for
appointment for a vacancy as per Civil Service
Rules
Duration: No list shall exceed three (3) years
Removal of Names - Certified names can be removed for the following reasons:
• Did not pass physical or medical examination
• Refused an offer of employment
• Did not respond to correspondence
• Failure to complete and/or successfully pass a background investigation
Eligible List
Certification per
Civil Service
Rules
The following options to request the certification
of names from an eligible list for 1 vacancy
include:
• Certification of the top 10 names on the open/promotional merged eligible list; an additional name shall be certified for each additional vacancy
• Certification of the top 3 names on the promotional eligible list; an additional name shall be certified for each additional vacancy;
• Certification of the top 7 names from the open eligible list and the top 3 names from the promotional eligible list. Under this option, a combined total of 10 eligibles shall be certified to the appointing authority for 1 vacancy. 1 additional name shall be certified from either of the open or promotional eligible list for each additional vacancy.
Vacancy Occurs
Requisition Entered
into NeoGov by
Department
HR Analyst Consults
with Department Recruitment Opens
Applicant Screening Candidate Testing Civil Service Process Eligibility List Approval
Eligibility List
Certification Candidate Interviews
Conditional Offer and
Pre-Employment/
Onboarding
New Hire Orientation
Vacancy Occurs
Requisition Entered
into NeoGov by
Department
HR Analyst Consults
with Department Recruitment Opens
Applicant Screening Candidate Testing Civil Service Process Eligibility List Approval
Eligibility List
Certification Candidate Interviews
Conditional Offer and
Pre-Employment/
Onboarding
New Hire Orientation
*Orange Boxes are a function of Human Resources
Miscellaneous
Hiring Data For
2025 Rule VI – Section 9 – The department can
request a certification of ten (10) names for one
(1) vacancy from the eligible list. The department
may receive one (1) additional name per each
additional open vacancy.
Applications Received 5,036
Candidates Placed on
Eligible List
1,710
Candidates Hired 161
Continuous
Recruitment Applicant Screening
Testing Notifications
Sent to Candidates
That Meet MQs
Testing Conducted
Eligibility List
Approval
Eligibility List Sent to
Police Department
Stockton Police
Department Initiates
Initial Background
Process
Background
Investigator is
Assigned to
Candidate
Background
Investigator
Schedules In-Person
Interview
Passing-Conditional
Job Offer is issued
with Medical and
Psychological
Examinations
With a Passing
Psych/Medical -
Sent Through PD
Chain of Command
for Approval
Captain’s Review
Panel Scheduled. If
Passing – Request
Hire Date from HR
Civil Service Process
Supervising
Background
Investigator
Schedules CVSA
If Candidate Fails
the BG Process,
Added to Names
Removal List and HR
Sends Out Notices
*Orange Boxes are a function of Human Resources
Application Posting Schedule (PD)
Continuous recruitment - recruitments
close at 11:59pm the Sunday prior to
testing (1 week). Another recruitment is
immediately opened at 12:00am.
Timeline:
Recruitment Opens: Monday - February 16,
2026 @ 12:00am
Recruitment Closes: Sunday - April 26, 2026
@ 11:59pm Testing Scheduled: Saturday - May 2, 2026
Next Recruitment Opens: Monday – April
27, 2026 @12:00am
Next Recruitment Closes: Sunday - May
31, 2026 @11:59pm
Next Testing Scheduled: Saturday – June 6,
2026
This process allows HR adequate time to
meet the legal American with Disabilities
Act (ADA) accommodation requirements
and ensures all applicants who are invited
to the test meet the minimum
qualifications(MQs) per Civil Service Rules.
Application Process
for Police Officer
Trainees
Human Resources reviews all candidate
applications for the following minimum
qualifications for Police Officer Trainee:
• Age requirement for a Police Officer
Trainee - candidate must be at least 20
years of age or older at the time they
submit their application.
• Education – Candidates are required to
have the minimum of a High School
diploma or a GED certificate.
• Driver's License – Candidates are
required to be able to obtain a California
Class "C" driver's license by the time of
employment.
What is POST?
POST
POST stands for Peace Officer Standards and Training and was founded in 1959. POST sets the minimum standards
for law enforcement officers and dispatchers, ensuring
they are properly trained, certified, and capable of
performing their duties within the state of California.
PAT
Requirements
What is the PAT?
The PAT (Physical Ability Test) for Police Officer Trainees with the City of Stockton consists of the following:
Air Squats: 30 in 90 Seconds
Push-Ups: 15 in 90 Seconds
Plank: Hold for 75 Seconds
500-Yard Run: Complete within 150 Seconds
Candidates must pass all stages to move on to the PELLETB Written Exam.
PELLETB
Requirements
What is the PELLETB?
The PELLETB, or POST Entry-Level Law Enforcement Test
Battery, is an entry-level written exam required for
candidates seeking a career in law enforcement in California.
It measures reading and writing skills necessary for success in training and on the job.
The exam consists of multiple-choice questions covering various sections, including writing ability, reading
comprehension, and reasoning skills. It is administered by the California Commission on P
eace Officer Standards and
Training (POST) and is a crucial step in the application process for most law enforcement agencies in California.
Stockton Police
Department
Hiring Data For
2025
Applications received - 3940
Candidates tested - 1254
Candidates sent to SPD - 1023
Candidates hired - 48
PD Sworn Positions 2025
Position Applications Tested Eligible
POLICE OFFICER ACADEMY GRADUATE - Year Long Recruitment 84 N/A 30 POLICE OFFICER LATERAL - Year Long Recruitment 45 N/A 19 POLICE OFFICER RECRUIT - Year Long Recruitment 39 N/A 13 POLICE OFFICER TRAINEE - JANUARY 365 119 86
POLICE OFFICER TRAINEE - MARCH 321 135 120
POLICE OFFICER TRAINEE - APRIL 383 141 90
POLICE OFFICER TRAINEE - MAY 369 135 96
POLICE OFFICER TRAINEE - JUNE 381 171 118
POLICE OFFICER TRAINEE - JULY 342 127 92
POLICE OFFICER TRAINEE - AUGUST 333 120 91
POLICE OFFICER TRAINEE - SEPTEMBER 295 100 68
POLICE OFFICER TRAINEE - NOVEMBER 270 97 63
POLICE OFFICER TRAINEE - DECEMBER 294 109 81
Totals 3940 1254 1023
Classified
Recruitment
Applicant Screening
for Minimum
Qualifications (MQs)
Send list of candidates
who meet the MQs to
FCTC to verify SEL
status
Oral Panel
Examination
Conducted
Eligibility List
Approval
Eligibility List Sent to
Fire Department
HR Department Initiates
the Background
Investigation Process
with vendors
Chief's Interview
HR schedules the
medical and
psychological
examinations
Candidate
completes the
livescan
If candidates pass
the process, Fire
sends HR a
confirmation to
move forward
HR issues a final job
offer to candidates
selected to start
employment
Civil Service Process
Conditional Job
Offer
If Candidate Failes
the BG Process,
Added to Names
Removal List and HR
Sends Out Notices
*Orange Boxes are a function of Human Resources
Fire Academies
• Human Resources partners annually with the SFD to plan recruitment efforts based on the department's staffing needs, including the projected number of Firefighter Trainees and anticipated fire academies for the upcoming fiscal year. • Firefighter Trainees complete an intensive 82-day academy, which consists of classroom and hands-on instruction in fundamental firefighting skills. • The SFD's Division of Training ensures the fire suppression personnel are highly trained, prepared, and ready to respond to a wide range of emergencies our community may face.
Application Process
for Firefighter
Trainees
Human Resources reviews all candidate
applications for the following minimum
qualifications for Firefighter Trainee:
• Possession of a High School Diploma or GED
• Valid CA Class C Driver's License in the State
of California
• Valid CAL-JAC Candidate Physical Ability Card
(CPAT) issued by the Firefighter Candidate
Testing Center (FCTC)
• Valid Emergency Medical Technician/Level I
certification issued by the National Registry OR
Valid Paramedic License issued by the
National Registry
Application
Posting
Schedule (Fire)
Human Resources (HR) works with the
Stockton Fire Department (SFD) to determine
the Fiscal Year recruitment for Firefighter
Trainees based on the vacancies in the rank.
•HR establishes two (2) eligible lists for each of the following - F
irefighter Trainee (EMT) and Firefighter Trainee (Paramedic). •Since the EMT certification is more common for interested c
andidates, we open an annual recruitment upon expiration of the previous list.
•The Paramedic certification is a less common and more
co
mpetitive for firefighting and this list is established bi- annually based on department needs.
Firefighter
Trainee
Requirements
What is the Firefighter Candidate Testing Center
(FCTC)?
The FCTC is the established leader in recruitment, outreach, and standardized training programs for firefighters in California. FCTC administers the written examination for Firefighters developed by the California Firefighter Joint Apprenticeship Committee (Cal-JAC) and the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) that measures an individual's ability to handle the physical demands of being a Firefighter. The FCTC places successful candidates on a Statewide Eligible List (SEL) to be used by California Fire Departments during the hiring process.
The City of Stockton requires Firefighter Trainees to score 75% or higher on the written examination and have an active CPAT Card issued no more than one (1) year prior to date of application.
StocktonFireDepartment
Hiring DataFor 2025
Status EMT PARAMEDIC
Applications
Received
275 112
Candidates Tested 124 38
Candidates Placed on
Eligible List
115 15
Candidates sent to
SFD
65 12
Candidates Hired 26 2
Questions